Susan Orlean on Rin Tin Tin

"He believed the dog was immortal." So begins the moving story of canine legend Rin Tin Tin and his devoted owner, Lee Duncan, by bestselling author Susan Orlean (The Orchid Thief). Her sweeping saga takes us from Duncan's discovery of the orphaned German Shepherd on a World War I battlefield to mid-20th century Tinsel Town, where Rin Tin Tin awed with his human-like expressiveness and paved the way for animals to be the star of the show. But Rin Tin Tin: The Life and Legend is about much more than a four-legged Hollywood sensation; it's a remarkable look at the spiritual connection between humans and animals. Orlean, a staff writer for the New Yorker, shares the story and discusses her work and her bond with the animal kingdom.

This annual lecture is supported by the Doris Conant Endowment for Programs on Women and Culture.