The novel as fine art

[outsdr]

Writing is art. However, rarely am I reading a book when the author will nonchalantly walk up and kick me in the groin with paragraphical greatness; an exhibition of writing as Fine Art that deserves to be place on display.

This is taken from A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett. All characters in the scene are witches.

"Well, whatever it was, it seems to have gone," said Miss Level. "And we should go too-otherwise we'll be flying all night." She reached behind another tree and picked up a bundle of firewood. At least, it looked exactly like that, because it was supposed to. "My own invention," she said, modestly. "One never knows down here on the plains, does one? And the handle shoots out by means of this button-oh, I'm so sorry, it sometimes does that. Did anyone see where it went?"

The handle was located in a bush and screwed back in.

Here's a detail of the sentence that completely blew me away:

And the handle shoots out by means of this button-oh, I'm so sorry, it sometimes does that. Did anyone see where it went?

That one sentence describes an entire scene, without using any description at all. Amazing.