Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Life Stories | 2000 | Susan Orlean | Buy |
| 2 | The Best American Magazine Writing 2004 | 2004 | Susan Orlean | Buy |
| 3 | The Best American Essays 2005 | 2005 | Susan Orlean | Buy |
| 4 | Secret Ingredients | 2007 | Susan Orlean | Buy |
| 5 | All That Glitters | 2013 | Susan Orlean | Buy |
| 6 | Cornbread Nation 7: The Best of Southern Food Writing | 2014 | Susan Orlean | Buy |
| 7 | Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York | 2014 | Susan Orlean | Buy |
Susan Orlean’s anthology work spans more than a decade and covers a wide range of subjects. She edited Life Stories (2000), a collection of profiles from The New Yorker, and guest-edited The Best American Essays 2005. She has also contributed to food writing anthologies like Secret Ingredients and Cornbread Nation 7.
Several of these volumes reflect Orlean’s connection to The New Yorker, where she has been a staff writer since 1992. Others, like Never Can Say Goodbye (2014), reflect her love of New York City and its culture. Across all of these collections, Orlean’s editorial taste favors writing that is specific, curious, and grounded in real observation.