'Reluctant Writer; Popular Storyteller'

 

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

 

Born on August 12, 1931 Goldman was one of the most successful screenwriters in history winning Academy Awards for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President's Men and writing or adapting three dozen other highly successful works that each won various awards and were box office smash hits.   

 

And remarkably Goldman first came to prominence for his novels, short stories and works for the stage.  Nearly all of his 16 novels were bestsellers, led by the thriller Marathon Man and the comedy-fantasy The Princess Bride – both of which he adapted into very successful films. He also won two Edgar Awards, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Best Motion Picture Screenplay for “Harper” (adapted from Ross Macdonald’s book The Moving Target) and for “Magic” (adapted from his own novel by the same name).

 

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 his writing career as a poet.                                                                                

  

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