Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean (non-fiction)

Regrettably, I won't be able to attend the February meeting. My dad is doing his next round of chemo and I'm planning to got to New Brunswick next week for 3 weeks. I also have to miss the Chinese New Years dinner. The nice thing about the blog is that I can still tell you about my book!

I read the Orchid Thief which many of you may have read. A bizarre story about a strange man who is convicted of attempting to steal rare orchid species from a swamp in Florida that is a nature preserve. He is involved with the Seminole tribe that inhabits the area. The book provides a glimpse into a world of collectors who are obsessed with these plants and the book is as much about obsession as it is about the orchid thefts.

The setting is a very important part of this story as Orlean gives vivid descriptions of her own trips into the swamps. I found the book to be a little too descriptive which slowed the pace. The most interesting part of the book was the storyline about the Orchid Thief and I kept hoping she would return to it. Instead the book is filled with descriptions of the other orchid people, historical facts about orchids and the Seminole tribe and lots of other filler.

This book would undoubtedly appeal to orchid lovers and perhaps other gardeners. It would also be of interest to people who like to read about interesting or quirky characters. I liked the book but certainly didn't love it. It was made into a movie which I haven't seen and reading the book didn't make me any more inclined to do so.