Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
  • About Backback to Main menu
    • About
    • Leadership
    • Mission and Strategic Plan
    • Accreditation
    • Our City
    • Facts and Figures
    • Campus Safety
    • Buildings and Maps
    • Contact Us
  • Academics Backback to Main menu
    • Academics
    • Majors & Programs
    • Class Search
    • Catalogs
    • Academic Calendar
    • Colleges
    • Academic Affairs
    • Online Learning
    • International
    • Library
  • Admissions Backback to Main menu
    • Admissions
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Tuition and Fees
    • Financial Aid
    • Registrar
    • Visit UNO
    • Request Info
    • Apply
  • Student Life Backback to Main menu
    • Student Life
    • Division of Student Life and Wellbeing
    • Academic & Career Development Center
    • Accessibility
    • Housing & Residence Life
    • Inclusion
    • Service
    • Student Conduct & Community Standards
    • Student Involvement
    • Student Safety
    • Wellness
  • Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Engagement
    • Office of Engagement
    • Campus Resources for Community
    • Service Learning Academy
    • Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center
    • Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs
    • Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center
    • Faculty Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Voter Engagement
    • Community Engagement Partnership Initiative
  • Research Backback to Main menu
    • Research
    • Research News
    • Centers and Institutes
  • Athletics Backback to Main menu
    • Athletics
    • Baxter Arena
    • Omaha Mavericks Website
  • Alumni Backback to Main menu
    • Alumni
    • Transcripts
    • Thompson Center
  1. UNO
  2. News
  3. Events
  4. Marion Marsh Brown Writers Lecture Series
  5. Bestselling Author Lee Child Will Continue the Marion Marsh Brown Writers Lecture Series

Best-Selling Author Lee Child Continues Marion Marsh Brown Writers Lecture Series

The author behind the best-selling Jack Reacher series drew a large crowd to Baxter Arena for the third lecture in the annual Marion Marsh Brown Writers Lecture Series on Wednesday, April 11.

  • published: 2017/11/06
  • search keywords:
  • Marion Marsh Brown Writers Lecture Series
  • Lee Child
Author Lee Child stands at a podium.

During the lecture, Lee Child spoke about his love of reading. He averages a book a day.

From left: Paul Brown, Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., Lee Child, and Djel Ann Brown.

From left: Paul Brown, Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., Lee Child, and Djel Ann Brown.

Lee Child speaks with event moderator Mike Hilt

Moderator Mike Hilt, interim dean of the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media, asked Child whether Reacher has evolved as a character. Child said he has worked hard to prevent character growth. "What I love as a reader is that reliability. [...] Your core reading you want it to be reliable."

Hilt holds a fleece pullover he is gifting to Child.

After a back-and-forth about Child's love of soccer, Hilt surprises Child with a Maverick Soccer fleece pullover. "I shall wear it with pride," said Child. "I really will."

The author behind the best-selling Jack Reacher series drew a large crowd to the University of Nebraska at Omaha's (UNO) Baxter Arena for the third lecture in the annual Marion Marsh Brown Writers Lecture Series on Wednesday, April 11.

More than 3,000 tickets had been claimed in advance of the free event, featuring author Lee Child.

Child kicked off the lecture by answering a question he says he fields more often than any other: when did he know that he wanted to be an author?

“In my case, the answer is never. I never wanted to be a writer. I still don’t want to be a writer. What I wanted to do all my life was entertain people.”

Child spoke about his unconventional path to becoming a best-selling author, one that involved undergraduate law school, theater work, and an 18-year career in British television.

He covered authors who had inspired his grounded approach to writing a mystery (Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky), how the film “My Cousin Vinny” served as location research for his first book, and his daily coffee intake – a whopping 36 mugs a day.

The biggest applause line of the night came as he described how he tries to avoid becoming too attached to his main character, what he called a “fatal mistake” for some authors.

“There’s only one person in the world that Reacher is afraid of and that’s me.”

The evening lecture followed a special dialogue with UNO students studying a variety of fields, including creative writing, journalism and business, during which Child shared insights on writing and the entertainment industry.

Omaha World-Herald: "Lee Child, author behind ‘Jack Reacher’ series, offers straight talk to UNO students"

Thank you to @LeeChildReacher for joining us today for the Marion Marsh Brown Writers Lecture Series Masterclass. We look forward to hearing your lecture tonight at @BaxterArena! #KnowTheO pic.twitter.com/nmgxdbX7bA

— UNO (@UNOmaha) April 11, 2018

The Marion Marsh Brown Writers Lecture Series is presented by Marion’s son Paul Brown, his wife Djel Ann, and their children, Randy, Scott, and Marietta Luellen.

Marion served as a professor of English at UNO (then Omaha University) from 1954 through 1968. She wrote more than 15 books and is best known for her young adult literature. The series celebrates her life and work by bringing a well-known author to UNO each year.

  • News Sections:
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events
SHARE

News Sections

  • News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured Stories

  • Holding Dandelions
  • The Semester Guide
  • Celebrating Our Newest Alumni
  • Felipe Blanco Finds his Voice and Empowerment through Research at UNO

Contact Us

If you have a story idea, news tip, or other question, please email the UNO News team at unonews@unomaha.edu.

About University Communications

  • Next Steps
  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)
  • Just For You
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List
  • Popular Services and Resources
  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • Bookstore
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence
  • Affiliates
  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • © 2023  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • MavsReport

Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.

scroll to top of page