This was one bad book. It oozed badness out of every pore. I've read
better stuff on the sidewalls of automotive tires. Okay. Maybe it was
not that bad, but lord, it wasn't good.
Orlean's writing has little to recommend it. Aside from possibly
benefitting from a writing class or two, there is almost nothing to
say about her writing style. Dry as the Sahara, and no ability to
carry plot, the book consisted of strung-together nuggets of orchid
information with no organization. Orlean is clearly the same kid who
copied chapters out of the encyclopedia rather than do her own
research in grade school. The reiteration of minutae on Motes and
Fuchs gives the same merit to the work as packing peanuts do to a
parcel in the mail.
Boring, exploitative and simply poor writing do nothing to endear
either the author or her material, but the American Orchid Society
seems to have jumped on her tripe with both feet. All the more's the
shame. Orchid Fever by Hansen is a much more complete treatment of the
subject without the pulp. Hansen's flaw, if any, is that he actually
did research. Perhaps Orlean will give it a go if she gets past the
"close cover before striking" school of journalism.
Should have been printed on softer paper.









"Sarah Huff" wrote in message ...
Hi all! Is there anyone out there who, like me, did not like Susan
Orleans' book The Orchid Thief? I disliked it so much that I didn't
bother finishing it. I thought Eric Hansen's book Orchid Fever was much
better.

Just curious.

Sarah



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