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Angus Wilson Quotes

Novelist

Angus Wilson, born on August 11, 1913, in London, was a renowned British novelist known for his profound insights into social reality and delicate portrayal of human nature.

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All People Effort Envy Feet Kind Rats Trapped Ugliness Writing Able

Famous Angus Wilson Quotes

“You have a perfect right to consign us all to hell, rector, but you must allow us the choice of how we get there. Raspberry Jam”

Religion Hell Free Will Damnation Judgemental

Book:The Pan Book of Horror Stories

Source: The Pan Book of Horror Stories

“The impulse to write a novel comes from a momentary unified vision of life.”

Writing Vision Novel Impulse Momentary Unified Vision Of Life

Book:The Wild Garden: Or, Speaking of Writing

Source: The Wild Garden: Or, Speaking of Writing

“People are able to live with only half a heart, to live without real compassion, because they are able to use words that are only forms.”

People Heart Real Use Able Form Half Compassion

Book:Diversity and Depth in Fiction: Selected Critical Writings of Angus Wilson

Source: Diversity and Depth in Fiction: Selected Critical Writings of Angus Wilson

“All fiction for me is a kind of magic and trickery, a confidence trick, trying to make people believe something is true that isn't.”

People Trying Believe Kind Spirituality Fiction Magic Tricks Mysticism Trickery

Author:Angus Wilson

“The opportunities for heroism are limited in this kind of world: the most people can do is sometimes not to be as weak as they've been at other times.”

People World Kind Sometimes Opportunity Can Do Hero Weak Heroism

Author:Angus Wilson

“The roots of art and play lie very close together.”

Art Play Together Lying Values Moral Ethics Roots

Book:No Laughing Matter

Source: No Laughing Matter

“The novelist must be his own most harsh critic and also his own most loving admirer and about both he must say nothing.”

Writing Critics Novelists Harsh Admirer

Author:Angus Wilson

“Life isn't just to be found, you have to work for it.”

Found Found You

Author:Angus Wilson

“I have no concern for the common man except that he should not be so common.”

Men Should Common Concern Common Man

Book:No Laughing Matter

Source: No Laughing Matter

“All the seven deadly sins are self destroying, morbid appetites, but in their early stages at least, lust and gluttony, averice and sloth know some gratification, while anger and pride have power, even though that power eventually destroys itself. Envy is impotent, numbed with fear, never ceasing in its appetite, and it knows no gratification, but endless self torment. It has the ugliness of a trapped rat, which gnaws its own foot in an effort to escape.”

Knows Self Sin Effort Feet Stage Pride Seven Envy Lust Endless Appetite Destroying Trapped Rats Torment Ugliness Gratification Sloth Morbid Gluttony Deadly Sins Seven Deadly Sins Seven Sins

Author:Angus Wilson

“Once a Catholic always a Catholic.”

Catholic

Author:Angus Wilson

“I opened the large central window of my office room to its full on the fine early May morning. Then I stood for a few moments, breathing in the soft, warm air that was charged with the scent of white lilacs below.”

May Moments White Rooms Morning Air Fine Office Window Warm Breathing Scent Lilac

Book:The Old Men at the Zoo

Source: The Old Men at the Zoo

“Envy has the ugliness of a trapped rat that has gnawed its own foot in its effort to escape.”

Effort Feet Envy Trapped Rats Ugliness

Book:The seven deadly sins

Source: The seven deadly sins

About the Author

Born: August 11, 1913
Died: May 31, 1991
Known for: Novelist
Quotes: 13

Books & Sources

No Laughing MatterRelated source material

Diversity and Depth in Fiction: Selected Critical Writings of Angus WilsonRelated source material

The Old Men at the ZooRelated source material

The Pan Book of Horror StoriesRelated source material

The Wild Garden: Or, Speaking of WritingRelated source material

The seven deadly sinsRelated source material

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