Zing & Sting

The biography of essayist Susan Starbird
Susan Starbird

Susan Starbird

A nonfiction writer her entire life, Susan Starbird wrangles literary fragments into coherent narratives. In the tradition of great essayists, Susan explores failure, love, death, work, nature, identity, and other “mortal questions.” The zing of her wit often partners with the sting of truth.

She started journaling in high school, and works in journalism and advertising. Her eclectic lyrical writing, sometimes presented in spreadsheets, reflects the spareness and voice of these disciplines.

Her first publication was Starbird’s Study Guide to Introductory Wolf Research (1975), followed by What Kayaking Taught Me About Business, both now out of print. She is the author and publisher of Susan The Magazine, with the first two issues (“The Intertidal Issue” and “Skirts”) being followed by Volume 3 in the theme of dread. She is also developing a manuscript on the emotional life of work. Her essays have appeared in West Marin Review, Big Brick Review, and Off The Page Readers’ Theater.

Video: Interview with the Author