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My Kind of Place: Travel Stories from a Woman Who's Been Everywhere
New Yorker writer and author of The Library Book takes readers on a series of remarkable journeys in this uniquely witty, sophisticated, and far-flung travel book.
In this irresistible collection of adventures far and near, Orlean conducts a tour of the world via its subcultures, from the heart of the African music scene in Paris to the World Taxidermy Championships in Springfield, Illinois--and even into her own apartment, where she imagines a very famous houseguest taking advantage of her hospitality.
With Orlean as guide, lucky readers partake in all manner of armchair activity. They will climb Mt. Fuji and experience a hike most intrepid Japanese have never attempted; play ball with Cuba's Little Leaguers, promising young athletes born in a country where baseball and politics are inextricably intertwined; trawl Icelandic waters with Keiko, everyone's favorite whale as he tries to make it on his own; stay awhile in Midland, Texas, hometown of George W. Bush, a place where oil time is the only time that matters; explore the halls of a New York City school so troubled it's known as "Horror High"; and stalk caged tigers in Jackson, New Jersey, a suburban town with one of the highest concentrations of tigers per square mile anywhere in the world.
Vivid, humorous, unconventional, and incomparably entertaining, Susan Orlean's writings for The New Yorker have delighted readers for over a decade. My Kind of Place is an inimitable treat by one of America's premier literary journalists.
In this irresistible collection of adventures far and near, Orlean conducts a tour of the world via its subcultures, from the heart of the African music scene in Paris to the World Taxidermy Championships in Springfield, Illinois--and even into her own apartment, where she imagines a very famous houseguest taking advantage of her hospitality.
With Orlean as guide, lucky readers partake in all manner of armchair activity. They will climb Mt. Fuji and experience a hike most intrepid Japanese have never attempted; play ball with Cuba's Little Leaguers, promising young athletes born in a country where baseball and politics are inextricably intertwined; trawl Icelandic waters with Keiko, everyone's favorite whale as he tries to make it on his own; stay awhile in Midland, Texas, hometown of George W. Bush, a place where oil time is the only time that matters; explore the halls of a New York City school so troubled it's known as "Horror High"; and stalk caged tigers in Jackson, New Jersey, a suburban town with one of the highest concentrations of tigers per square mile anywhere in the world.
Vivid, humorous, unconventional, and incomparably entertaining, Susan Orlean's writings for The New Yorker have delighted readers for over a decade. My Kind of Place is an inimitable treat by one of America's premier literary journalists.
302 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Susan Orlean
52 books4,107 followersI'm the product of a happy and uneventful childhood in the suburbs of Cleveland, followed by a happy and pretty eventful four years as a student at University of Michigan. From there, I wandered to the West Coast, landing in Portland, Oregon, where I managed (somehow) to get a job as a writer. This had been my dream, of course, but I had no experience and no credentials. What I did have, in spades, was an abiding passion for storytelling and sentence-making. I fell in love with the experience of writing, and I've never stopped. From Portland, I moved to Boston, where I wrote for the Phoenix and the Globe, and then to New York, where I began writing for magazines, and, in 1987, published my first piece in The New Yorker. I've been a staff writer there since 1992.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
March 10, 2012
These aren't really travel stories, but rather New Yorker-type stories about weird and strange people and events around the world that Orlean attends. Highlights are one about a taxidermy collection (one guy makes a stuffed panda by combining two bears, which are legal to kill, unlike pandas), one about climbing Mt. Fuji, and one about a pageant in the South. Some of the short humor pieces at the end don't quite fit in the book, but they're still pretty amusing. Defintely recommended for anyone who likes to travel for the odd people and places you discover when doing so.
March 11, 2014
This is an enjoyable but uneven collection of essays about places and cultures in the U.S. and around the world. Most were originally printed in the New Yorker between 1992 and 2003. The title seems obliquely inspired by the Frank Sinatra song, 'My Kind of Town', which is mentioned in passing in one of the longest and best pieces in the collection, 'All Mixed Up'. It's a close look at an independent grocery in Queens, and it offers a magnificent portrait of the rhythms of the store, the economics of the grocery business, and the incredible cultural melange of the employees and the neighborhood they serve. It's worth checking the book out of a library just for this essay.
Some of the other essays I particularly liked were 'Madame President', about a student body president and her friends at Martin Luther King Jr. high school in Manhattan; and 'the Congo Sound', about a tiny record shop in Paris that specializes in African music. Part of what makes these pieces so appealing is the tolerant affection Orleans invites towards her subjects - not that she inserts herself into the action - in fact, she keeps a cool distance, at least on the surface. But there's a lot of warmth between the lines.
On the flip side, this style makes other pieces uncomfortable: 'Beautiful Girls', on the culture of beauty pageants for toddlers; 'A Place Called Midland', on George W. Bush's stomping grounds; 'Art for Everybody', on the art machine of Thomas Kinkade. Orleans is too sophisticated a writer to describe her subjects in these essays as lowbrow bumpkins, or rich philistines. Yet, the quotes she uses from them, and her deadpan descriptions, invite and then confirm these judgments from the reader. It's not that she's wrong - Orleans has a fine ear and a sometimes brutal sense of irony - but it would be painful to discover yourself quoted or sketched in one of these.
Some of the other essays I particularly liked were 'Madame President', about a student body president and her friends at Martin Luther King Jr. high school in Manhattan; and 'the Congo Sound', about a tiny record shop in Paris that specializes in African music. Part of what makes these pieces so appealing is the tolerant affection Orleans invites towards her subjects - not that she inserts herself into the action - in fact, she keeps a cool distance, at least on the surface. But there's a lot of warmth between the lines.
On the flip side, this style makes other pieces uncomfortable: 'Beautiful Girls', on the culture of beauty pageants for toddlers; 'A Place Called Midland', on George W. Bush's stomping grounds; 'Art for Everybody', on the art machine of Thomas Kinkade. Orleans is too sophisticated a writer to describe her subjects in these essays as lowbrow bumpkins, or rich philistines. Yet, the quotes she uses from them, and her deadpan descriptions, invite and then confirm these judgments from the reader. It's not that she's wrong - Orleans has a fine ear and a sometimes brutal sense of irony - but it would be painful to discover yourself quoted or sketched in one of these.
November 14, 2019
I really tried with this book. Abandoned on page 156.
I loved The Library Book and The Orchid Thief (planning to read that one again) and semi-enjoyed The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup (some stories were great, others o.k. Like any collection).
This one - I started it and wasn’t super into it but figured that was just that particular short story. Nope. The stories felt too short and really choppy. I guess I enjoy Orlean best when she is writing long form journalism/books (?). I even put the book down to read something else and picked it back up. No dice. I thought the short, 1-3 pagers would be palatable. Nope. It’s only 100 pages until the end! Nope.
Life’s too short to read books that you aren’t into so I’m going to stop here but, overall, I’m an Orlean fan and look forward to her other works.
I loved The Library Book and The Orchid Thief (planning to read that one again) and semi-enjoyed The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup (some stories were great, others o.k. Like any collection).
This one - I started it and wasn’t super into it but figured that was just that particular short story. Nope. The stories felt too short and really choppy. I guess I enjoy Orlean best when she is writing long form journalism/books (?). I even put the book down to read something else and picked it back up. No dice. I thought the short, 1-3 pagers would be palatable. Nope. It’s only 100 pages until the end! Nope.
Life’s too short to read books that you aren’t into so I’m going to stop here but, overall, I’m an Orlean fan and look forward to her other works.
November 3, 2018
Loved it!
June 4, 2011
I was going to buy this book in SF a few weeks ago, but my cards wouldn't cover it and the author whose picture is on the cover looked like kind of an asshole, so I easily gave that up. But checked it out at the library cause they had it a few weeks ago.
I don't know why this book was in the travel section. Sure, the stories took place in locations all over the country and world (sort of), but the stories had hardly anything to do with the locations. More like events that took place that happened to be in that location. She rarely talked about the place itself, more about the people and that they did and stuff. They where short, which was nice, sometimes only a page or three, which was nice, but kind of annoying, if I was interested in the topic. (But good if I wasn't). I hate authors that act like they are superior to everyone else, and the author sort of acted like that. She interviewed Thomas Kinkade and mentioned where he lived, but couldn't say exactly. So why mention it at all? I hate shit like that. They where all short stories from articles she had written mostly for The New Yorker which already rings snooty to me and everything was prewritten, so what was the point of the book? To make suckers like me buy/read it and for the author to make more money.
Grade: C
I don't know why this book was in the travel section. Sure, the stories took place in locations all over the country and world (sort of), but the stories had hardly anything to do with the locations. More like events that took place that happened to be in that location. She rarely talked about the place itself, more about the people and that they did and stuff. They where short, which was nice, sometimes only a page or three, which was nice, but kind of annoying, if I was interested in the topic. (But good if I wasn't). I hate authors that act like they are superior to everyone else, and the author sort of acted like that. She interviewed Thomas Kinkade and mentioned where he lived, but couldn't say exactly. So why mention it at all? I hate shit like that. They where all short stories from articles she had written mostly for The New Yorker which already rings snooty to me and everything was prewritten, so what was the point of the book? To make suckers like me buy/read it and for the author to make more money.
Grade: C
August 25, 2020
SO MUCH BETTER! My first foray into reading Susan’s books was the Bullfighter Checks her Makeup which to me promised far more than it delivered. The stories didn’t hold my interest save in a few places.
This book and collection of her stories were much more engaging. While I did not finish every single one, I finished many more than in the first book and I felt her sense of humor shone through. I also enjoyed the short format of some of them (I know that others here complained of that).
I especially liked her addition of an afterword, and in fact would have liked to have read that about others. I always like to hear what happened next, after the cameras stop rolling. I read elsewhere that she spent more time in Thailand after her short visit, and I would like to have heard more about that.
I have now finished two of her books, and I’m going to read the Library Book and the Orchid Thief next, and my goal is to finish both of them before Labor Day.
This book and collection of her stories were much more engaging. While I did not finish every single one, I finished many more than in the first book and I felt her sense of humor shone through. I also enjoyed the short format of some of them (I know that others here complained of that).
I especially liked her addition of an afterword, and in fact would have liked to have read that about others. I always like to hear what happened next, after the cameras stop rolling. I read elsewhere that she spent more time in Thailand after her short visit, and I would like to have heard more about that.
I have now finished two of her books, and I’m going to read the Library Book and the Orchid Thief next, and my goal is to finish both of them before Labor Day.
February 23, 2008
I tend not to read travel narratives, except the 'Emily Murphy's boat sank, she lost her passport and her shoes' type, because my wanderlust is force to be reckoned with. It's not something I can handle continually stirring if I plan to remain in my normal life. By the end of the first chapted of a Bill Bryson or Pico Iyer book, I'm halfway out the door with a bike lock in one hand and a super-absorbent towel in the other. But while these particular stories were nice to read, they were not really inspiring or compelling. So I'm okay at home, for now, until I read something more stirring.
April 23, 2021
This is a collection of stories written by Susan Orlean for the New Yorker Magazine. I found it interesting in its variety of topics and travel destinations. The writer's style is engaging, oftentimes quite humorous. Some of her pieces really got me instantly involved and some were on topics of only minor interest, but I read them all. The reader can pick this book up and start at any spot. You might be whale-watching or you might be taking in the World Championship Taxidermy competition. I found the piece on Midland, Texas, too long for the topic. I felt I had traveled to southeast Asia when she took us to Mount Fuji in Japan and to Bangkok, Thailand. The collection is an entertaining read.
May 15, 2014
Emma Komlos-Hrobsky (Assistant Editor, Tin House Magazine): In reading Susan Orlean’s My Kind of Place: Travel Stories from a Woman Who’s Been Everywhere, an anthology of her best travel writing, I’ve been thinking about what makes Orlean’s nonfiction genuinely charming where others’ writing in the same vein can feel twee to me. So much of her material here might seem to write itself; how could an essay about tiger hoarders in suburban New Jersey or little league basebull under the thumb of Castro be anything less than a slam dunk? And yet there’s plenty of nonfiction out there that I think misses these shots by trying too hard, by being too smug or too contrived or too cute instead of letting the greatness of the story be the greatness of the story. I’ve come to hate that adjective “quirky” and most of the not-so-truly-quirky stuff it often tags. It’s a term that one might be tempted apply to these essays, too—but they’re better than that, because Orlean approaches them with heart and honesty instead of ironic distance. Let’s call them instead perceptive, precise, well-researched, engaging. I recommend you read them all, especially the one about the tigers.
May 9, 2014
I love Susan Orlean's writing, even that article about her walking desk (yes, that one). This collection includes great reported pieces on everything from animal hoarders and NYC grocery stores to fertility blessings in Bhutan. A few pieces get a little overwrought with description or a little silly, but most are thoughtful travel essays with fun quips dropped in like "never go anywhere without a sweatshirt, a string of pearls, and a big, elegant scarf, which can be used as a dress, a shawl, a skirt, a shrug, a blanket, or a tent."
I've seen other reviews call her a latter-day de Tocqueville, but I think she's far more Twain than de Tocqueville. Anyone who opens with "as soon as the 2003 World Taxidermy Championships opened, the heads came rolling in the door" strikes me as being akin to an incisive, witty riverboat pilot traveling the waters of the world.
I've seen other reviews call her a latter-day de Tocqueville, but I think she's far more Twain than de Tocqueville. Anyone who opens with "as soon as the 2003 World Taxidermy Championships opened, the heads came rolling in the door" strikes me as being akin to an incisive, witty riverboat pilot traveling the waters of the world.
June 26, 2018
Susan Orlean is a travel writer for, mostly, the New York Times, and in this book, she shares some of her most odd adventures that she has had published for the Times, or occasionally in other places. She shares her trips to the World Taxidermy Championship, climbing to the top of Mt. Fuji, trawl Icelandic waters with Keiko, (the Killer Whale from "Free Willy"), explore the halls of a New York City high school known as "Horror High" and meet with a woman who hoards 23 tigers in Jackson, New Jersey.
Some of the stories are amusing, some are lengthy and held no interest for me, but I read it through to the end. So, if you should decide to check out this book, don't give up on it because one story or another seems pointless (as I did a time or two). Keep going and maybe you'll find something meaningful or enjoyable about the world around you.
Some of the stories are amusing, some are lengthy and held no interest for me, but I read it through to the end. So, if you should decide to check out this book, don't give up on it because one story or another seems pointless (as I did a time or two). Keep going and maybe you'll find something meaningful or enjoyable about the world around you.
January 21, 2009
My Kind of Place has several interesting essays. I particularly like those that focus on a certain location instead of a region. For instance, "All Mixed Up" centers on a grocery store in Queens, New York, rather than Queens itself. Some end too abruptly, I think, but most are informative and fascinating. It would've been helpful for Orlean to have worked the year into each essay--even in a roundabout way--so that the reader would have a clear(er) sense of context. I also think that the "Everywhere" section contains a few extraneous pieces that were tacked on for the sole purpose of increasing the page count. Aside from said drawbacks, this is a solid investment for travel aficionados and/or those who enjoy learning.
April 24, 2013
Orleans travel stories don't remind me of typical, heavy New Yorker profiles, which I suppose they aren't. I think the most memorable story was the longer one near the beginning of the collection about a neighborhood grocery store in Queens, NY, if I recall.
One thing I liked is how fearless she was about listing all the wild ethnic foods that different kinds of people would seek in the store.
And, when she tells you the owner likes to listen to Sinatra all day, she then writes five more sentences telling you which Sinatra. It may sound tedious, but it works. About half the selections are very short takes on little incidents that happened to her on her travels.
It was all fairly light, but fun for a travel buff.
One thing I liked is how fearless she was about listing all the wild ethnic foods that different kinds of people would seek in the store.
And, when she tells you the owner likes to listen to Sinatra all day, she then writes five more sentences telling you which Sinatra. It may sound tedious, but it works. About half the selections are very short takes on little incidents that happened to her on her travels.
It was all fairly light, but fun for a travel buff.
March 3, 2010
Heard this as a book on tape. Not so much travel stories as stories about places. Some wonderful sentences in there, but some very long stories that needed serious editing as well. Probably wouldn't have finished the book but it's a long drive home, so I finished the tape.
I was constantly wondering how she managed to report conversations with people when she didn't appear to speak any languages. I will remember some of these places and people, though, and that's the sign of a good book, no?
I was constantly wondering how she managed to report conversations with people when she didn't appear to speak any languages. I will remember some of these places and people, though, and that's the sign of a good book, no?
March 13, 2008
This was not what I expected. Which may account for why I didn't like it much. I was looking for a travel book--exciting stories of exciting places, you know? It was more just stories about people in the U.S. I really liked her other books, so I may just put this one aside and give it another try when I'm in a different mood.
August 8, 2007
It's Susan Orlean. Come on.
September 20, 2010
Better title for this book would have been CRACKPOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
February 12, 2019
One of the best books I read in 2018 was The Library Book by Susan Orlean. It’s an astonishing achievement, all about a 1980s fire in an LA public library and the investigation into it, but also about the establishment of that library, and what we love about libraries, and books, and community. It’s hilarious, it’s thrilling, it’s thought-provoking, it’s sad. It’s just wonderful and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Imagine my delight, then, when I was going through my plentiful unread books, and in the Travel Narrative section (yes, my TBR is separated into sections, isn’t yours?) I came upon this novel by Susan Orlean. I remember buying it, too. I went through a flurry of travel narrative purchasing, a few years back, having read all of the books then-written by Bill Bryson, Peter Moore, Tim Moore and Brian Thacker, and wanting to discover another shining voice in the field. Also, I had decided to settle back in Melbourne at that point, after having lived overseas on-and-off for over ten years, and so armchair travel had become my vicarious paths not taken outlet.
But, as so often happens, I bought too many books. And then they languished on my shelves as I bought and read yet others.
This one is a treat, and while not exactly covering the “everywhere” the title suggests, it is a very satisfying collection of Orleans’s journalism from across the late-90s and early 2000s, with dispatches mostly from America, but also from Thailand, Bhutan and a trip to Iceland to visit Keiko, star of Free Willy on his way to being freed.
There is much to learn in here, as in all the best non-fiction: I did not know about Midway, Texas, home to the Bush family, nor the origins of Khao San Road in Bangkok, though I have of course been there.
And I had never heard of Thomas Kinkade, 90s painter of renown and extreme commercialism. (I have definitely seen some of his paintings before, however. I’m pretty sure some of my friends’ mothers have put place mats with those images in front of me more than once. And for sure I have seen them in hotels.) He’s the Steve Parrish of oil painted landscapes — or was, he died young in 2012, at the age of just 54 — and he had the gall to not only call himself the “Painter of Light” and trademark the phrase, even though the Painter of Light is obviously Turner. Gotta admire the guy’s hubris. Apparently, at his peak, there was a Kinkade reprint in at least one in every twenty American homes. He’s fascinating, and Orleans, as she does with every subject of her interest in this collection, gets the very most of out his story.
Orleans’s style is conversational but in depth, she is objective when needful but also injects her own opinions and personality into every piece. “Homewrecker”, about the time Tina Turner didn’t come to stay at her apartment, made me laugh out loud. Reading this book was both an education and a pleasure, and those two things do not always go together.
I really wish I hadn’t looked up what happened to Keiko the Free Willy whale after her story on him, however.
Imagine my delight, then, when I was going through my plentiful unread books, and in the Travel Narrative section (yes, my TBR is separated into sections, isn’t yours?) I came upon this novel by Susan Orlean. I remember buying it, too. I went through a flurry of travel narrative purchasing, a few years back, having read all of the books then-written by Bill Bryson, Peter Moore, Tim Moore and Brian Thacker, and wanting to discover another shining voice in the field. Also, I had decided to settle back in Melbourne at that point, after having lived overseas on-and-off for over ten years, and so armchair travel had become my vicarious paths not taken outlet.
But, as so often happens, I bought too many books. And then they languished on my shelves as I bought and read yet others.
This one is a treat, and while not exactly covering the “everywhere” the title suggests, it is a very satisfying collection of Orleans’s journalism from across the late-90s and early 2000s, with dispatches mostly from America, but also from Thailand, Bhutan and a trip to Iceland to visit Keiko, star of Free Willy on his way to being freed.
There is much to learn in here, as in all the best non-fiction: I did not know about Midway, Texas, home to the Bush family, nor the origins of Khao San Road in Bangkok, though I have of course been there.
And I had never heard of Thomas Kinkade, 90s painter of renown and extreme commercialism. (I have definitely seen some of his paintings before, however. I’m pretty sure some of my friends’ mothers have put place mats with those images in front of me more than once. And for sure I have seen them in hotels.) He’s the Steve Parrish of oil painted landscapes — or was, he died young in 2012, at the age of just 54 — and he had the gall to not only call himself the “Painter of Light” and trademark the phrase, even though the Painter of Light is obviously Turner. Gotta admire the guy’s hubris. Apparently, at his peak, there was a Kinkade reprint in at least one in every twenty American homes. He’s fascinating, and Orleans, as she does with every subject of her interest in this collection, gets the very most of out his story.
Orleans’s style is conversational but in depth, she is objective when needful but also injects her own opinions and personality into every piece. “Homewrecker”, about the time Tina Turner didn’t come to stay at her apartment, made me laugh out loud. Reading this book was both an education and a pleasure, and those two things do not always go together.
I really wish I hadn’t looked up what happened to Keiko the Free Willy whale after her story on him, however.
August 31, 2020
MY KIND OF PLACE, by Susan Orlean, takes the reader on a fantastic journey in a clever and sophisticated travel book. She takes the reader on a virtual journey of the world through its various subcultures, spanning the African music scene in Paris to the World Taxidermy Championships in Springfield, Illinois. Serving as tour guide, the author allows the reader to take part in all varieties of "armchair" traveler activity. The reader will climb Mount Fuji, experiencing a hike that even most Japanese people have never attempted. The reader gets to play baseball with the Little League players of Cuba, all who are promising young athletes who have been born in a country where baseball and politics are forever intertwined, for better or worse. Next, the reader gets to fish in the waters of Iceland with Keiko, the killer whale. Then, the reader is asked to stay a while in Midland, Texas, the hometown of George W. Bush, where oil is king and is the only thing that matters. Finally, the author ends the virtual guide in Jackson, New Jersey, a suburb that has one of the highest concentrations of tigers (in this case, caged) per square mile in the world. This unorthodox, funny, and entertaining guide takes the reader on a journey of a lifetime without having to leave their home. We would recommend this informative, yet humorous travel book to anyone who likes to travel, and for those who would like to travel, but for whatever reason, cannot take these trips in person. You will feel like you are actually there, from the comfort of your own home. A perfect book to read during a global pandemic, where travel to anywhere has become challenging. A perfect escape book.
November 24, 2021
It was shorter than I had expected b?ut it was still a delightful romp around the world. Ms. Orleans introduced several places/events/people I had either never heard of or knew little about (the World Taxidermy Championships??, Bhuton, Thomas Kincaid, for instance. I listened to it as an audio book with the author as narrator. I wasn't put off by her narration, really, but I think I would have preferred another voice. Her delivery was deadpan, and more inflection would have made the book come more alive. She has an eye for detail and delivers insights that another might miss.
I just read the blurb about the book and it listed some topics I don't remember even hearing so I'm wondering if the audio version was shortened? I have no recall of hearing about Mt. Fuji or Cuba, for instance. Or maybe I was so busy in my task that I blanked?? Or I used my headset/bluetooth incorrectly? I will have to listen again.
In any event, it was a pleasure to listen to and I would recommend it to any armchair traveler with a yen for quirky or distant or just plain interesting.
I just read the blurb about the book and it listed some topics I don't remember even hearing so I'm wondering if the audio version was shortened? I have no recall of hearing about Mt. Fuji or Cuba, for instance. Or maybe I was so busy in my task that I blanked?? Or I used my headset/bluetooth incorrectly? I will have to listen again.
In any event, it was a pleasure to listen to and I would recommend it to any armchair traveler with a yen for quirky or distant or just plain interesting.
December 31, 2023
This was passed on to me, who mostly reads memoirs, by someone who read it and thought I might like it. Except this is not a memoir or really a bunch of travel stories in the traditional sense but a series of feature articles the author wrote about various events she went to (child beauty pageant, taxidermy convention), specific places she went to (a school, a grocery store, a street in Bankok, Mt. Fuji), or certain subjects she was curious about (pet tigers, airplane magazine, Keiko the whale). Some stories were interesting to me, quite a few were not, and all were full of little details, thoughts, and research I did not usually care about. I made myself read to the end, skipping over the boring parts. Not my kind of book.
August 16, 2019
I'm on a mission to read as many of Susan Orlean's writings as possible!! I'm also reading much of it to mu husband who suffers from macular degeneration and no longer reads easily.
Orleans transports us with her writing; taking any subject and bringing it alive. Non-fiction I cannot put down!!
In this tome, she refers to places she has visited for various reasons, where one also meets the locals and gets a personal sense of the place. She takes us to a neighborhood grocery store in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC, where we meet the owner/manager, workers, delivery people, and shoppers! She makes is a fascinating visit!!
More to come soon!!
Orleans transports us with her writing; taking any subject and bringing it alive. Non-fiction I cannot put down!!
In this tome, she refers to places she has visited for various reasons, where one also meets the locals and gets a personal sense of the place. She takes us to a neighborhood grocery store in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC, where we meet the owner/manager, workers, delivery people, and shoppers! She makes is a fascinating visit!!
More to come soon!!
October 6, 2020
A lot of these pieces were written from the mid-90's to mid-00's, and 15-25 years out seems like just the wrong time to read them. They're dated without providing a fresh look at the time; maybe for younger readers they would seem novel, but for me, there were nascent signs of emerging cultures (the child pageant story, already written in the shadow of Jon Benet, especially stuck out, as did the tale of the woman in NJ with the tigers!), while still seeming like a distant and foreign past (maybe from the lack of cell phones?). In any case, I found this not pleasantly jarring, especially because there are also hints of Orlean's masterful and funny writing that emerge from overall bland text.
October 4, 2019
I read Orlean's "The Orchid Thief", loved it, and decided to give her another read. These are little vignettes about places, many cities, where the author has traveled, or travelled through. She skillfully shows the reader the extraordinary in the ordinary, the chaotic beauty of neighborhoods, the sublime in the mundane. Wonderful to keep at your bedside and allow the author to carry you away and immerse you one story at a time.
October 24, 2019
I’m usually not fond of books of essays and these were all written 15 to 20 years ago, so seemed a little stale. There were some delightful chapters though, among them: stories about a lady and her tigers, Keiko the whale, little girl beauty pageants, Mt. Fuji and trailer park life.
I liked this author’s books about libraries (The Library Book) and rare orchids (The Orchid Thief) better.
I liked this author’s books about libraries (The Library Book) and rare orchids (The Orchid Thief) better.
October 31, 2020
This is the first book I've read based on enjoying someone's Twitter feed! Susan Orlean's Twitter feed has been very entertaining during the pandemic (and it's well-written). Based on that, I thought I would enjoy her take on travel-based essays. This is a collection of journalistic stories she'd written for the New Yorker - I really enjoyed it. She a funny and fine writer.
December 12, 2020
During COVID and like the rest of the world, I’ve been stuck close to home. And for some strange reason, my attention span for a long novel ran off. If you feel the same way, Susan Orlean’s offbeat travel adventures are perfect. She writes with flair but in a relatable style. Who else starts an introduction with these three key words: “I travel heavy”? My Kind of Place is my kind of book.
May 7, 2021
A collection of essays that mostly have to do with places the author has traveled to, like
Japan and New Jersey and Iceland. As one of the praise blurbs in the front of the book
says, “The woman can write. Period.” This is absolutely true. She is a gifted writer and
makes whatever she writes about fascinating.
Japan and New Jersey and Iceland. As one of the praise blurbs in the front of the book
says, “The woman can write. Period.” This is absolutely true. She is a gifted writer and
makes whatever she writes about fascinating.
April 2, 2024
Short stories about places – both real and metaphorical – written by a writer for The New Yorker. I liked the ones taking place in other countries best – little league baseball playing in Cuba, climbing Mt. Fuji. The title captures the feel of the stories – she does excel at creating a sense of place.
October 28, 2018
This book consists of a series of stand alone stories about various locations, within the United States as well as overseas. Although some are more interesting than others, you will certainly find a few that you really like:)
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