Saluting 'The Reluctant Writer'

 

“One way an author dies a little each day is when his books go out of print.” – William Goldman

Goldman, born in Illinois on this date in 1931, wrote Academy Award-winning screenplays for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President's Men, just two of many highly successful works that he either wrote, or for which he served as a consultant.

Goldman first came to prominence for his novels before turning to film. His most notable works were the thriller Marathon Man, the comedy-fantasy The Princess Bride – both of which he adapted into very successful films – and Tinsel, one of the first “insider” tales about the treatment of women in the movie-making industry.   He also wrote a number of mysteries, winning two Edgar Awards for his efforts.

Described by fellow author Sean Egan as "one of the 20th century’s most popular storytellers," Goldman grew up in Chicago, earned a writing degree from Oberlin College and started writing as a poet.                                                                                

While writing many of his other top selling works he did research on Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid for nearly 10 years and said it was one of his favorites.

Often referred to as “a reluctant writer,” Goldman, who died in 2018, said, “The easiest thing to do on earth is not write.   But this is life on earth, you can't have everything.”

 

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