William Nicholson Quotes & Sayings

When I began to write seriously, 40 years ago now, my chosen form was the novel. — William Nicholson

Jack. What you said about endings. — William Nicholson

In the midst of aches in the joints, anxiety over the payment of bills, concern for the safety of those you love, envy of the rich, fear of robbers, dog-weariness at the end of a long day, and the unacceptable slipping away of youth, there does occasionally appear, like a ray of light piercing the clouds, a moment of joy. Perhaps you have entered the house and sat down before removing your boots. A friend has pressed a drink into your hands, and is telling you the latest news. You see from his face that he's glad you've come in; and you are glad too. Glad to be sitting down, glad of the warming glow of the dirnk, glad of your friend's furrowed brow and eager speech. For this moment, nothing more is required. It is in its way unimprovable. This is what I mean by the Great Enough. — William Nicholson

Madly, futilely, I wrote novel after novel, eight in all, that failed to find a publisher. I persisted because for me the novel was the supreme literary form - not just one among many, not a relic of the past, but the way we communicate to one another the subtlest truths about this business of living. — William Nicholson

There are dozens of great American writers who write about the family. — William Nicholson

Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn fast. — William Nicholson

We are the slaves of slaves — William Nicholson

God creates us free, free to be selfish, but He adds a mechanism that will penetrate our selfishness and wake us up to the presence of others in this world, and that mechanism is called suffering. — William Nicholson

My study is a converted garage which is largely lined with bookshelves and cardboard boxes filled with manuscripts of my film scripts, plays and books. — William Nicholson

The sun isow behind the grey-green trees. And all the farm grows quiet by degrees. Among their many lessons this is best: the animals know when and how to rest! — William Nicholson

All the fear in the world, and the violence that comes from the fear, and the hatred that comes from the violence, and the lonliness that comes from the hatred. All the unhappiness, all the cruelty, it gathers like clouds in the air, and grows dark and cold and heavy, and falls like grey snow in thick layers over the land. Then the world is muffled and numb, and no one can hear each other or feel each other. Think how sad and lonely that must be. — William Nicholson

We read to know that we are not alone. — William Nicholson

I have no future,' said Hanno. 'I need no prophecy. You talk too much, woman. — William Nicholson

It is better," says Eckhard, "to look at the wall. You look at the wall, you have your own thoughts. You look at he TV, you have the thoughts of the state. — William Nicholson

Here I am going to say something which may come as a bit of a shock. God doesn't necessarily want us to be happy. He wants us to be lovable. Worthy of love. Able to be loved by Him. We don't start off being all that lovable, if we're honest. What makes people hard to love? Isn't it what is commonly called selfishness? Selfish people are hard to love because so little love comes out of them. — William Nicholson

Use your power gently. — William Nicholson

There is this notion that the lives of the comfortable-off middle class don't merit being treated seriously and with compassion. — William Nicholson

A well-off plastic surgeon can suffer just as much as an Irish lad who has been abused or whatever. — William Nicholson

Self-sufficiency is the enemy of salvation. If you are self-sufficient, you have no need of God. If you have no need of God, you do not seek Him. If you do not seek Him, you will not find Him. — William Nicholson

He accepted what each moment brough him, and never troubled himself with matters that were outside his control. — William Nicholson

We read to know we're not alone. — William Nicholson

Why should I be honored? Don't I have enough attention, comfort and power already? — William Nicholson

To put it another way, pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world. Why must it be pain? Why can't he rouse us more gently, with violins or laughter? Because the dream from which we must be wakened, is the dream that all is well. — William Nicholson

The English seem to think drinking wine is like committing adultery, something you do rarely and abroad. — William Nicholson

If you die, I'll die.' 'But is you live, I'll live.' - Bowman and Kestrel, Firesong — William Nicholson

I am as I am. The world is as it is. Whether I am content with that has very little to do with it. — William Nicholson

She slapped Kestrel's face. Without thinking twice, Kestrel slapped her back, as hard as she could. The young woman burst into tears. The servant saw this, aghast.
"Baby!" She exclaimed. "Oh, my poor baby!"
"You've been kind to me," said Kestrel, "and you're very beautiful, but if you hit me again I'll kill you. — William Nicholson

Everyone deserves to be the hero of a novel. — William Nicholson

We write to know we are not alone — William Nicholson

Today begins my walk with you. Where you go, I go. Where you stay, I stay. When you sleep, I will sleep. When you rise, I will rise. I will pass my days within the sound of your voice, and my nights within the reach of your hand. And none shall come between us. - Manth Vow — William Nicholson

I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time- waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God- it changes me. — William Nicholson