Susan Orlean Reading Order
10 series · 28 books
Susan Orlean is a acclaimed journalist and author whose curious investigations into seemingly ordinary subjects have captivated readers since the late 1980s. Best known for her narrative nonfiction works including The Orchid Thief and The Library Book, she brings cinematic storytelling to real-world obsessions and untold histories. As a longtime contributor to The New Yorker and major publications like Vogue and Rolling Stone, Orlean has also expanded into television writing, bringing her distinctive voice to HBO's How To with John Wilson.
Anthologies Series
Complete7 books (2000–2014)
Start with Life Stories, the first of 7 books in the Anthologies series.
Start this series with Life Stories
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Children's Series
Complete1 book (2008–2008)
Funny Women Write from the Road Series
Complete5 books (2003–2007)
Start with Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures(By: Jennifer L. Leo,Jessica Maxwell), the first of 5 books in the Funny Women Write from the Road series.
Start this series with Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures(By: Jennifer L. Leo,Jessica Maxwell)
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible| # | Title |
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| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
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| 5 |
History Series
Complete3 books (1987–1992)
Start with Red Sox and Bluefish and Other Things That Make New England New England and read in order.
Start this series with Red Sox and Bluefish and Other Things That Make New England New England
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Library Science Series
Complete1 book (2018–2018)
Non-Fiction Series
Complete1 book (2025–2025)
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete1 book (2021–2021)
Susan Orlean Animal Series
Likely Complete3 books (2011–2021)
Start with Animalish and read in order.
Start this series with Animalish
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Susan Orlean Biographies Series
Ongoing4 books (2001–2025)
Start with The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup: My Encounters with Extraordinary People, the first of 4 books in the Susan Orlean Biographies series.
Start this series with The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup: My Encounters with Extraordinary People
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Susan Orlean Gardening Series
Complete2 books (1998–2016)
Start with The Orchid Thief and read in order.
Start this series with The Orchid Thief
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Susan Orlean written?
- Susan Orlean has written 28 books across 10 series. Their published works span from 1987 to 2025.
- What is the first book in each Susan Orlean series?
- Here are the first books in Susan Orlean's series: Anthologies: Life Stories; Funny Women Write from the Road: Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures(By: Jennifer L. Leo,Jessica Maxwell); History: Red Sox and Bluefish and Other Things That Make New England New England; Susan Orlean Animal: Animalish; Susan Orlean Biographies: The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup: My Encounters with Extraordinary People.
- What order should I read Susan Orlean's books?
- We recommend reading Susan Orlean's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Susan Orlean still writing new books?
- Yes, Susan Orlean has 1 ongoing series: Susan Orlean Biographies.