Because it wouldn't be a new day without an obit for someone I respect, let us sadly note the passing of William Goldman. I never knew Mr. Goldman but having read just about everything he ever published and heard him speak a few times, I'm pretty sure he would have liked all his obits to refer to him as NOVELIST William Goldman, and then to refer to his acclaimed screenplays as kind of a side product.
It was the screenplays that made him wealthy and famous of course but he seems to have been fonder of the novels. The Princess Bride was a wonderful movie but I liked it better when it was a book. In fact, I liked it best when it was specifically the book in this picture…
That was the first edition — the one with the red cover and the red type. If you ever come across a copy of it at a reasonable price, grab it. I'm not sure I can explain it but it really seemed extra-magical in that edition. After that, my favorite of his novels was Boys and Girls Together and of course, I loved his non-fiction book, Adventures in the Screen Trade. I often recommend the latter to anyone pursuing any sort of career in any sort of writing and also mention The Season, a book Goldman wrote in 1969 discussing all that was recently on Broadway.
A fine writer. Of novels and other things.