Computers Quote by Val McDermid
““It's a piece of cake, being a lawyer or a doctor or a computer systems analyst or an accountant. Libraries are full of books telling you how to do it. The only textbooks for private eyes are on fiction shelves, and I don't remember ever reading one that told me how to interrogate an eight-year old without feeling like I was auditioning for the Gestapo.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Literary discussion, 2015
Professional expertise is widely taught, but investigative skills are rarely covered in formal education.
In simple terms: Books teach many jobs, but not investigative tactics.
Key Takeaway
Seek practical experience beyond textbooks.
Themes
law
investigation
education
Mood
curious
critical
Type
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- law enforcement training
- private investigation
- journalism
- forensic science
Key Concepts
crime solving
knowledge gaps
self‑directed learning
Questions to Reflect On
- What informal resources can fill investigative skill gaps?
- How to balance theory with practice ethically?
A Different Perspective
Reliance on self‑learning may lead to ethical pitfalls.
![“In a sense I am able to interrogate myself, address myself from that slight distance and enter a kind of dialogical relationship with myself. Because I'm saying, "Look, these are things that have happened to me, but how odd they are or how ordinary they are [is up to the reader to decide]."” quote by Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/233/paul-auster-351_able_in-a-sense-i-am-able-to-interrogate-myse_2745050.jpg)
