Final lines of his Richard Dimbleby lecture Shaking Hands With Death on euthanasia and assisted suicide, quoted in "Terry Pratchett: my case for a euthanasia tribunal" in The Guardian (2 February 2010) http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/feb/02/terry-pratchett-assisted-suicide-tribunal <br class="br">General sources <br class="br">Context: I dare say that quite a few people have contemplated death for reasons that much later seemed to them to be quite minor. If we are to live in a world where a socially acceptable "early death" can be allowed, it must be allowed as a result of careful consideration.<br>Let us consider me as a test case. As I have said, I would like to die peacefully with Thomas Tallis on my iPod before the disease takes me over and I hope that will not be for quite some time to come, because if I knew that I could die at any time I wanted, then suddenly every day would be as precious as a million pounds. If I knew that I could die, I would live. My life, my death, my choice.
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (1952) Nobel prize winning American and British structural biologist
When he refused to believe the telephonic news about his Nobel Prize and accused his caller a poor hoaxer.
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan interview: 'It takes courage to tackle very hard problems in science
G. K. Chesterton book The Innocence of Father Brown
"People like frequent laughter," answered Father Brown, "but I don't think they like a permanent smile. Cheerfulness without humour is a very trying thing."
The Innocence of Father Brown (1911) The Three Tools of Death
The Father Brown Mystery Series (1910 - 1927)
Namwali Serpell (1980) Zambian feminist academic and writer
Source: On coming to terms with her mixed race identity in “Namwali Serpell: 'As a young woman I wasn’t very nice to myself'” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/30/namwali-serpell-the-old-drift-interview in The Guardian (2019 Apr 30)
“The reason to moderate is to avoid having to quit.”
Jim Harrison (1937–2016) American novelist, poet, essayist
Source: Off to the Side: A Memoir
“There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them.”
Sylvia Plath book The Bell Jar
Source: The Bell Jar (1963), Ch. 2
“Some people seem quite destitute a sense of humour.”
George Grossmith book The Diary of a Nobody
The Diary of a Nobody
Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) British stateswoman and politician
TV Interview for Central TV (18 June 1986) http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/106426 <br class="br">Second term as Prime Minister
Henry Moore (1898–1986) English artist
Quoted by Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, in Tate Gallery Catalogues: The Modern British Paintings, drawings and Sculpture, Volume II (Oldbourne Press, London, 1964), p. 481 http://www.henry-moore-fdn.co.uk/matrix_engine/content.php?page_id=3689 <br class="br">his remark, concerning the placement of his large sculpture 'Knife Edge – Two Piece', 1962 https://www.parliament.uk/about/art-in-parliament/global/print/?art=S715 - located near the House of Lords. <br class="br">1955 - 1970
