My Kind of Place

Travel Stories from a Woman Who's Been Everywhere

By: Susan Orlean

Narrated by: Susan Orlean

New Yorker writer and author of The Library Book takes readers on a series of remarkable journeys in this uniquely witty, sophisticated, and far-flung travel book.

In this irresistible collection of adventures far and near, Orlean conducts a tour of the world via its subcultures, from the heart of the African music scene in Paris to the World Taxidermy Championships in Springfield, Illinois—and even into her own apartment, where she imagines a very famous houseguest taking advantage of her hospitality.

With Orlean as guide, lucky readers partake in all manner of armchair activity. They will climb Mt. Fuji and experience a hike most intrepid Japanese have never attempted; play ball with Cuba’s Little Leaguers, promising young athletes born in a country where baseball and politics are inextricably intertwined; trawl Icelandic waters with Keiko, everyone’s favorite whale as he tries to make it on his own; stay awhile in Midland, Texas, hometown of George W. Bush, a place where oil time is the only time that matters; explore the halls of a New York City school so troubled it’s known as “Horror High”; and stalk caged tigers in Jackson, New Jersey, a suburban town with one of the highest concentrations of tigers per square mile anywhere in the world.

Vivid, humorous, unconventional, and incomparably entertaining, Susan Orlean’s writings for The New Yorker have delighted readers for over a decade. My Kind of Place is an inimitable treat by one of America’s premier literary journalists.©2004 Susan Orlean; (P)2004 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Not Really Travel Writing

These stories seemed more of the human interest type than "travel writing." However, they were very interesting and entertaining. The wide variety of topics, from a tiger lady in NJ to fertility trekkers in Bhutan, were well narrated. Orlean was sure to give educating background and context to each of her stories, while also putting a human face to the issues. Well worth listening to!

NOT Unabridged.

I love this audiobook and owned it on CDs when it was first released. That CD version of the audiobook (with the same reading by author) WAS unabridged. So why in the world would audible butcher the complete reading by releasing this incomplete version when they already had the complete version??? I wish I knew. It is very, very annoying and very stupid. This abridged contains numerous complete essays, but only half of them.

Wonderful listening, but the music!

I almost gave up a few minutes into the book. Sometimes producers stick music on, and usually it's okay. But the opening of this book is played under some African guitar, and it sounds as if the author is struggling to be heard. And it went on, deep into the narrative, and at the end, it came back, spoiling the ending for me.

That said, the writing is wonderful, the piece on the tigers and the travels to Bhutan are real high points and the afterward is touching in the extreme (until you can't hear her over the music). Recommended, but with a plea to audiobook producers to remember that the words are the most important things, and not to drown them out.

Susan Orlean Always Delivers

Orlean's enthusiasm is infectious, her delivery engaging, and her writing smart, warm, and funny. Nice short pieces that are perfect for short drives.

Great book! Hate music!

Loved this book. I'd love to read more from her. I just couldn't stand the music it kept playing after she started speaking.