“Most fourth graders can't say why Abraham Lincoln is an important historical figure? Wow. This is far more distressing than if the news had been that fourth graders were bad at reciting multiplication tables, because you can, in fact, Google that.”

American journalist, television writer, and author

Susan Orlean is an American journalist, television writer, and bestselling author. She has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1992 and is known for books such as The Orchid Thief and The Library Book. Her work has also appeared in magazines including Vogue, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Outside. In 2021, she joined the writing team of the HBO comedy series How To with John Wilson, adding television to a career built on reporting and long-form nonfiction.