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| The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession (Ballantine Reader's Circle) | 
 enlarge | Author: Susan Orlean
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $13.99 (100%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  166 reviews
Sales Rank: 19769
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9
ISBN: 044900371X
Dewey Decimal Number: 635.934409759
EAN: 9780449003718
ASIN: 044900371X
Publication Date: January 4, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Book shows obvious wear on spine & cover. Your average used book; 1 Hour Ship! ** 96% positive feedback past 90 days--new management overhaul! ** Shop the Internet's most eco-conscious bookseller and keep the earth clean! ** Red Carpet Books = Red Carpet Service.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Yay! Hilarious and readable over and over again! June 28, 2005
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I started reading this book for the third time when I put it down to read Orchid Fever but I still plan to read it again. I laughed out loud at quite a few parts, mostly those having to do with John LaRoche who comes across as entertaining and someone I would have loved to meet. Aside from LaRoche I enjoyed learning about some other historic orchid collectors and the history of orchid collecting around the world. It really amazed me what some people would do for the love of these plants, especially the ones that take so long between flowering. I mean an orchid in bloom is pretty but what's to love about a some puny and spindly stalks? "To each his own" is what I say to that. I also say go ahead and read the book.
If you think you'll get an idea of what the book is about by renting the movie "Adaptation" which is about a guy (Charlie Kaufman-played by Nick Cage) hired to write a screenplay based on this book. If/when you read the book you will understand that there is no way a screenplay is gonna come outta this here book! The book us just unscreenplayable! Ya hear! So they took some artistic license and bent the story this a-way and that a-way and it was good. Oh and by the way did I mention that Chris Cooper was in the movie? Cooper did an excellent job of capturing John LaRoche. See the movie for Cooper. Oh, Meryl Streep was good as per usual in her role as Susan Orlean.
Let's see..I think that's about it. Read it.
the search for passion April 22, 2005
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
"...most people in some way or another do strive for something exceptional, something to pursue, even at their peril, rather than abide an ordinary life." (pg. 273)
Because I love the film Adaptation so much, I wanted to read the original source material- Susan Orlean's book "The Orchid Thief". I enjoyed it... mainly because of the movie, but its still an interesting read.
"...I think the real reason is that life has no meaning. I mean no obvious meaning. You wake up, you go to work, you do stuff. I think everybodys always looking for something a little unusual that can preoccupy them and help them pass the time." (pg. 38)
Adaptation is one of the most quotable movies intellectually speaking (to me), and the book carries gems of the same strain of thoughfulness. Also, since orchids happen to be my favorite flowers, I found the practical information about them interesting as well.
"I... looked ahead and behind at the empty road and up at the empty sky; the sheer bigness of the world made me feel lonely to the bone. The world is so huge that people are always getting lost in it. There are too many ideas and things and people, too many directions to go. I was starting to believe that the reason it matters to care passionately about something is that it whittles the world down to a more manageable size. It makes the world seem not huge and empty but full of possibility." (pg. 109)
Susan Orlean has a way of capturing the thoughts deep inside me and writing them the way I wish I could make them sound. I will leave you with one last excerpt and then we'll move on...
"It was a relief to have no hope because then I had no fear; looking for something you want is a comfort in the clutter of the universe, but knowing you don't have to look means you can't be dissapointed." (pg. 258)
The outline of a story meanders across pages populated with latin names for orchids and collector history. I thought it would be slow-moving and bogged down, but Orlean's perceptions and mental sides kept my interest piqued and tugged at my heart like the everglades did to her. There is definitely another story going on underneath what she reveals in print, and the hints you catch give a depth the book might otherwise be lacking. Its not a style for everyone, but for some, its tender and observing eye will be welcome and appreciated.
 Orchids and Florida April 15, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Through her own adventures, Orlean introduces us to the unusual world of orchid lovers. Most of this information is gained through her conversations with the unusual people that make up the orchid world in Florida, the most interesting of which are the orchid hunters which poach wild orchids. The setting of the book is probbaly its biggest. Florida is an unusual state with rich history and incredible wilderness.
The history of the orchids and the scientific details about them seemed a bit too superficial. Although experiencing it from Orlean's "exploring reporter" point of view does make many of the stories easier to relate to, I think I would have preferred the voice of a real orchid expert.
Obsessions, Swamps and Quirky People March 15, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I was put off initially by the unlikeable character the author chose to profile. Gradually I realized he was just the lead into the world of orchids, orchid lovers, Florida lore, Seminole life, swamps, more orchids, and the odd people and places that are Florida.
The book isn't a biography, isn't a travelogue, isn't a plant book. It's easier to say what it isn't than what it is. It draws you into the world of orchids through the eyes of the author, who is very present in the story. You slog through mucky swamps with her as she seeks the story behind the elusive ghost orchid.
It's an odd assortment of people and places, but somehow it catches your attention and holds it. As a new resident of Florida, it gave me a better understanding of South Florida and what it means to different segments of society.
Read the Book: Move to Florida February 9, 2005
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
Believe it or not, The Orchid Thief was one of the reasons which, when I had to choose a place to move, I chose Florida. I had always been a "fan" of Florida, but frankly, most of what I knew of it was from the Florida Novel. Though that seems a bit like the cliched story of a foreigner's opinion of the States being based on having seen some old movies, still, the Orchid Thief rings much more true. It really does go a long way to enhance one's appreciation of the opportunities in Florida. I wouldn't be at all surprised if by next year, thanks to the book, I'm involved in some way with orchids, and, if you happen to live in Florida, I think once you read The Orchid Thief you'll be motivated to at least drop in on some of the natural or commercial locations described therein as well.
Here, in non-fiction form, are all the ingredients of the Florida Novel. (See my review of Jimmy Buffet's "A Salty Piece of Land.") We are given an illuminating glimpse into the historic background of the state along with two of the driving forces in Florida culture: botanicals and obsessions. We are shown the fascinating development of the orchid and its impact on society.
At one time orchids conferred a prestige on the owner, who had to be immensely wealthy to own one, and there are still vestiges of this mind set notwithstanding the fact that you can buy a live orchid for as little as $2.49. On the other hand, it must be added, an orchid recently sold for as much as $202,000.
We have the description of voyages through the swamps. We are privy to conversations by people who are still suffering from various forms of orchidelirium, including the obsessed private collector, the field collectors, the people who cater to the collectors, the growers, the competitive shows, all of it, everything which represents the beautifully wild and weird nature of the environment and culture of the F state.
And, the book is well written. Grammar and syntax are flawless, there is no sense of condescension...the writer targets her audience with superb precision. The book even has a plot: a search for a ghost orchid. It has a sense of humor. Obviously the character development (including the character of Floridian society) is the sine qua non of this work, and there are the usual "odd" Floridians in contrast to the equally improbable visitors. I, for one, found the book in no way disappointing.
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