Orchid Theif

the orchid theif is a very peculiar book. it doesnt have the typical flow of a story and has very large portions dedicated to research in the feild of orchids. susan orlean is a journalist who comes across a very peculiar article about a man stealing flowers. she goes to his court date and falls in love, not with the man, but his passion for flowers. she states several times in the book that she wants to be passionate about something. its not a very outrageous goal. everyone needs something to be passionate about. it gives us a reason to live and gives us something to strive for. i like susan don't really know what im passionate about. laroche and so many others are completely enthralled in the cultivation of orchids. they know the names and scientific names. how the flower came to be. they know where the flower is from and what conditions support the healthy growth of each particular plant. they try new ways to create bigger better more appealing orchids and its all very time consuming, especially when it take seven years just for the plant to flower. its one of those things that pay off in time. you may take several years pruning and watering and feeding the flower and when that first bloom comes it is more meaningful than any other potted plant you could buy at a grocery store. orlean becomes involved with the peculiar flowers while she is building her story on laroche. she takes hours to research the history of orchid cultivation. she researched florida and the seminoles. she tells the stories of many different orchid hunters throughout the ages and how they come to be known. she tells of how men would kill for a intricate flower. this isn't something you could picture happening. two grown men at the store having a pistol fight over who gets the last potted Lillis. but it wouldnt be about lilliss it would be about the elusive orchid. she tells of inventions throughout the years to help form better methods of orchid care. she tells of how orchid enthusiast help build society. these are all facts that she dug up while learning about orchids. she becomes involved in the orchids almost as much as laroche but she never even owns a single plant, although she is tempted several times and offered several plants. this book isn't so much a story but rather a learning experience. the author uses the stories about orchids to find deeper meaning in her life. she spends hours wishing she cared passionately about something but it turns out she is passsionate about writing. but is writing really a passion or is it a way to express your passions?