Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Supply and demand

 The British novelist Lee Child got his education through the public library. Here’s a recollection from his childhood: 

We moved the next year to Birmingham, where the library system let you take two books at once, which was great, except with weekly visits two wasn’t really enough, so I instituted a Chicago voter-fraud system at our house. All visitors were signed up for library tickets. Deceased relatives were encouraged to apply. Soon, I could get six books a week, a pace I have kept up all my life.

 

I like the suggestion that things in limited supply take on great value. And of course he’s right. Two a week is not enough.

• Source: Lee Child, “Lee Child: Books let me escape my dull, grey Sixties childhood”; The Sunday Times, Jan. 17, 2026. It’s here:

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/get-britain-reading/article/lee-child-author-prison-literacy-interview-x6nb88890

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