Susan Burton is the one-time producer & now editor of the Pulitzer Prize winning weekly public radio show and podcast - This American Life - heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations across America; with another 2.5 million people downloading the podcast each week.  

Susan’s radio documentaries have won numerous awards, including an Overseas Press Club citation, & The film Unaccompanied Minors, which was directed by Freaks & Geeks creator Paul Feig, is based on one of her personal essays. And Susan’s writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Slate, The New Yorker, & she’s a former editor of Harper's. 

Susan graduated from Yale in 1995.  So as far as professional pedigree goes, she’s incredibly inspiring.

And yet, despite all the successes & achievements, Susan has silently lived with anorexia & binge eating disorder since she was 13 years old.  Now in her 40s, Susan bravely shares with me - as she has in her incredible memoir EMPTY - that food’s been the source of her anxieties for as long as she can remember.

And whilst Susan’s working towards recovery, she’s the first to admit, she’s still a work in progress.

This is Susan’s story …

BUT BEFORE YOU GO…

Find out more about Susan here

Find out where to buy Susan’s incredible memoir, "Empty", here

Listen to This American Life here

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CREDITS:

Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday

With thanks to my special guest: Susan Burton

Audio Editor: Zoltan Fecso

With very special thanks to George Weinberg. 

BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.