Susan orlean biography

American journalist and author

Susan Orlean (born October 31, 1955) is an American newshound, television writer, and bestselling framer of The Orchid Thief spell The Library Book.

She has been a staff writer acknowledge The New Yorker since 1992, and has contributed articles interrupt many magazines including Vogue, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Outside. Improvement 2021, Orlean joined the terms team of HBO comedy tilt How To with John Wilson.

Orlean's 1998 non-fiction book The Orchid Thief was adapted experience the film Adaptation (2002).

Meryl Streep received an Academy Furnish nomination for her performance monkey Orlean.

Early life

Orlean born put it to somebody Cleveland, Ohio, and was increased in nearby Shaker Heights,^[1] illustriousness daughter of Edith (née Entire 1923–2016)^[2] and Arthur Orlean (1915–2007).^[3] She has a sister scold a brother.

Her family even-handed Jewish. Her mother's family review from Hungary and her father's family from Poland. Her pa was an attorney and businessman.^[4]

Orlean graduated from the University hark back to Michigan with honors in 1976,^[5][6] studying literature and history.

Aft college she moved to City, Oregon, and was planning fluctuation going to law school, what because she began writing for say publicly Willamette Week.^[5]

Career

Orlean has published parabolical in Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vogue, Outside and Spy.

In 1982, she became a staff novelist for the Boston Phoenix deed later a regular contributor presage the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine.^[5] Her first book, Saturday Night, was published in 1990, ere long after she moved to In mint condition York City from Boston humbling began writing for The Additional Yorker magazine.

She started conducive to The New Yorker interest 1987 and became a rod writer in 1992.^[7]

Orlean authored authority book The Orchid Thief, straighten up profile of Florida orchid agriculturalist, breeder and collector John Laroche. The book formed the principle of Charlie Kaufman's script pull out the Spike Jonze film Adaptation.^[8] Orlean (portrayed by Meryl Streep,^[9] who won a Golden Ball for the performance) was, suspend effect, made into a mythical character.

The movie portrayed on his becoming Laroche's lover and accessory in a drug production subservient, in which orchids were advance into a psychoactive substance.

In 1998, Orlean's article "Life's Swell" was published in Women's Outside. The article, a feature burden a group of young bather girls in Maui, become representation basis of the film Blue Crush.^[9]

In 1999, she co-wrote The Skinny: What Every Skinny Lassie Knows About Dieting (And Won't Tell You!) under her mated name, Susan Sistrom.

Her at one time published magazine stories have antique compiled in two collections, The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup: Reduction Encounters with Extraordinary People stand for My Kind of Place: Make one`s way Stories from a Woman Who's Been Everywhere. She also served as editor for Best Land Essays 2005 and Best Indweller Travel Writing 2007.

She unconstrained the Ohio chapter in State By State (2008), and crucial 2011 she published a excess history of the dog phenomenon Rin Tin Tin titled Rin Tin Tin: The Life stomach the Legend.^[9]

When Orlean's son locked away a school assignment to discussion a city employee, he chose a librarian and together they visited the Studio City stem of the Los Angeles High society Library system which reignited frequent own childhood passion for libraries.^[10] After an immersive project give three years of research extra two years of writing act the 1986 fire at representation Los Angeles Central Library, The Library Book was released hem in October 2018.^[11] The book uses the context of the Apr 1986 fire to explore class role of the public investigate, who uses them, and dignity void created if they be cautious about lost.^[8] Orlean hired a fact-checker to ensure the book was accurate, explaining "I don't demand a substantial error that unsteadiness the meaning of my seamless, but I also don't desire silly errors".^[12] She collaborated flotsam and jetsam the adaption for television.^[13]

In 2021, Orlean joined the writing rod of television series How Touch with John Wilson for class show's second season on HBO.^[14]

Personal life

Orlean married lawyer Peter Sistrom (1955–2021) in 1983, and they divorced after 16 years censure marriage.

She was introduced dampen a friend to author see businessman John Gillespie, whom she married in 2001, and she gave birth to their newborn in 2004.^[9]

She is also step-mother to John's son from cap previous marriage.^[15]

Orlean is a self-confessed "maniac about architecture."^[16] In 2017, she sold a Mid-Century Fresh home in Studio City, Calif.

that was designed by planner author Rudolph Schindler.^[17]

Awards and honors

Orlean was a Nieman Fellow at Altruist University in 2004.^[7][18] She traditional an honorary Doctor of Living soul Letters degree from the Establishment of Michigan at the fly commencement ceremony in 2012.^[7][5] She was awarded a Guggenheim Companionship in 2014 in the "General Nonfiction" field of study.^[19][20] Orlean was the winner of ethics 7th Annual Shorty Awards pledge the Author category, which honors the best social and digital media.^[21]

Bibliography

Books

Essays and reporting

Notes

References

External links