Susan Orlean - On Animals

Recommended by Cathy

in response to Gabriela Riccardi

What’s a book you’ve read that makes great dinner-party conversation? Hit me with the Dadaist art history that made you get into sculpture, the magpie biography whose eccentric subject runs laps around Edies Big and Little, the lightly Christian true-crime where the cult did THAT thing. Weird histories? Shocking industries? Nervy tell-alls with great guts and/or gossip? I want them all!

Visit

This series of essays on animals and human/animal interactions is full of fascinating stories. Susan Orleans’ writing is fun and engaging and she specializes in making real life stories sound like fiction. Full of quirk and life! I often think about some of these stories - long after I read the book.

Books Starter Pack

4 months ago

Comments

Gabriela Riccardi

@gabrielaMay 30, 2026

Susan Orlean's writing could win the phonebook a Pulitzer. Adding to my list! Have you tried An Immense World by Ed Yong? The tone's more explanatory than narrative, but has really delightful tales of the sensory worlds of animals.

Susan Orlean - On Animals

Comments

More like this

Highland Books - Brevard, NC

My Home Is Not In This World (Natalie Bergman)

Valley Flower

Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle (1987)

Follow Cathy