I've been reading the adventures of this planet –a flat world atop four elephants atop a giant turtle swimming through the cosmos– ever since I was a little girl, nabbing novels on my father's bookshelves.
The first Discworld books' covers are the most beautiful covers I have ever seen, all genres considered.
Terry Pratchett had a magical way with words, only matched by illustrator Josh Kirby's magical way with pencils. Kirby drew breathtaking illustrations for the British and French editions.
Kirby drew the covers for the Discworld series until his death, in 2001. I've spent hours examining their tiniest details, looking for clues as to what the books may hold, a complete part of my reading a Pratchett novel routine.
In 2012, Pratchett had spoken fondly of his relationship with "good old Josh", in this video.
"I miss him. Because we had so many arguments [chuckle]. He did lovely work. Absolutely wonderful work. If I ever criticized in this tiny little way he'd say 'I'll do the pictures and you do the words'."
Terry Pratchett is gone, and so is Josh Kirby. But their words and images remain, and their world continues to live through our reading.
