SKU: 93123093617

The Orchid Thief

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Description

The Orchid ThiefNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK A modern classic of personal journalism, The Orchid Thief is Susan Orlean's wickedly funny, elegant, and captivating tale of an amazing obsession. Determined to clone an endangered flower the rare ghost orchid Polyrrhiza lindenii a deeply eccentric and oddly attractive man named John Laroche leads Orlean on an unforgettable tour of America's strange flower selling subculture, through Florida's

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK

A modern classic of personal journalism, The Orchid Thief is Susan Orlean's wickedly funny, elegant, and captivating tale of an amazing obsession. Determined to clone an endangered flower--the rare ghost orchid Polyrrhiza lindenii--a deeply eccentric and oddly attractive man named John Laroche leads Orlean on an unforgettable tour of America's strange flower-selling subculture, through Florida's swamps and beyond, along with the Seminoles who help him and the forces of justice who fight him. In the end, Orlean--and the reader--will have more respect for underdog determination and a powerful new definition of passion.

In this new edition, coming fifteen years after its initial publication and twenty years after she first met the "orchid thief," Orlean revisits this unforgettable world, and the route by which it was brought to the screen in the film Adaptation, in a new retrospective essay.

Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader's Circle for author chats and more.

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

"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

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 01/04/2000
ISBN: 9780449003718
Pages: 320
Weight: 0.63lbs
Size: 8.16h x 5.46w x 0.70d
Award: Book Sense Book of the Year Award - Nominee

Review Citations: Entertainment Weekly 02/04/2000 pg. 65
New York Times 01/23/2000 pg. 32
BookPage 12/01/2002 pg. 31
Entertainment Weekly 03/21/2003 pg. 116
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SKU: 93123093617

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4.7 ★★★★★
Based on 13 reviews
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Verified Purchase
DOROTHY POHTS
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 1
Does not stand up to aggressive chewers
Color: Grey
Supposed to be for heavy chewers. My dog destroyed this toy literally in less than 15 minutes. Tore the tail which I sewed back together and then she tore off the nose and pulled out stuffing. Don't know how they tested this. She is only 6 months old and it didn't stand up to her play. Do not recommend if you have an aggressive chewer.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026
P
Verified Purchase
Paul Wexler
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
Won't last a day
Color: Blue, Color: Blue
My 50 lb. Pitt bull destroyed this chew toy in 15 minutes. One week later. I'm changing my rating from a one to a five. My girl spent up until now ripping it apart and pulling the stuffing and squeaker out. She had so much fun that I bought her another one. When I took it out of the box for her, she was so happy, she immediately tried to tear it apart.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026
C
Verified Purchase
Cara
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 2
Lasted 2 minutes
Color: Grey, Color: Grey
Gave it a 2 star bc it was cute and on time. I have a GSD- a mildly aggressive chewer. This toy literally lasted 2 minutes and there was stuffing coming out so I had to take it away. Wish I would have read the reviews before I purchased.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2026
B
Verified Purchase
B. Hernandez
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 3
Only Made It Two Weeks
Color: Grey, Color: Grey
This toy easily became my Fig's favorite toy. The squeaker wasn't as annoying as it is in many other dog plushies. However, that's where the positives end. After the first week, there was a hole in the stitching on its neck. I sewed it up, but it obviously did not last. The squeaker went silent after a few more days. I bought it on March 28th, and it is now April 12th. It's just a rag, now. RIP little honey badger. You did well in your short life time.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2026
Q
Verified Purchase
Quenalyssa
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 4
Not 100% indestructible, but cute and worth the money
Color: Grey, Color: Grey
My dog absolutely love this little toy although when I looked up indestructible dog toys, this is one of the first things came up. I have to say it is not indestructible. I have not found one single dog ball or chew baby that is indestructible. My dog has found every which way to destroy them. It is now four days later and it’s still almost intact, but she has placed a hole in it. It does come with a squeaker, although the second day she already pulled it out it’s cute and it’s fun. Your cat could technically play with it if you had a cat and they wanted one quality wise, I would say it’s definitely close to indestructible, but it’s not completely indestructible and the colors were so fun.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2025

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