Henry James …......William Boyd and Synchronicity and me

A synchronicity this morning I am due to be teaching in Philosophy about Henry James and his book Rurn of the Screw as a post modern text. These quotes are from William Boyd`s book “Any Human Heart”. It was Henry James whose quote Boyd uses in the titlepage of his work...

“Never say you know the last word about any human heart.”

―Henry James

William Boyd`s book "Any Human Heart" has been a great influence in my life. I was introduced to the work through the channel 4 series over three years ago. It was introduced to me by best ever friend and lover at a very dark period of my life.

“It terrifies me, the fragility of these moments in our lives.”
― William Boyd, Any Human Heart

“True learning only occurs when you love the subject you are studying and then the acquiring of knowledge is effortless because it is also a pleasure.” 
― William Boyd, Any Human Heart

As I write this I feel that draining, hollowing helplessness that genuine love for another produces in you. It's at these moments that we know that we are going to die. 
― William Boyd, Any Human Heart

“Every life is both ordinary and extraordinary - it is the respective proportion of those two categories that make that life appear interesting or humdrum.” 
― William Boyd, Any Human Heart

“A Horrible thought: could this be the pattern of my life ahead? Every ambition thwarted, every dream stillborn? But a seconds reflection tells me that what I'm currently experiencing is shared by all sentient, suffering human beings, except for the very, very few: the genuinely talented - the odd, rare genius - and, of course, the exceptionally lucky swine.”
― William Boyd, Any Human Heart

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