--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was, according to the history books…" description: "\"It was, according to the history books, the fastest coronation since Bubric the Saxon crowned himself with a very pointy crown on a hill during a thund..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/terry-pratchett-19_book_it-was-according-to-the-history-books-th_1065353.jpg" --- # It was, according to the history books, the fastest… ![“It was, according to the history books, the fastest coronation since Bubric the Saxon crowned himself with a very pointy crown on a hill during a thunderstorm, and reigned for one and a half seconds.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/terry-pratchett-19_book_it-was-according-to-the-history-books-th_1065353.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/terry-pratchett-19_book_it-was-according-to-the-history-books-th_1065353.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/terry-pratchett-19_book_it-was-according-to-the-history-books-th_1065353.jpg) > “It was, according to the history books, the fastest coronation since Bubric the Saxon crowned himself with a very pointy crown on a hill during a thunderstorm, and reigned for one and a half seconds.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous anecdote about an absurdly brief coronation highlights the fleeting nature of power. **In simple terms:** Power can be absurdly brief. Key Takeaway Don’t take authority too seriously. Themes humor politics ephemerality Mood playful witty Type satirical humorous When to use this quote - political satire - office politics - historical jokes Key Concepts satire historical parody Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about leadership? - How can humor reveal truth about authority? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious consequences of power. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Coronation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coronation/) [Hills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hills/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-books/) [Thunderstorm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunderstorm/) ## Related quotes > [Always remember that the crowd that applauds your coronation is the same crowd that will applaud your beheading. People like a show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/always-remember-that-the-crowd-that-applauds-your-coronation-is-the-2/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Sonata for Thunderstorm, Trapdoors and Young Women in Skimpy Clothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/sonata-for-thunderstorm-trapdoors-and-young-women-in-skimpy-clothing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos were lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/let-s-just-say-that-if-complete-and-utter-chaos-were-lightning-then/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [If complete and utter chaos was lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-complete-and-utter-chaos-was-lightning-then-he-d-be-the-sort-to/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I used to anticipate my childhood birthday parties as if each were an annual coronation. Like most kids, I loved sitting at the head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letty-cottin-pogrebin/i-used-to-anticipate-my-childhood-birthday-parties-as-if-each-were-an/) [Letty Cottin Pogrebin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letty-cottin-pogrebin/) > [Being in 'Coronation Street' is only going to make me a better actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-james-collier/being-in-coronation-street-is-only-going-to-make-me-a-better-actor/) [Rob James-Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-james-collier/) > ['Coronation Street' was my first job, Zoe was a controversial character, and I wasn't used to everyone looking at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-froggatt/coronation-street-was-my-first-job-zoe-was-a-controversial-character/) [Joanne Froggatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-froggatt/) > [A tree is a nobler object than a prince in his coronation-robes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/a-tree-is-a-nobler-object-than-a-prince-in-his-coronation-robes/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [I've never been out with any of the cast of Coronation Street. We're all very close friends so it's very much a professional attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fleeshman/i-ve-never-been-out-with-any-of-the-cast-of-coronation-street-we-re/) [Richard Fleeshman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fleeshman/) > [It still hasn't sunk in that I'm going to be in Coronation Street. Everything about the role is brilliant and I'm working with some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fleeshman/it-still-hasn-t-sunk-in-that-i-m-going-to-be-in-coronation-street/) [Richard Fleeshman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fleeshman/) > [I'm not a showbiz person. I just enjoy talking nonsense on the radio. I'm not bothered about going to clubs or the paparazzi, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blackburn/i-m-not-a-showbiz-person-i-just-enjoy-talking-nonsense-on-the-radio-i/) [Tony Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blackburn/) > [Our lives are quite boring. I spend a lot of time watching Coronation Street and Eastenders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rio-ferdinand/our-lives-are-quite-boring-i-spend-a-lot-of-time-watching-coronation/) [Rio Ferdinand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rio-ferdinand/) > [I don't see any coronation coming my way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/i-don-t-see-any-coronation-coming-my-way/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [When I appeared in 'Coronation Street,' I lived in Manchester and enjoyed it very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/when-i-appeared-in-coronation-street-i-lived-in-manchester-and/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I couldn't resist the idea of doing 'Coronation Street.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-havers/i-couldn-t-resist-the-idea-of-doing-coronation-street/) [Nigel Havers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-havers/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. 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And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 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