The Ford family curse refers to a supposed curse that is said to haunt the descendants of Henry Ford, the American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company. The curse is believed to have started with Henry Ford's only son, Edsel Ford, who took over the company after his father's death but died at a young age due to stomach cancer. Some people believe that this tragedy set off a series of unfortunate events that have plagued the Ford family ever since. According to the legend, the curse has caused a string of accidents, illnesses, and premature deaths among the Ford family members. Many of these incidents are seen as mysterious and inexplicable, further fueling the belief in the curse. Some notable examples include the deaths of Edsel Ford's two grandsons, Peter Ford and William Ford Jr.

The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner: And Other Stories

Rabbits are bouncing out of his hat, pigeons are flying out of his jacket and every time he points his finger, something magically appears – cheese sandwiches, socks . . . even a small yellow elephant on wheels!

It’s becoming a real nuisance – and he’s allergic to rabbits.

His friends at the Magic Rectangle can’t help, but the mysterious vacuum cleaner he saw that morning may have something to do with it . . .

Fourteen fantastically funny stories from master storyteller Sir Terry Pratchett, full of food fights, pirates, wizards and crooks!

Genres FantasyShort StoriesFictionHumorChildrensAudiobookMiddle Grade

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 25, 2016

About the author

Terry Pratchett

Born Terence David John Pratchett, Sir Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was thirteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe.

Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, including his first Discworld novel, The Color of Magic, in 1983. In 1987, he turned to writing full time.

There are over 40 books in the Discworld series, of which four are written for children. The first of these, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, won the Carnegie Medal.

A non-Discworld book, Good Omens, his 1990 collaboration with Neil Gaiman, has been a longtime bestseller and was reissued in hardcover by William Morrow in early 2006 (it is also available as a mass market paperback - Harper Torch, 2006 - and trade paperback - Harper Paperbacks, 2006).

In 2008, Harper Children's published Terry's standalone non-Discworld YA novel, Nation. Terry published Snuff in October 2011.

Regarded as one of the most significant contemporary English-language satirists, Pratchett has won numerous literary awards, was named an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) “for services to literature” in 1998, and has received honorary doctorates from the University of Warwick in 1999, the University of Portsmouth in 2001, the University of Bath in 2003, the University of Bristol in 2004, Buckinghamshire New University in 2008, the University of Dublin in 2008, Bradford University in 2009, the University of Winchester in 2009, and The Open University in 2013 for his contribution to Public Service.

In Dec. of 2007, Pratchett disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. On 18 Feb, 2009, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

He was awarded the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award in 2010.

Sir Terry Pratchett passed away on 12th March 2015.

Some notable examples include the deaths of Edsel Ford's two grandsons, Peter Ford and William Ford Jr., who both died in auto accidents. In addition, Edsel Ford II, another grandson of Henry Ford, has faced numerous personal and professional challenges throughout his life.

Ratings & Reviews

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PTerry has never been that great at short stories. He admits that himself. But what he has always had is one of the best imaginations of any author, Storyteller or liar to ever have existed. He also had the best ideas of what to satirise, which mainly included the stuff he loved which, top comedy tip, it's the stuff you should always satirise. Fuller review to follow (maybe).

It's just not that funny.
I'm not a kid, but I can still enjoy children's books, especially because I have a child who loves stories.

I liked THE WITCH'S VACUUM CLEANER, THE TRULY TERRIBLE TOOTHACHE (the favorite one), THE FIRE OPAL and WIZARD WAR (least favorite).

The other stories were. meh.

A collection of early works by Sir Terry. These were all written from the mid-sixties to the early seventies and published in Pratchett's local newspaper where he worked as a junior reporter. The stories are written for children and are all fun. Most of them were good with a couple of duds and a couple of excellent ones, averaging out to a solid rating of 3/5.

1. The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner - Cute story about a magician who gets cursed by a witch. Everything he touches changes into something else, usually odd, but he comes up with a way to appease the witch, Mrs. Riley. (3/5)

2. The Great Train Robbery - This is a story about the Wild West, the other Wild West, the one in Britain . Wales. Amusing story of how the law derailed a heist. Lots of silly wordplay. (4/5)

3. The Truly Terrible Toothache - A deliciously fun magic story. A librarian finds an old book and reads an interesting bit which brings back Black William from the 16th century. Very quickly everything in the town turns back to its Elizabethan version. The librarian and police sergeant find out a way to help Black William and return to the 21st century. (5/5)

4. The Frozen Feud - This is another tale of the Wild West (Wales) with the same characters as the second story. This time the sergeant has to deal with two rival ice cream vans. Cute, but nothing special. (3/5)

5. Darby and the Submarine - This didn't do anything for me. Little people have an adventure while boating. (1/5)

6. The Sheep Rodeo Scandal - Another tale of the Wild West town in Wales. Not as comical as the other too but ok. Sheep rustlers come to town for the annual Sheep Rodeo. (2/5)

7. An Ant Called 4179003 - An ant decides life is dull in the colony and escapes. Then he meets a bee who has left the hive, and the two enjoy a quiet life together. Cute but not much.(3/5)

8. The Fire Opal - This a fun fantasy quest. The Troll Prince loses the fire opal set in his crown.It is said to have come from the centre of the earth. As it rolls away, three trolls including the Prince set off running after it. Along the way, they meet others of their own kind: tree trolls, troll nymphs, sea trolls, etc. Everything ends well but where they ended up is perfect.(4/5)

9. Lord Cake and The Battle for Banwen's Beacon - Once again we visit the Wild West in Wales, only this time we travel back into the past and find out about how the town was almost tricked out of its Coal Rush. (3/5)

10. The Time-Travelling Television -Several of these stories take place in a village called Blackbury, as does this one.After finding some strange fossilised items, a Professor looks up Bill Powers, and he takes her time-travelling where they meet a man from the future. Good.(3/5)

11. The Blackbury Park Statues - The statues in a park get worried when an old lady who has regularly visited her whole life suddenly stops coming. They find a way to bring her back. (3/5)

12. Wizard War - Two wizards can't stand each other and are always getting into spats sending spells at each other. When things get worse, the apprentice of one and the cat of the other go to the Grand Wizard for help .(3/5)

13. The Extraordinary Adventures of Doggins - A little longer than the other stories in this book. A fun fantasy of a man who lives alone on a mountain is visited by an airship and takes off with the captain and a girl to have some BIG ADVENTURES. Excellent.(5/5)

14. Rincemangle, The Gnome of Evan Moor - A gnome living in the country thinking he is the only gnome in the world takes off for the town. He arrives at a department store full of other gnomes, but tragedy strikes and all the gnomes have to learn to drive to escape. A very familiar story! This idea eventually expanded into the "Bromeliad Trilogy". (5/5)

The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner

The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner is the second collection of Pratchett’s short stories, following on from the hugely successful first volume, Dragons at Crumbling Castle, which became a number 1 bestseller. Beautifully illustrated and brought to life by Mark Beech, these stories feature food fights and pirates, wizards and crooks and are sure to delight Pratchett fans worldwide.

Written when he was just seventeen, The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner brings together fourteen of Pratchett’s earliest stories. Each of the stories shows the seeds of ideas which Terry went onto develop in his later writing, making this a fascinating collection for his fans.

Francesca Dow, Managing Director of Penguin Random House Children’s commented: “Dragons at Crumbling Castle engaged a new generation of Terry Pratchett fans, and we are delighted to be building on this success by publishing a second collection of Terry’s fantastically funny stories. Once you’ve read Pratchett, you love Pratchett – and our mission is to inspire even more young readers with his wonderful stories.”

Rob Wilkins, from the Estate of Sir Terry Pratchett, adds: ‘Terry was thrilled by the warm response to Dragons, and it meant a lot to him that children were reading and loving these stories. The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner is just as silly and brilliant, and we can’t wait to share this collection with readers young and old.’

Review: The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner and Other Stories

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find there is nothing better than to read a short story. You get the complete reading experience – from the curiosity at the beginning that peaks your interest, to the adventurous middle that just won’t let you put a story down, to the (hopefully) satisfying conclusion – and you can do it in one quick sitting. Sometimes it is just nice not to have to wait. Since May is Short Story month, I’ve been looking for just such stories to share.

If you are looking for some magical stories – but nothing in the line of the dark and disturbing, then Terry Pratchett’s stories compiled in this volume, will fill the need perfectly. It is lovely pure silliness. As the title informs, we learn about a witch that rides a vacuum cleaner. There are miniature people riding about in walnut-shell submarines. Ant #4179003 wonders about the meaning of life.

Pratchett gives us all the popular themes – cowboys and pirates; witches and magicians. However, each time we enter a story, we get something unexpected and fun. I also like that in several of Pratchett’s stories, we are reunited with familiar characters. I happen to love when short stories, which I expect to be able to stand as a story alone, also intertwine with one another. It’s like getting the best of both worlds. You get the quick satisfaction of a short story along with the deeper involvement and emotional connections of a novel.

You can learn more about Terry Pratchett’s works at: https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/

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Despite the numerous tragedies and misfortunes that have befallen the Ford family, skeptics argue that these incidents can be explained by chance rather than a supernatural curse. They suggest that the Ford family's prominence and wealth make them more likely to experience public scrutiny, accidents, and health problems, similar to other influential families. Nevertheless, the Ford family curse has become an enduring urban legend, captivating the imagination of many people. It serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the uncertainties that can accompany great success. Whether or not the curse is real, it has undoubtedly contributed to the mystique and intrigue surrounding the Ford family..

Reviews for "The Ford Family Curse: Seeking Redemption Through Justice"

1. Sarah - 2 stars

I was really disappointed with Ford Family Curse. The story was predictable, and the characters felt one-dimensional. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts dragging on for too long while others were rushed. The plot twists were also underwhelming and lacked originality. Overall, I found the book to be lackluster and would not recommend it to others looking for a thrilling read.

2. John - 1 star

Ford Family Curse was a complete waste of time. The writing was poorly executed, with grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures throughout. I struggled to connect with any of the characters as their motivations and actions felt forced and unrealistic. The plot was convoluted and confusing, making it difficult to follow along. Additionally, the ending was unsatisfying and left many loose ends. I regret picking up this book and would advise others to steer clear.

3. Emily - 2 stars

I had high hopes for Ford Family Curse, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The story felt repetitive and cliché, with nothing new or exciting to offer. The dialogue was stilted and lacked depth, making it difficult to engage with the characters. The pacing was off, with long stretches of inaction followed by sudden bursts of unnecessary action. Overall, I found the book to be mediocre at best and would not recommend it to avid readers in search of a captivating mystery.

The Ford Family Curse: Unraveling the Origin