James Dover Grant. Born Coventry in 1954. Better known as author Lee Child, writer of the Jack Reacher thriller series, following a former American military policeman who wanders the United States (selling over 100 million books to date).
He has strong connections with Sheffield, studying law at the University of Sheffield in the 1970s.
“I was here for four years to do my three-year degree as I failed the second year and retook it. All my memories are of the University of Sheffield Drama Studio where I spent most of my time. I remember the lovely people alongside the sex, drugs and rock & roll! My favourite places whilst I was here were the Drama Studio and the open country – I used to party to 4/5am and then catch a bus out to the moors and watch the sun come up.”
Afterwards he worked for Granada Television as a presentation director, until being made redundant in 1995, turning his attention to writing novels.
Now living in New York, but a regular visitor to Sheffield, Child has funded 50 ‘Jack Reacher Scholarships’ in the city, supporting students through their studies, and was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Sheffield University in 2009.
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