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Susan Orlean: A Life⁤ in Stories ⁣- Obsession, Observation, and the Art of Finding Meaning

Susan Orlean, a ‍master ⁢of narrative​ journalism, has spent four decades uncovering the⁣ extraordinary within the ordinary. From profiling a professional origami artist to investigating cults ⁢and chronicling the lives of everyday people, her work consistently demonstrates a unique ability to find compelling stories “hiding in plain sight.” Her recent memoir, ⁤ Joyride,⁢ offers a reflective look at her ⁤life and career, revealing⁤ a consistent‍ thread: the power of‌ obsession and the importance ‌of letting the world tell *you* its stories.

The Origami Lab and the Power of Observation

In​ 2017, ten years after Susan Orlean’s captivating profile of Robert Lang, a Caltech-trained physicist turned origami artist, for the New yorker, she attended ⁢an OrigamiUSA convention. ⁤ The⁢ experience, recounted in Joyride, highlights Orlean’s approach to⁢ reporting: ‌immersing‌ herself in a subject,‍ becoming a student, and meticulously​ observing the details.The anecdote of folding a “Taiwan goldfish” alongside Lang, and the frustration ⁣of imperfectly creased fins, encapsulates her willingness‌ to embrace⁣ the challenges of understanding a⁢ new ⁤world.

Orlean herself notes a fundamental distinction between ⁤writers: those who have⁣ something to *say* and those who believe the world has something to *tell*⁤ them. She firmly⁢ belongs to the‌ latter camp. This beliefs is evident in her choice‌ of subjects – often seemingly mundane or‍ overlooked – and her dedication to uncovering their hidden complexities.

From Cults to Culture: A⁢ Career in Context

Orlean’s career began at​ the Willamette Week in Portland,‌ where she learned the principle that “no⁢ matter how small or narrow its focus, ‍every ⁢story was meaningful.” This ethos guided her early work, including her breakthrough investigation into the Rajneesh cult for ‌the‍ Village Voice. This assignment, and others for publications like the Boston Globe, Rolling Stone, Vogue, and the New Yorker, demonstrate her ability to tackle‍ diverse subjects⁤ with equal curiosity and rigor.

Her portfolio is a engaging cultural‍ time capsule, reflecting the trends and anxieties of the late 20th and early ​21st centuries