"We read to know that we are not alone."
About William Nicholson
William Nicholson — Life and Legacy
William Nicholson is a distinguished British playwright and screenwriter, celebrated for his profound exploration of love and identity. His notable work, 'Shadowlands', delves into the life of C.S. Lewis and his relationship with Joy Davidman, revealing the emotional complexities that define human connections. Nicholson's writing often reflects a deep understanding of the human condition, as illustrated by his quote, 'We are all stories in the end', which emphasizes the narrative nature of our identities. Nicholson's core thinking revolves around the idea that love is both a source of joy and a catalyst for vulnerability. In 'Shadowlands', he poignantly captures the essence of love's duality, where the beauty of connection is often intertwined with the pain of loss. His quote, 'To love is to be vulnerable', encapsulates this sentiment, highlighting the emotional risks inherent in deep relationships. Through his characters, Nicholson challenges conventional notions of love, portraying it as a complex interplay of strength and fragility. Today, Nicholson's insights remain relevant as they resonate with the ongoing exploration of identity and emotional depth in contemporary society. His ability to articulate the intricacies of love and the human experience continues to engage audiences, making his work a significant contribution to modern theater.
Quote collection
William Nicholson quotes (page 1 of 2)
25 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn fast."
"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."
"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."
"I am as I am. The world is as it is. Whether I am content with that has very little to do with it."
"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"
"A well-off plastic surgeon can suffer just as much as an Irish lad who has been abused or whatever."
"The English seem to think drinking wine is like committing adultery, something you do rarely and abroad."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"Everyone deserves to be the hero of a novel."
"We are the slaves of slaves"
"Why should I be honored? Don't I have enough attention, comfort and power already?"
"There is this notion that the lives of the comfortable-off middle class don't merit being treated seriously and with compassion."
"There are dozens of great American writers who write about the family."
"When I began to write seriously, 40 years ago now, my chosen form was the novel."
"If you die, I'll die.' 'But is you live, I'll live.' - Bowman and Kestrel, Firesong"
"Use your power gently."