The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup

The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup is a collection of profiles and essays by acclaimed journalist Susan Orlean, published in 2001. The pieces were originally written for various publications including The New Yorker, where Orlean serves as a staff writer. The collection features portraits of both well-known figures and everyday people who lead remarkable lives. Subjects range from a female bullfighter in Spain to a ten-year-old boy in suburbia, from figure skater Tonya Harding to a gospel group in New Jersey. Each piece combines in-depth reporting with Orlean's observations of the environments and communities that shaped her subjects. The focus stays tight on individuals while incorporating the specific places, cultural contexts, and time periods that surround them. The book explores how extraordinary circumstances and choices emerge from ordinary lives, and examines the intersection between public personas and private realities. Through these collected encounters, Orlean captures the complexity of human character and the power of well-told personal stories.

Readers appreciate Orlean's talent for finding compelling stories in unexpected places and her ability to make ordinary people fascinating. Many note her sharp observations and distinctive writing style that brings subjects to life through small details. Readers highlight profiles like "The American Male at Age Ten" and "Show Dog" as standouts, with several mentioning how these pieces reveal deeper truths about society through specific characters. Common criticisms include uneven quality across the collected pieces and occasional moments where the writing feels self-conscious. Some readers found certain profiles less engaging or too long. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (50+ ratings) "She makes me care about people and topics I'd normally skip past," notes one Goodreads reviewer. Another on Amazon writes: "Some essays shine while others drag, but her eye for detail never wavers."

Citizens of London by Lynne Olson Profiles three Americans in WWII London through intimate details of their daily lives and decisions that shaped both personal destiny and historical events.

The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean Chronicles the story of orchid hunter John Laroche and the subculture of rare flower collectors through encounters in Florida's swamps and greenhouses.

Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc Follows the interconnected lives of Bronx teenagers over a decade, documenting their daily struggles and choices through immersive reporting.

Portrait of Hemingway by Lillian Ross Captures Ernest Hemingway through close observation during five days in New York City, revealing the person behind the public image.

Up in the Old Hotel by Joseph Mitchell Collects profiles of New York characters from the 1930s to 1960s, focusing on street preachers, fishmongers, and other urban denizens who shaped the city's character.

🌟 The book's title subject, Cristina Sánchez, became Spain's first female bullfighter to reach the elite rank of matador in 1996. 🌟 Author Susan Orlean has written for The New Yorker magazine since 1987, and her work "The Orchid Thief" was adapted into the film "Adaptation" starring Meryl Streep as Orlean. 🌟 Many of the profiles in this collection first appeared in prestigious publications including The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and Esquire between 1988 and 2000. 🌟 The essay "The American Male at Age Ten" has become one of Orlean's most widely anthologized pieces and is frequently taught in journalism and creative writing courses. 🌟 During her research for these profiles, Orlean often spent weeks or months following her subjects, employing the immersive journalism technique pioneered by writers like Gay Talese and Tom Wolfe.