[Listen] Susan Orlean: Joyride

Susan Orlean is widely regarded as one of the great narrative non-fiction writers of her generation. Best known for The Orchid Thief – turned into the popular 2002 film Adaptation – and The Library Book, she has also spent decades as a beloved writer for The New Yorker. Guided by an insatiable curiosity, she has built a remarkable career finding extraordinary stories in unexpected places.

In Joyride, Orlean turns her keen eye towards her own life, reflecting on a body of work shaped by curiosity, observation and an enduring fascination with the people and world around her. Hailed by David Sedaris as ‘wise and exuberant’, the book is both a celebration of a life in writing and a testament to the wonder that comes from paying close attention.

Join Orlean in conversation with host Jaclyn Crupi as she reflects on the art of finding stories worth telling. 

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_{Originally presented on Thursday 15 October 2026 by The Wheeler Centre.
Featured music is No One There by Ava Low.
The official bookseller was Hill of Content.}