If you’ve ever read a Susan Orlean book — “The Orchid Thief,” “ Rin Tin Tin ” or “ The Library Book ,” say — and didn’t want it to end, here’s good news. There’s more. Her memoir, “Joyride,” a chronicle of her career in narrative nonfiction, shares the backstory and process of each of her books in edifying detail.

From the title on out, “Joyride” acknowledges the great fortune that Orlean has had in knowing exactly what she wanted to do with her life from an early age and the pleasure she has derived from realizing it, while convincingly conveying the vast amount of work she has put in along the way. The message is not just to follow your bliss, but to follow your bliss with every resource you have, every erg of energy, every mote of passion and every ounce of confidence you can muste

See Full Page