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| The Orchid Thief | 
 enlarge | Author: Susan Orlean
Creator: Anna Fields
Publisher: Highbridge Audio
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $26.94 (100%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  166 reviews
Sales Rank: 1339791
Format: Abridged, Audiobook
Media: Audio Cassette
Edition: Abridged
Number Of Items: 4
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.8 x 1.3
ISBN: 1565116895
Dewey Decimal Number: 635.934409759
EAN: 9781565116894
ASIN: 1565116895
Publication Date: September 16, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Items Range from Average to Good Quality
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| Customer Reviews:
 Orchids and those who love them September 16, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is an interesting book about the obsessions and lengths of the people who love and collect orchids. There are ups and downs in this account.
The story is well told. The main character is John Laroche, a huckster in trouble with Florida authorities for poaching orchids from public lands. Orlean tells Laroche's story, while using it as a springboard to examine the various aspects of the obsession with orchids some people have. There are stories of orchids being stolen from growers, certain strains fetching high prices from foreign buyers, and an obsession bordering on madness in collectors of the flower. There are very few lengths to which collectors and poachers will not go to get their hands on prize orchids.
Laroche himself is a complicated figure. On one hand, he is a criminal who has always tried to come up with get rich quick schemes to avoid working. He has a broken moral compass and thinks nothing of doing things to people not accepted by society. But, Orlean also explores the backstory that made Laroche who he is. We learn of his failed marriages, bad family life, and the crummy luck he has experienced. He comes out as being a complicated character. By the end of the book, I didn't know if I should root for or against him.
The main drawback is that Orlean sometimes goes into too much detail about side issues and minor stories. These digressions take away from the general flow of the book rather than enriching it.
This is a good nonfiction book, especially for those interested in environmental matters.
Good Writing August 21, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I expected this to be more about the Orchid Thief, so I was disappointed somewhat by Ms. Orlean's sashaying into Florida history and Seminole history.
When I came to the conclusion that it was as good a book as I'd heard it to be, I was happily surprised!
I've been introduced to hydroponic orchid growing, and it was important to get a feel of the hobby/art!
 FORCED TO READ IT July 23, 2007
0 out of 8 found this review helpful
this book really didnt keep my interest. but i had to read it for school. so yea.
 Watch "Adaptation" after you read it July 22, 2007
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Actually, watch Being John Malkovich before you read it and Adaptation (Superbit Collection) afterwards.
Adaptation deals with the problems that Charlie Kaufman, played by Nicolas Cage, had adapting this book into a screenplay. It is remarkably true to the book, and Meryl Streep is wonderful as Susan Orlean.
I read the book after seeing the film, and wish I had done it in reverse order.
Like many other reviewers, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but have nothing to add to their comments.
Interesting magazine article with a lot of filler. January 3, 2007
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book is interesting yet, as has already been mentioned in other reviews, it probably should have stayed a magazine article. The book, which is already printed in large font, has a lot of sections that are obvious filler to increase the page count. I could forgive these off topic filler sections if they were at least entertaining but unfortunately they are not.
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