The Orchid Thief

A True Story of Beauty and Obsession

By: Susan Orlean

Narrated by: Jennifer Meyers

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK

In Susan Orlean's mesmerizing true story of beauty and obsession is John Laroche, a renegade plant dealer and sharply handsome guy, in spite of the fact that he is missing his front teeth and has the posture of al dente spaghetti. In 1994, Laroche and three Seminole Indians were arrested with rare orchids they had stolen from a wild swamp in south Florida that is filled with some of the world's most extraordinary plants and trees. Laroche had planned to clone the orchids and then sell them for a small fortune to impassioned collectors. After he was caught in the act, Laroche set off one of the oddest legal controversies in recent memory, which brought together environmentalists, Native Amer-ican activists, and devoted orchid collectors. The result is a tale that is strange, compelling, and hilarious.

New Yorker writer Susan Orlean followed Laroche through swamps and into the eccentric world of Florida's orchid collectors, a subculture of aristocrats, fanatics, and smugglers whose obsession with plants is all-consuming. Along the way, Orlean learned the history of orchid collecting, discovered an odd pattern of plant crimes in Florida, and spent time with Laroche's partners, a tribe of Seminole Indians who are still at war with the United States.

There is something fascinating or funny or truly bizarre on every page of The Orchid Thief: the story of how the head of a famous Seminole chief came to be displayed in the front window of a local pharmacy; or how seven hundred iguanas were smuggled into Florida; or the case of the only known extraterrestrial plant crime. Ultimately, however, Susan Orlean's book is about passion itself, and the amazing lengths to which people will go to gratify it. That passion is captured with singular vision in The Orchid Thief, a once-in-a-lifetime story by one of our most original journalists.

Praise for The Orchid Thief

“Stylishly written, whimsical yet sophisticated, quirkily detailed and full of empathy . . . The Orchid Thief shows [Orlean’s] gifts in full bloom.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Fascinating . . . an engrossing journey [full] of theft, hatred, greed, jealousy, madness, and backstabbing.”—Los Angeles Times

©1998 Susan Orlean (P)2001 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Orlean’s snapshot-vivid, pitch-perfect prose . . . is fast becoming one of our national treasures.”—The Washington Post Book World

“Orlean’s gifts [are] her ear for the self-skewing dialogue, her eye for the incongruous, convincing detail, and her Didion-like deftness in description.”—Boston Sunday Globe

“A swashbuckling piece of reporting that celebrates some virtues that made America great.”—The Wall Street Journal

bad audio quality

The sound of this book is over modulated, crackling. You guys should probably remaster it.

Absolutely fascinating

Would you listen to The Orchid Thief again? Why?

I am a big fan of the movie 'Adaptation' and always wanted to read the book it was based on. While the book is indeed

Interesting story based on actual happenings

Very interesting story based on actual happenings. I liked the reader, too., Who kept my interest.j

I really wanted to like this book more

Any additional comments?

After watching, "Adaptation" I wanted to read the book that was so hard to turn into a screenplay. I now know why. This was a really well researched, historically interesting book which I found well put together and funny at times. Maybe what was ultimately lacking, and that which the author freely admits to, is that she chose to write a book about being passionate about something having never really felt that way herself. And it is apparent in her writing. All the ingredients were there for an awesome book, but it just sort of fell flat. Even with all of the interesting people she met and wrote about. I'm not sad I listened to it (and I thought the narrator was spot on) but overall it was mediocre.

Great Read

I loved this look into the history and culture of Orchids, their collectors and Florida.

A funny true story about a colorful character

This book is the story of how the author went to the wilds of Florida in search of the legendary Ghost Orchid and of her meeting with the eccentric and colorful John Laroche, her guide through the Florida swamps. I learned a lot about orchids and those who buy and sell them, as well as about obsession and the lengths to which one will go to satisfy it. Well-read and worthwhile.

IF YOU LIKE ORCHIDS

What did you love best about The Orchid Thief?

This story is actually a true story about a person who was being prosecuted in Florida for stealing orchids from a state protected zone. But it is much more than that. The author has done her research. She tells a lot about the state, orchids in general and the love and passion that people have had for orchids throughout history. I recommend the book for people who love orchids and who would like to know a lot more about them and their history.

What other book might you compare The Orchid Thief to and why?

I don't really know any other book that is comparative to this one.

Which character – as performed by Jennifer Meyers – was your favorite?

The author narrates the book about her research into the person who was arrested and the circumstances and she does a great job. I liked the author.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, it made me very interested as it is a subject that I have a lot of interest in.

Any additional comments?

It is actually very humorous though she definitely fills you in on a lot of detail about the subject the author makes it very enjoyable.

Another world

I really enjoyed listening to this book, good pacing and an engaging narrator. If you have the slightest interest in history (doesn’t take much) and/ or an interest in collecting and collectors… or an interest in plants and people, then you will enjoy this book. Good take about real people immersed in their own interesting world.

great read

really good read.. quick and informative...well written and interesting even to someone like me who knew nothing about the subject

great reading

the reader was excellent and made this book far more exciting than it would be if I had read it myself... also far quicker to listen to it than to read it.