When a Non-Reader Meets Jack Reacher's Universe

What happens when someone who's never encountered Jack Reacher tries to imagine what he's all about? The answer is both hilarious and surprisingly insightful.

This special introductory episode brings a complete Reacher novice into the fold as they attempt to describe what they think Jack Reacher looks like, what his stories might contain, and even suggest what his non-existent middle name should be (spoiler: it's "Barbara" – for mysterious reasons). Without any prior knowledge of Lee Child's iconic character, our guest manages to piece together a remarkably accurate portrait based solely on book covers glimpsed in passing: "mystery," "people walking into the distance in shadow," and "probably death."

The conversation takes delightful turns as we explore what makes a compelling action hero, comparing Reacher to Indiana Jones and discussing whether Reacher's name might be related to his impressive height. "Is he like the guy you ask when you're at the supermarket and you cannot reach?" our guest wonders. Indeed, at 6'5" and 250 pounds, he certainly could be. When presented with the blurb from "The Visitor" – featuring victims found naked in bathtubs full of paint – our guest accepts the challenge to read their first Reacher novel and return to share their thoughts.

Whether you're a dedicated Reacher fan or completely new to the series, this episode offers a fresh perspective on why these books have captured millions of readers worldwide. Follow our podcast for the follow-up episode where we'll discover if we've successfully converted another reader to the Reacher universe. Search for All Things Reacher on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for more content, and don't forget to leave a review – Jack would approve.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Reacher
• 1:21 Non-Reader's Reading Habits
• 3:20 Indiana Jones vs Jack Reacher
• 4:06 Imagining Jack Reacher's Appearance
• 6:29 The Reading Challenge
• 8:25 Episode Wrap and Call to Action

Transcript

Introduction to Reacher

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Have you ever read any of the Jack Reacher novels?

SPEAKER_01 0:03

No.

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Have you ever seen the Jack Reacher TV show? No. Have you ever seen any of the films? No. Have you ever heard of Jack Reacher? Does he look like Tom Cruise? Ooh. Welcome to All Things Reacher. You're listening to All Things Reacher with me, Key Ram Sorin, the only podcast Jack Reacher might actually listen to if he owned any headphones. We dive into every corner of Reacher's world books, films, the TV show, and yeah, even the headbutts. Grab a coffee, leave your luggage behind, let's get into this week's episode. Hello, Caesarida. Hello. Um, you have never read a Jack Reacher novel, is that right? This is correct. Okay. You know what so first things first, what do you think Jack Reacher is all about?

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Uh well, it's hard to tell from the covers that I've seen. I think there's a lot of mystery. And uh people walking into the distance in shadow. Um, maybe some guns.

Non-Reader's Reading Habits

SPEAKER_00 1:09

Yeah. I mean you'll spot on so far? Probably death. Okay, yeah. Yeah. Okay, so if you don't read probably death. There's quite a bit of death. Quite a bit. Oh, good. If you don't read uh Jack Reacher, what do you spend your time doing? Yeah. What are you doing if you're not reading Jack Reacher? Do you just sit and look at the wall?

SPEAKER_01 1:29

I just that's what I do. I just go to bus stops and look at the posters. This is very Jack Reacher. Is it? Yeah. Is that what he does? He goes to a lot of bus stops, yeah. Maybe I'd be interested in him. I think you would, well. Not in a romantic way, but um Oh, maybe though.

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Anyway.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

What do I read? Well, I read all manner of things. I'm actually reading a book at the moment called How Not to Lose Your Shit With Your Kids.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

Oh, oh yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

Okay. Uh and I've just finished a book called This Is Happiness, which was a novel set in the 1930s in in Ireland. Which is very beautiful, poetic, and not very murdery. I don't think there was any murder, actually.

SPEAKER_00 2:06

Yeah, I'm I'm gonna change your life with with Jack Reacher.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

It sounds like none of these books have an action hero in them.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Not really.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

So who who would be an action hero? Because I we've we've talked about 24 in the past.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

Although I have only ever seen the first series.

SPEAKER_00 2:24

I mean, this really it's all you need, really. Okay, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And as a Jack Reacher fan, I shouldn't really be saying now. Um so who would a typical action hero be for you?

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Uh I love Indiana Jones.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Excellent, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

If I was to be one, yeah, it would be him. I did want to be Indiana Jones.

SPEAKER_00 2:46

Okay, what is it about Indy that you like so much? Um and the leather jacket? Yeah, try not to make it too sexual.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

The leather jacket. No, but I wanted to be in.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

The whip.

unknown 2:56

The whip.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

The fear of snakes. Um the travel adventure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

Um The explosive diarrhea.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:05

Love that. Uh the shots, the small shots. Yeah. Um the small children he sort of pairs up with.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

Like the kind of gung-ho. Just like, ah, crap, this is happening.

Indiana Jones vs Jack Reacher

SPEAKER_00 3:18

Let's do it. Dude, I think you're gonna love Reacher.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Really? I really do.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Does he have a diarrhea issue? Majorly? He never talks about it, but yeah. Two favourite things. Support this podcast, The Reach Away. No nonsense, all action. Hit follow, leave a review. Jack Reacher famously doesn't have a middle name. If you were to give him a middle name, what would that middle name be? Barbara. And why?

SPEAKER_01 3:53

It would be mysterious. Wouldn't it?

Imagining Jack Reacher's Appearance

SPEAKER_00 3:56

Yeah. Why? Right, before before we get into this, describe Jack Reacher to me physically, what he looks like in your head. And then I'll tell you what he looks like. Does he look like Tom Cruise? No.

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Okay. Um what does he look like? And he's quite tall. Because he's called Reacher. I'm wondering if that has actually a nickname. Does he reach for stuff? Is he like the guy you asked when you get when you're at the supermarket and you cannot reach? Constantly.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

He's a top shelfer.

SPEAKER_01 4:25

Top shelfer. Yeah. Um he is hello stomach. Um he, I expect, is greying. Um, because now I'm in my late 40s, I'm finding men with a bit of grey more attractive. Um there you are. Um, it's probably got a bit of a bit of a stubble. I shall I can't imagine he'd be particularly well groomed.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:57

Um ruggedly handsome.

SPEAKER_00 5:00

Right. So you I mean you're nailing it. He's six foot five, 250 pounds. I don't know. And ruggedly handsome.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

Is that what's 250 pounds in stone?

SPEAKER_00 5:09

Uh 300. 300 stones. Um he reaches both directions. He's Hans Reacher. Wow. Yeah. Uh so you've you've pretty much nailed the description. And you're sticking with Barbara? Oh, yeah. Excellent. Jack B.

SPEAKER_01 5:25

Reacher, but no knows what the B stands for until the very last page of the last book in the series.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

Which will never happen. There will never be a last book. Really? No, I refuse to believe it. No. Like coffee in a diner, our content never stops pouring. Search for all things Reacher on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for sketches, quizzes, and general Reacher Malarkey. Here's my challenge to you. I'm calling this episode 0.5. Episode one. I would like for you to have read one of my favourite Jack Reacher novels, The Visitor.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

Look, mysterious.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

Yes, mysterious walking away. Six foot five.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

But is he actually as tall as the Brooklyn Bridge? And it's just the perspective. It's weird perspective.

The Reading Challenge

SPEAKER_00 6:08

He is as tall as the Brooklyn Bridge. That's Manhattan Bridge, isn't it? Oh, is it? Sorry. Sorry about that. Is it because there's probably a seven-chapter excerpt of the next novel at the end of it? They're not long, they're usually like 450, 500 pages. So my challenge is read the visitor, which is one of my favourites, and then come back on and be the first guest on the podcast. How do you feel about that?

SPEAKER_01 6:29

I feel excited, honoured, and excited.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

And taller. Do you feel taller?

SPEAKER_01 6:36

I feel tall- I feel like my arm at least my arms are longer.

SPEAKER_00 6:39

Yeah, excellent. Do me a favour, read the description on the back cover and tell me your initial thoughts of it.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Including the quotes.

SPEAKER_00 6:47

No, just the just the blurb. Yeah, the bump.

SPEAKER_01 6:51

Sergeant Amy Callan and Lieutenant, I presume he's American. Yeah. And Lieutenant Caroline Cook have a lot in common. Lose the accent. Okay. Both were army high flyers. Both were acquainted with Jack Reacher. Both were forced to resign from the service. Now they're both dead. Found in their own homes naked in a bath full of paint. Susie Ridd offers voice over work. Found in their own homes naked in a bath full of paint. Apparent victims of an army man. A loner, a smart guy with a score to settle. A ruthless vigilante. A man just like Jack Reacher, but with more paint. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 7:33

That they didn't say that last two bits, but. Yeah, it didn't say wow. Imagine if the blame on the back just of itself went wow. Initial reactions, please.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

Um I mean it sounds intriguing.

SPEAKER_00 7:50

Susie, here's my challenge to you. Do you feel like reading that and coming back in a few weeks and being the first guest on the podcast? Absolutely. See what you make of it.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

Yeah. I mean, I might come back tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

It's quite a page turner.

SPEAKER_01 8:05

Yeah. It better be, because it's really quite thick.

SPEAKER_00 8:08

Thank you. Susie, thanks so much for joining us. This has been All Things Reacher, the podcast that serves it's just as cold. It's coffee, black, and the guests always leave. A little bit confused.

SPEAKER_01 8:20

So does he leave his luggage at the airport?

Episode Wrap and Call to Action

SPEAKER_00 8:23

We just see you next time. Thanks for listening to All Things Reacher. Remember, we don't need luggage, but we do need your likes, follows, reviews, and comments. For more Reacher based content, just search All Things Reacher on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Do that and maybe, just maybe, your Dodger Headbutt. See you next time.