A. N. Wilson Quotes

A collection of quotes by A. N. Wilson.

A. N. Wilson is a renowned British writer, historian, and journalist. Born on October 27, 1950, in Stone, Staffordshire, he has made significant contributions to the literary world through his thought-provoking works. Wilson attended Rugby School and later studied English literature at New College, Oxford.

His career as an author started in the late 1970s when he began writing critically acclaimed biographies. Wilson's notable biographies include those of Sir Walter Scott, C. S. Lewis, Jesus Christ, John Milton, and Leonardo da Vinci, among others. These books showcase his ability to delve into the lives of significant figures, revealing both their achievements and complexities.

In addition to his biographical works, Wilson has written numerous novels, ranging from historical fiction to contemporary settings. His novels explore various themes such as love, religion, and society, displaying his versatility as a writer.

In the realm of journalism, A. N. Wilson has contributed to prominent publications such as The Times and The Spectator. He has also served as a columnist, sharing his opinions on a wide range of subjects including politics, culture, and religion.

Throughout his prolific career, A. N. Wilson has received several awards and accolades for his literary achievements. His distinctive style, meticulous research, and engaging storytelling have earned him a significant following of readers worldwide. With his insightful writing, Wilson continues to captivate audiences with his exploration of history, culture, and the human condition.

The approach of death certainly concentrates the mind.

The approach of death certainly concentrates the mind.

The fact that logic cannot satisfy us awakens an almost insa

The fact that logic cannot satisfy us awakens an almost insatiable hunger for the irrational.

If you know somebody is going to be awfully annoyed by somet

If you know somebody is going to be awfully annoyed by something you write, that's obviously very satisfying, and if they howl with rage or cry, that's honey.

In universities and intellectual circles, academics can guar

In universities and intellectual circles, academics can guarantee themselves popularity -- or, which is just as satisfying, unpopularity -- by being opinionated rather than by being learned.

When I think about atheist friends, including my father, the

When I think about atheist friends, including my father, they seem to me like people who have no ear for music, or who have never been in love.

Music Love People

My kind publishers, Toby Mundy and Margaret Stead of Atlanti

My kind publishers, Toby Mundy and Margaret Stead of Atlantic Books, have commissioned me to write the life of Queen Victoria.

The death of any man aged 56 is very sad for his widow and f

The death of any man aged 56 is very sad for his widow and family. And no one would deny that Steve Jobs was a brilliant and highly innovative technician, with great business flair and marketing ability.

Everyone writes in Tolstoy's shadow, whether one feels onese

Everyone writes in Tolstoy's shadow, whether one feels oneself to be Tolstoyan or not. His influence on the dissident writers of the Soviet Uniton was enormous. Figures like Grossman or Solzhenitsyn, although their language is less elevated, were dominated by a Tolstoyan desire to use fiction to tell the truth of history.

Truth Language History

Nearly all monster stories depend for their success on Jack

Nearly all monster stories depend for their success on Jack killing the Giant, Beowulf or St. George slaying the Dragon, Harry Potter triumphing over the basilisk. That is their inner grammar, and the whole shape of the story leads towards it.

I suppose if I'd got a brilliant first and done research I m

I suppose if I'd got a brilliant first and done research I might still be a don today, but I hope not. People become dons because they are incapable of doing anything else in life.

In the past, I used to counter any such notions by asking my

In the past, I used to counter any such notions by asking myself: 'Would you really want President Hattersley?' I now find that possibility rather cheers me up. With his chubby, Dickensian features and his knowledge of T.H. Green and other harmless leftish political classics, Hattersley might not be such a bad thing after all.

Of all liars the most arrogant are biographers: those who wo

Of all liars the most arrogant are biographers: those who would have us believe, having surveyed a few boxes full of letters, diaries, bank statements and photographs, that they can play at the recording angel and tell the whole truth about another human life.

Like many people in Britain, I have an affectionate respect

Like many people in Britain, I have an affectionate respect for the Queen, and am surprised that I should be having such republican thoughts.

I am shy to admit that I have followed the advice given all

I am shy to admit that I have followed the advice given all those years ago by a wise archbishop to a bewildered young man: that moments of unbelief 'don't matter,' that if you return to a practice of the faith, faith will return.

I don't think you can tell the objective truth about a perso

I don't think you can tell the objective truth about a person. That's why people write novels.

Brain power improves by brain use, just as our bodily streng

Brain power improves by brain use, just as our bodily strength grows with exercise. And there is no doubt that a large proportion of the female population, from school days to late middle age, now have very complicated lives indeed.

I do not find it easy to articulate thoughts about religion.

I do not find it easy to articulate thoughts about religion. I remain the sort of person who turns off 'Thought for the Day' when it comes on the radio.

In the 18th century, James Hargreaves invented the Spinning

In the 18th century, James Hargreaves invented the Spinning Jenny, and Richard Arkwright pioneered the water-propelled spinning frame which led to the mass production of cotton. This was truly revolutionary. The cotton manufacturers created a whole new class of people - the urban proletariat. The structure of society itself would never be the same.

I might be deceiving myself but I do not think that I do hav

I might be deceiving myself but I do not think that I do have an inordinate fear of death.

Truth comes to us mediated by human love.

Truth comes to us mediated by human love.