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Susan Orlean Quotes

Journalist

Susan Orlean is an American journalist known for her distinctive writing style and in-depth exploration of complex topics. Her work often focuses on unusual individuals and events, characterized by its insightful and accessible approach.

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All People Thinking Writing Books Knows Seems Want Feels Ifs Different Dog Animal Book Phones Way Facts Home Library World Hard

Famous Susan Orlean Quotes

“I'm much more willing to buy a novel electronically by someone I don't know. Because if halfway through I think, I don't really like this, I can just stop. I can't throw books out, even if I think they're crummy. I feel like I've got to give it to the library. I've got to loan it to somebody, or I keep it on my shelf. It's like a plant.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Giving Feels I Can Book Novel Willing Plant Library Shelves Loan Halfway

Author:Susan Orlean

“I approach stories as a private educational enterprise: I want to learn about something. I teach myself through research, reporting, and thinking, and then, when I feel like I know the story, I tell it to readers.”

Thinking Knows Want Feels Stories Teach Reader Approach Research Educational Enterprise

Author:Susan Orlean

“I've used Twitter now and again to try to figure something out; it's an amazing resource. But I think you have to use it judiciously: it's a self-selected group, so it's important not to start thinking of it as the whole world.”

Thinking World Trying Important Self Whole Use Used Groups Figures Resources Whole World Selected

Author:Susan Orlean

“I like the idea that people get engaged thinking about design, about creativity. I don't see how it could possibly be bad.”

People Thinking Ideas Creativity Design Engaged

Author:Susan Orlean

“I think the responsibility of running a huge business, which happens if you become a successful designer, probably makes you more careful.”

Ifs Thinking Happens Running Responsibility Successful Huge Careful Designer

Author:Susan Orlean

“I think coexisting with another life form is a very rich experience. It's why people keep plants and animals.”

People Thinking Form Animal Rich Plant Another Life Plants And Animals

Author:Susan Orlean

“I think on a day-to-day basis, what attracts us in coexisting with another living, evolving thing, is that you have a relationship that's different than with a piece of furniture. We experience the cycle of life through these other beings.”

Thinking Different Pieces Bases Evolve Cycles Day To Day Furniture Cycle Of Life

Author:Susan Orlean

“I think part of a hero construct is overcoming loss, or being abandoned, or having to make your own way in the world.”

Thinking World Way Loss Hero Overcoming Abandoned Constructs

Author:Susan Orlean

“I didn't want to talk, and I didn't think dogs could solve my problems. But they were so uncritical and un-judgmental. Sometimes when you're really blue, you don't want to talk, but you want that sense of companionship. I certainly enjoy that with my beasts.”

Thinking Want Sometimes Problem Enjoy Dog Blue Solve Beast Companionship Judgmental

Author:Susan Orlean

“I think of myself as something of a connoisseur of procrastination, creative and dogged in my approach to not getting things done.”

Thinking Done Creative Approach Procrastination Things Done Getting Things Done Connoisseur Procrastinator Funny Procrastination

Author:Susan Orlean

“The first thing I think about when I wake up most mornings is the fact that I'm tired. I have been tired for decades. I am tired in the morning and I am tired while becalmed in the slough of the afternoon, and I am tired in the evening, except right when I try to go to sleep.”

Thinking Trying Firsts Has Beens Facts Sleep Morning Wake Up Tired Decades Evening Afternoon Going To Sleep I'm Tired Slough

Author:Susan Orlean

“I want a chainsaw very badly, because I think cutting down a tree would be unbelievably satisfying. I have asked for a chainsaw for my birthday, but I think I'll probably be given jewelry instead.”

Thinking Want Would Be Given Cutting Tree Birthday Satisfying Jewelry My Birthday Chainsaw Cutting Down

Author:Susan Orlean

“I've tried a lot of different apps to manage Twitter on my phone (I use Hootsuite on my laptop), but I think the official Twitter app is really good.”

Thinking Different Use Phones Manage Officials Laptops Apps

Author:Susan Orlean

“I remember thinking that a girdle was barbaric, and that never in a million years would I treat myself like a sleeping bag being shoved into a stuff sack. Never! Instead, I would run marathons and work out and be in perfect shape and reject the tyranny of the girdle forever.”

Thinking Years Running Remember Stuff Sleep Perfect Millions Forever Shapes Treats Work Out Tyranny Bags Rejects Marathon Barbaric Girdles

Author:Susan Orlean

“There are cultures that believe having your photograph taken steals your soul. I don't think there is a stolen soul in a picture, but still - why is it so hard to throw them away?”

Thinking Believe Stills Soul Hard Culture Taken Photograph Stealing Your Soul Stolen

Author:Susan Orlean

“Who on earth is going to use 'utilize' in a text message, a whopping seven characters including the always-hard-to-type 'z,' when you can say the exact same thing in three characters? I can't think of a sentence in which 'use' can't replace 'utilize.'”

Thinking I Can Hard Character Use Earth Three Type Messages Seven Including Sentences Text Message

Author:Susan Orlean

“You could go crazy thinking of how unprivate our lives really are - the omnipresent security cameras, the tracking data on our very smart phones, the porous state of our Internet selves, the trail of electronic crumbs we leave every day.”

Thinking Self States Our Lives Crazy Security Internet Smart Cameras Phones Data Trails Very Smart Crumbs Tracking

Author:Susan Orlean

“The first thing I think about when I wake up most mornings is the fact that I’m tired.”

Thinking Firsts Facts Morning Wake Up Tired I'm Tired

Author:Susan Orlean

“Sometimes I think I've figured out some order in the universe, but then I find myself in Florida”

Thinking Sometimes Order Universe Florida Order In The Universe

Book:The Orchid Thief

Source: The Orchid Thief

“I think the real reason is that life has no meaning. I mean, no obvious meaning. You wake up, you go to work, you do stuff. I think everybody's always looking for something a little unusual that can preoccupy them and help pass the time.”

Thinking Mean Littles Real Reason Helping Stuff Wake Up Obvious Unusual Life Has No Meaning

Book:The Orchid Thief

Source: The Orchid Thief

About the Author

Born: October 31, 1955
Known for: Journalist
Quotes: 163

Books & Sources

The Library BookRelated source material

The Orchid ThiefRelated source material

Rin Tin Tin: The Life and Legend of the World's Most Famous DogRelated source material

The Bullfighter Checks Her Make-UpRelated source material

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