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As excellent as her writing is, I’ve somehow only read Susan Orlean’s The Library Book. (Though we do have two of her other books reviewed here on Rated Reads: Rin Tin Tin and On Animals.) But I knew given how much I enjoyed that and what a stellar reputation she has, I had to pick up Orlean’s memoir. (I never got to the well-known The Orchid Thief, though I did make time for the wacky and fun film adaptation that was called… Adaptation.) I kind of categorize Orlean and Mary Roach together: they both write nonfiction on all kinds of topics, making pretty much anything they decide to investigate sound utterly fascinating. Of course, their styles are different, but I am in awe of both.
Orlean said she really had no interest in writing a memoir, and she demurred anytime someone would bring up the possibility. But she said as she noted the 25th anniversary of the publishing of The Orchid Thief, she started “to think about where I’ve been and where I’m going, and what I’ve seen and learned along the way.” She simply takes us readers along on another journey where we learn about “ordinary life” in some corner of the world. Orlean shares her joy in writing, the job that “has always felt like a mission.” Her burning curiosity drives it all. And she takes all that she learns as she digs deep into whatever topic it is and shares it. We readers get to be in the passenger seat.
I think Joyride particularly appealed to me because I’m a writer. I haven’t focused my life on it; I edit others’ work primarily, and I read and write summaries of other people’s writing. But at my core, I love to put my thoughts, opinions, observations, and feelings into words, in some way that someone else may say, “Aha! She was able to express something I’ve felt but haven’t had the words to share.” And I burn with curiosity about just about everything, much as Orlean does. So yes, I adored pretty much every page.
In Joyride, Orlean tells us about the various stages of her life, her family, her loves, her work, her ups and downs. She tells us the stories behind the books she’s written and some stories about a selected few of the voluminous articles she’s contributed to esteemed publications like the New Yorker. She demurs still about how necessary it is to really throw her memoir onto the heap of many others out there, but we still can’t help but be glad she did it. At least, I can say that for sure, and I’m quite sure many other readers agree. Orlean may be older now, with decades of experience and an impressive resume to her name, but I know she has yet more stories to share because her curiosity is still burning brightly.
Rated: Moderate. Profanity includes 5 uses of strong language, 4 instances of moderate profanity, 6 uses of mild language, and 2 instances of the name of Deity in vain. There are some mentions of sex but no details.
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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
