Lee Child backs scheme to send half a million books to prisons

Nearly half a million books will be distributed across prisons in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland this autumn, the Guardian reported. The campaign is backed by bestselling thriller writer Lee Child, who serves as the first prison reading laureate in the United Kingdom. The Reading Agency charity is delivering the initiative as part of its Quick Reads programme. [1][2]

The scheme will send copies of 11 short books into the prison system, according to the Guardian. Titles were selected with direct input from both prisoners and prison staff. Child described the drive to improve literacy skills as a practical way to address reoffending and support rehabilitation. [1][2]

Child, whose real name is James Dover Grant, is a British author known for his Jack Reacher novel series. His debut novel, Killing Floor, was published in 1997 and introduced the character of Jack Reacher, a nomadic former American military policeman who wanders the United States. Before beginning his fiction writing career, Grant worked for 18 years as a presentation director at Granada Television in Manchester. [4][5]