Author lee child biography book

Lee Child

British thriller writer (born )

This article is about the Nation writer. For the Irish rugger league footballer, see Lee Descendant (rugby league). For the Brits tennis player, see Lee Childs.

James Dover Grant[1]CBE (born 29 Oct ), primarily known by wreath pen nameLee Child, is expert British author who writes balderdash novels, and is best mask for his Jack Reacher original series.[2] The books follow greatness adventures of a former English military policeman, Jack Reacher, who wanders the United States.

Emperor first novel, Killing Floor (), won both the Anthony Purse and the Barry Award misjudge Best First Novel.[3][4]

Early life with the addition of education

Grant was born in Coventry.[5] His Northern Irish father, who was born in Belfast, was a civil servant who cursory in the house where nobleness singer Van Morrison was following born.[6][7] He is the in a short time of four sons;[8] his minor brother, Andrew Grant, is further a thriller novelist.

Grant's lineage moved to Handsworth Wood be bounded by Birmingham when he was quaternary years old so that say publicly boys could receive a higher quality education.[9] Grant attended Cherry Woodlet Primary School in Handsworth Forest until the age of Sand attended King Edward's School, Birmingham.[10]

In , at the age make out 20, Grant studied law[11] main University of Sheffield, though subside had no intention of ingoing the legal profession.

During climax student days, he worked breeding in a theatre.[7] After graduating, he worked in commercial television.[11] He received a Bachelor remark Laws (LLB) degree from honourableness University of Sheffield in deed returned to the university extremity receive an honoraryDoctor of Longhand (DLitt) in [12]

Career

Television production career

Grant joined Granada Television, part break into the UK's ITV Network, overlook Manchester as a presentation director.[13] There he was involved look after shows including Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker.

Grant was involved in the transmission addict more than 40, hours incessantly programming for Granada, writing zillions of commercials and news stories.[14] He worked at Granada cause the collapse of to [7] and ended realm career there with two period as a trade union betray steward.[15]

Writing career

After losing his curious because of corporate restructuring,[13] Fill decided to start writing novels, which he later called "purest form of entertainment."[16] In , his first novel, Killing Floor, was published.

Child moved earn the United States, where proceed married a New Yorker.[11] Of course starts each new book incline the series on an party of his starting the greatest book after losing his job.[17]

His pen name "Lee" comes deviate a mispronunciation of the fame of Renault's Le Car, introduction "Lee Car".

Calling anything "Lee" became a family gag. Wreath daughter, Ruth, was "lee child".[18] The name has the mishandling of placing his books alphabetically on bookshop and library shelves between crime fiction greats Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie.[13]

Grant has said that he came safeguard with the name Reacher read the central character in sovereignty novels when he was mart shopping with his wife Jane at Asda supermarket in Dyestuff, Cumbria, when he was rations at Kirkby Lonsdale.[19] Grant's apex often leads to people request him to get something assistance them from a high ledge.

Jane once joked: "'Hey, on the assumption that this writing thing doesn't separate out, you could always accredit a reacher in a supermarket.' 'I thought, Reacher – travelling fair name.'"[7]

Some books in the Jack Reacher series are written staging the first person, while excess are written in the bag person.

Grant has characterised leadership books as revenge stories – "Somebody does a very good enough thing, and Reacher takes revenge" – driven by his annoyance at the downsizing at City. Although English, he deliberately chose to write American-style thrillers.[13] Amuse , Grant collaborated with 14 other writers to create ethics part serial thriller The Author Manuscript, narrated by Alfred Molina.

This was broadcast weekly go aboard between 25 September and 13 November

Grant worked as dinky visiting professor at the Rule of Sheffield from November Put it to somebody , Grant funded 52 Standard Reacher scholarships for students imitate the university.[20]

Grant was elected maestro of the Mystery Writers oust America in [21] Grant was the Programming Chair for primacy Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Calligraphy Festival in , part acquisition the Harrogate International Festivals portfolio.[22]

In , it was announced focus Child would curate a different TV show called Lee Child: True Crime. The show discretion dramatise real-life crime stories overexert around the world and focal point on average people who proceed to extraordinary lengths to vie with crime or seek justice.[23]

In Jan , Child announced that fair enough would retire from writing depiction Jack Reacher series and administer it to his brother Apostle Grant, who would write new books of the series make a mistake the surname Child.[24] He time to write the next clampdown books with Grant before fleeting the series entirely over pin down him.[25]

Writing style

Grant's prose has antique described as "hardboiled" and "commercial" in style.

In a investigate, Grant said many aspects persuade somebody to buy the Jack Reacher novels were meant to maintain the books' profitability, rather than for erudite reasons. For instance, Jack Reacher was given one French translucent in part to increase distinction series' appeal in France. Integrity interviewer wrote that Grant "didn't apologise about the commercial nature" of his fiction.[26]

Child has programmed John D.

MacDonald, Alistair MacLean, and Robert B. Parker gorilla influences on the Reacher series.[27]

Other activities

In , Child collaborated secondhand goods musicians Jennifer and Scott Mormon of the group Naked Gaudy on an album of medicine exploring Jack Reacher, in freshen.

He contributed vocals to position track "Reacher Said Nothing."[28]

In Progeny joined the Booker Prize judgement panel, alongside chair Margaret Lid, Sameer Rahim, Lemn Sissay, elitist Emily Wilson.[29][30][31]

Philanthropy

In January , Out-and-out donated £10, for a another vehicle for the Brecon Hoard Rescue Team in Wales.[32]

Grant give something the onceover an annual sponsor and recent member of ThrillerFest.[33]

Personal life

Grant one his wife Jane and influenced to New York state.

They have a daughter, Ruth.[11][7]

Grant practical a fan of Aston Ch Football Club;[34] his books then include the names of Aston Villa players.[35]

In , Grant excluded claims that he wrote ultimately under the influence of charas that were initially reported condemn the Daily Mail.[36]

Works

Novels

Jack Reacher series:

Note: For consistency, ISBN levelheaded that of the Bantam Repress (UK) hardcover, first printing only.
^ by Lee Child countryside Andrew Child

Non-fiction

Short stories

Collections:

  • No Hub Name (), collection of combine novellas and ten short traditional from the Jack Reacher series:
    "Too Much Time" (novella), "Deep Down", "Everyone Talks", "Guy Walks into a Bar", "High Heat" (novella), "James Penney's New Identity" ( version), "Maybe They Hold a Tradition", "No Room daring act the Motel", "Not a Drill", "Second Son", "Small Wars", "The Picture of the Lonely Diner"
  • Safe Enough (), collection of greenback short stories:
    "The Bodyguard", "The Greatest Trick of All", "Ten Keys", "Safe Enough", "Normal doubtful Every Way", "The Solution", "Public Transportation", "Me and Mr.

    Rafferty", "Section 7 (a) (Operational)", "Addicted to Sweetness", "The Bone-Headed League", "I Heard a Romantic Story", "My First Drug Trial", "Wet with Rain", "The Truth Regarding What Happened", "Pierre, Lucien & Me", "New Blank Document", "Shorty and the Briefcase", "Dying come up with a Cigarette", "The Snake Feeder by the Numbers"

Jack Reacher series:

Title Year Notes
"James Penney's New Identity" , edited The version is longer.

Collected sufficient Fresh Blood 3 (edited stomach-turning Mike Ripley and Maxim Jakubowski) and in Thriller (US)

"Guy Walks into a Bar" Prequel to novel Gone Tomorrow, in The New York Times[40]
"Second Son" Electronic short map
"Knowing you're Alive" With M.

J. Rose. Crossover adapt Butterfield Institute series. Collected hurt In Session

"Deep Down" Electronic short story
"High Heat" Electronic novella
"Everyone Talks" In Esquire (June/July , Documents edition)
"Not a Drill" Electronic short story
"Good favour Valuable Consideration" With Patriarch Finder.

Crossover with Nick Heller series. Collected in Face Off (edited by David Baldacci)

"No Room at the Motel"
"Small Wars" Electronic surgically remove story
"The Picture of honourableness Lonely Diner"
"Maybe they Have a Tradition"
"Faking a Murderer" With Kathy Reichs.

Crossover with Temperance Brennan series. Collected in Matchup

"Too Unnecessary Time" Novella
"The Yule Scorpion" Electronic short edifice
"The Fourth Man" Included in Australian paperback of Past Tense
"Cleaning the Gold" With Karin Slaughter.

Crossover with Will Trent series

"Smile" Collected in Invisible Blood

Other short stories:

  • "The Snake Eater by depiction Numbers", chapter six from justness serialized novel Like a Charm (, edited by Karin Slaughter)
  • "Ten Keys", collected in The Cocain Chronicles (, edited by Jervey Tervalon and Gary Phillips)
  • "The Extreme Trick of All", collected deduct Greatest Hits (, edited bid Robert J.

    Randisi), and hillock The Best British Mysteries IV ()

  • "Safe Enough", collected in MWA Presents Death Do Us Part ()
  • "The Solution", collected in Bloodlines: A Horse Racing Anthology ()
  • Chapter 15 from audio serialized account The Chopin Manuscript ()
  • "Public Transportation", collected in Phoenix Noir ()
  • One chapter from audio serialized uptotheminute The Copper Bracelet ()
  • Story controlled in The World's Greatest Villainy Writers tell the inside Unique of Their Great Detectives, uptotheminute The Line Up (), scale Jack Reacher and his origins
  • "Me and Mr.

    Rafferty", collected crumble The Dark End of decency Street (, edited by Jonathan Santlofer and S. J. Rozan)

  • "Section 7 (a) (Operational)", collected hoax Agents of Treachery ()
  • "The Bodyguard", collected in First Thrills (, edited by Lee Child)
  • "Addicted revere Sweetness", collected in MWA Grants The Rich and the Dead (, edited by Nelson DeMille)
  • "The Bone-Headed League", collected in A Study in Sherlock ()
  • "I Heard a Romantic Story", collected nonthreatening person Love is Murder ()
  • "The Feeling I Remember", collected in Vengeance (, edited by Lee Child)
  • "My First Drug Trial", collected bank The Marijuana Chronicles (July )
  • "Wet with Rain", collected in Belfast Noir (November )
  • "The Truth Feel about What Happened", collected in In Sunlight or in Shadow: Romantic Inspired by the Paintings ensnare Edward Hopper (December )
  • Anatomy mean Innocence (March )
  • "Pierre, Lucien & Me", collected in Alive amusement Shape and Color (December )
  • "New Blank Document", collected in It Occurs to Me that Uncontrollable am America (January )
  • "Shorty talented the Briefcase", collected in Ten Year Stretch (April )
  • "Dying want badly a Cigarette", collected in The Nicotine Chronicles ()
  • "Normal in Now and again Way", collected in Deadly Anniversaries ()

Adaptations

  • Jack Reacher (), film constrained and written by Christopher McQuarrie, based on novel One Shot.

    An American thriller film lead Tom Cruise. Grant made fine cameo appearance as a boys in blue desk sergeant in the film.[41]

  • Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (), film directed by Edward Zwick, and written by Richard Wenk, Zwick, and Marshall Herskovitz, family unit on the novel Never Publish Back. With Tom Cruise reprising the role.

    In the tegument casing, the final scene is puncture in New Orleans, which was not a location in prestige book. Grant made a cut appearance as an airport card agent in the film.

  • Reacher (), an Amazon Prime series heroine Alan Ritchson. In the stick up episode of season 1, Rights can be seen in character last chapter as a person walking out of the eating-house who says "Excuse me" conj at the time that passing Reacher.

    Reacher then speaks to Finlay and eats neat as a pin piece of peach pie.

Awards

Awards brake novels

Honorary degrees

Child has received spontaneous degrees from several universities. These include:

Other awards

Honours

Grant was adapted Commander of the Order in shape the British Empire (CBE) weight the Queen's Birthday Honours Confer for services to literature.[52]

References

  1. ^"Index entry".

    FreeBMD. ONS. Archived from nobility original on 18 April Retrieved 7 February

  2. ^Smith, David (22 June ). "Sacked at 40 and on the scrapheap. Having an important effect Brummie tops US book charts". The Guardian. London. Archived deviate the original on 5 July Retrieved 8 July
  3. ^Child, Revel in (30 October ).

    Killing Floor. Penguin. ISBN&#;.

  4. ^"The Barry Awards: Regular Literary Award for Crime Fiction". Crime Fiction Awards. Omnimystery. Archived from the original on 14 March Retrieved 29 March
  5. ^Glass, Ben (2 December ). "If you don't know Lee Babe, you don't know Jack". It's All About Coventry.

    Archived evacuate the original on 1 Dec Retrieved 12 January

  6. ^"Best-selling penman Lee Child is applying desire Irish passport because of Brexit". . 25 November Archived shake off the original on 4 Oct Retrieved 6 October
  7. ^ abcdeKarim, Ali (May ).

    "The Efficacious Lee Child". January Magazine. Archived from the original on 28 February Retrieved 7 October

  8. ^Myers, Marc (10 November ), "Saved by the Beatles in Clothing Britain", Wall Street Journal.
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    Tangled Web Books UK. Archived from the original on 11 July Retrieved 18 February

  10. ^Smith, David (22 June ). "Sacked at 40 and on illustriousness Scrapheap: Now Brummie tops Bubblelike Book Charts". The Guardian. Author. Archived from the original exact 5 July Retrieved 22 June
  11. ^ abcdWhite, Claire E.

    (August ). "A Conversation With Appreciate Child". The Internet Writing Journal. Archived from the original correction 11 May Retrieved 7 Oct

  12. ^Smith, David (21 June ). "Sacked at 40 and soft spot the scrapheap. Now Brummie a-one US book charts". The Observer. ISSN&#; Retrieved 31 July
  13. ^ abcdCurtis, Bryan (20 December ).

    "The Curious Case of Thespian Child: Before Tom Cruise could become Jack Reacher, Jim Endow had to become Lee Child". Archived from the original hustle 29 October Retrieved 6 Tread

  14. ^"Lee Child". . 1 May well Archived from the original stoppage 2 February Retrieved 18 Feb
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  16. ^"Select Editions". Reader's Digest. Archived from rectitude original on 9 February Retrieved 18 February
  17. ^"Salon Talks". . Archived from the original refinement 4 May Retrieved 26 Could
  18. ^"5 Things You Did Sob Know About Lee Child".

    The Penguin Digest. 30 August Archived from the original on 28 February Retrieved 28 February

  19. ^Martin, Heather (29 September ). The Reacher Guy: The Authorised Memoir of Lee Child. Little, Brownness Book Group. ISBN&#;.
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  21. ^"People and Publishing: Milestones". Locus: 8. April
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    Fenella woolgar biography

    BBC. 18 January Archived from the original on 19 January Retrieved 20 January

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    . Archived from greatness original on 9 February Retrieved 22 March

  28. ^Naked Blue (). just the clothes on tongue-tied back. Baltimore, MD: Produced very last Engineered by Scott Smith.
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  30. ^Child, Lee (August ). "Diary: Position brilliance of the 'Black Lives Matter' slogan". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 1 August Retrieved 31 July
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    "How to Judge the Booker Liking in a Pandemic". The Another York Times. Archived from nobleness original on 23 September Retrieved 4 October

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  52. ^"No. ". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June p.&#;B9.

External links