Lee Child: A Highly Acclaimed British Author
Early Life and Education
Lee Child, born James Dover Grant, is a highly acclaimed British author known for his thrilling Jack Reacher novel series. He was born on October 29, 1954, in Coventry, England. Child’s upbringing was influenced by his Northern Irish father, who was a civil servant from Belfast. Interestingly, his father lived in the house where the famous singer Van Morrison was later born. Child is the second of four sons, and his younger brother, Andrew Grant, is also a thriller novelist.
When Child was four years old, his family relocated to Handsworth Wood in Birmingham to ensure that the boys received a better education. He attended Cherry Orchard Primary School in Handsworth Wood until the age of 11, and later enrolled at King Edward’s School in Birmingham.
Early Career and Transition to Writing
After completing his schooling, Child pursued a law degree at the University of Sheffield in 1974. Despite his studies, he had no intention of entering the legal profession. During his time as a student, Child worked backstage in a theater, demonstrating his early interest in entertainment. Following his graduation in 1977, he began working in commercial television. Child joined Granada Television, part of the UK’s ITV Network, where he served as a presentation director. He spent almost two decades at Granada, writing commercials and news stories, and even served as a trade union shop steward during the latter part of his career.
In 1995, corporate restructuring led to Child’s redundancy at Granada Television. It was at this point that he decided to pursue his passion for writing novels. Child believed that novels offered the purest form of entertainment, and in 1997, his debut novel, “Killing Floor,” was published. The book marked the beginning of his immensely popular Jack Reacher series.
The Jack Reacher Series and Writing Style
The Jack Reacher series revolves around the adventures of Jack Reacher, a former American military policeman who roams across the United States. “Killing Floor” received critical acclaim, winning both the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best First Novel. Child’s writing style has been described as “hardboiled” and “commercial.” While some of the Jack Reacher books are written in the first person, others are written in the third person. Child has characterized his books as revenge stories, driven by his anger at the downsizing at Granada Television. Although he is English, Child intentionally chose to write American-style thrillers. Over the years, he has become one of the most successful and beloved authors in the genre.
Additional Activities and Contributions
In addition to his writing career, Child has engaged in various other activities. He collaborated with 14 other writers on the 17-part serial thriller “The Chopin Manuscript,” which was broadcast on Audible.com in 2007. Child also took up a Visiting Professorship at the University of Sheffield in 2008, and he funded 52 Jack Reacher scholarships for students at the university in 2009. He served as the president of the Mystery Writers of America in 2009 and was the Programming Chair for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in 2018.