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Edmund Lee


48 HOURS: I heard that you were looking to buy a rice farmer-type of straw hat for your son on your Hong Kong visit. Did you find it?
SUSAN ORLEAN: Oh my god. [ Laughs] This is very embarrassing, but I'll tell you the truth. I asked my son, who is 10, what he wanted me to bring back from China, and he drew a picture and said he wanted one of those Chinese rice farmer hats. Well, as far as I can tell, these hats do not exist in China any more. I saw them at the little souvenir stand by the Great Wall, and I thought, "Oh, there'll be millions of them; I don't need to buy one now". But this is, you know, 2015.
They're probably only in the movies now.
Exactly. But as a mother, you don't want to disappoint your child. So I'm going to admit what I did: I ordered one last night on Amazon and conspired with my husband to hide it when it gets home. And then I'll give it to him and tell him, "Oh look, I've found you your hat". The only thing that makes me feel better is that it was probably made in China. I can't believe I've been reduced to this.
Judging from your investigative stories, it's almost refreshing to hear that you cannot track down something.
I know. This is very much not like me — although I also saw a street cleaner today wearing a straw hat. For a minute, I wondered if I should offer him some money for the hat. It's funny: there is a similar set of skills for a writer and a detective.
How often do you have to abandon a story because you can't find out more?
Almost never. Because the story might change, but there's always a story. Once in a while, there's something that I abandon because it's just not as interesting as I had hoped it would be.
You've written on a lot of quirky characters. Personally, is there anything that sets you apart from everyone else?
No, I am very ordinary. [ Laughs] I wouldn't say I'm eccentric, but I would say I have fairly quirky tastes and interests. One of the things that set sme apart the most is that I am inexhaustibly curious. I'll give you an example. [ Pulls out a giant bag originally meant for bird feeds manufactured in Henan, China] When I was walking around, this was my big score of a souvenir — it probably tells you more about who I am than anything. I'm so excited about this bag I could die.
You established your reputation as an explorer of different subcultures. Are you into any?
Well, I think that I have the journalist's resistance to identifying myself too much with anything. I mean, I'm passionate about music, art and animals, but I'm never comfortable saying, "Oh, I'm a music person", or "I'm an animal person". I think it's the journalist in me that always stays one step removed.
The kind of stories that you write often require you to have deep conversation with your subjects. Do you think you have a personality that disarms people?
I've thought about this a lot. I don't think I could end up with the stories if I couldn't create some intimacy with the people that I write about. My stories spring from something that's emotional and personal. I think if I couldn't connect with people fairly quickly, it would be hard. Fortunately, I am very non-judgmental. It's really easy for me to enter any world and say, "Hey, tell me about your world" — and mean it for real.
Now finally, shall we deal with the customary Meryl Streep question?
[ Laughs] At least you know that it is customary. People ask me about it as if they think I've never been asked about it. I mean, really? Seriously? The hardest question I've been asked is: What was it like to be played by Meryl Streep [in the film Adaptation]? And I think, how can I explain that? It's the one question where I have yet to come up with a really succinct, generous answer.
 


Susan Orlean on being dogged, connecting and Meryl Streep

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Investigative journalist says she hardly ever gives up on a story, but was floored by son's request for a Chinese rice farmer's straw hat


Investigative journalist says she hardly ever gives up on a story, but was floored by son's request for a Chinese rice farmer's straw hat.


Susan Orlean on being dogged, connecting and Meryl Streep

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Investigative journalist says she hardly ever gives up on a story, but was floored by son's request for a Chinese rice farmer's straw hat

Investigative journalist says she hardly ever gives up on a story, but was floored by son's request for a Chinese rice farmer's straw hat