Without Our Public Library, I Would Not Have Been a Writer 

Without our public library, I would not have been a writer. Simple as that.

I grew up in a “Mystic River” type of neighborhood in Boston. I was one of seven kids, and we lived in a two-bedroom apartment for most of my childhood. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had a mom who thought every one of her kids was special. For most of my childhood, I defied that notion. My saving grace, however, was that I loved to read. At the breakfast table, I’d read the print right off the cereal box. That sort of thing. My mom saw this and began to bring back books from the library. At first, it was two or three a week. Then she started hauling them back by the armful. I read everything she put in front of me. And then went looking for more. Along the way, I learned to love stories... and storytelling. Ask any writer, and he or she will tell you that a love of reading is a first and essential step to a life of writing. I’ve already thanked my mom for that incredible gift. And I thank librarians every chance I get.—Michael Harvey

About Michael Harvey

Michael Harvey is the co-creator, writer, and executive producer of the television series Cold Case Files. He is the author of The Chicago Way, We All Fall Down, The Innocence Game, and The Fifth Floor. His work as a documentary producer and journalist has won numerous national and international awards, including multiple Emmys and an Academy Award nomination for the Holocaust documentary Eyewitness.