It had to happen. Lee Child’s books starring the one-man vigilante army, Jack Reacher, are packed with street wisdom and rules of the road. With the film Jack Reacher coming out on December 21, interest in the character will skyrocket. Delacorte Press have just released a handy guide to the philosophy of “fiction’s toughest tough guy”, Jack Reacher’s Rules. Here’s a starter for 10:
“If in doubt, drink coffee.”
“To be afraid of a survivable thing is irrational.”
“Focus on the job at hand.”
“Keeping your mouth shut is a devastating weapon.”
“Never retreat, just advance in the opposite direction.”
“Optimism is good, blind faith is not.”
“Serene self-confidence works wonders.”
“Know when to get mad, and know when to count to ten before you get mad.”
“Always move on and never look back. Never do the same thing twice.”
“Look, don’t see; listen, don’t hear. The more you engage, the longer you survive.”
And here’s a “reader’s rule” from Amazon’s page that will be tested on December 21: “Never let Tom Cruise play you in a movie. Especially if you are described as being 6 foot 5 inches tall.”