The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean

So now I want to buy an orchid -- a pretty one, one my cats won't devour. I enjoyed The Orchid Thief but found it tedious at times when author Susan Orlean steered off course, dealing more with the history of the Seminoles than the story of the orchids and their often-addicted lovers. I learned much from this book and would recommend it to other plant and non-fiction lovers.This is one of the few adult books I've ever read where I honestly believe photographs would have been good even though I realize they limit the imagination. The book also could have used a plant glossary, especially for the neophyte orchid and bromeliad admirers among us. It's a great book, though, and it left me wondering -- what might John Laroche be enamored with these days -- turtles, mirrors, computer porn or perhaps orchids once again? .... If you liked this book, you'll probably also like Miles Harvey's Island of Lost Maps.
By the way, The Orchid Thief was made into a movie, which was good albeit so different from the book, it was amusing if not downright irritating. For what it's worth, the movie, unlike the book, was clearly fiction, almost a satire of Fargo.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life is a wonderful account of her family's efforts to live off local food for one year. The book is both a story of that endeavor and a bit of Kingsolver's always well-researched reporting, this time aided by her husband and college-age daughter.

This work of creative nonfiction gave me a greater appreciation for the need to eat locally grown and raised food whenever possible -- or at least much more than I do now. Kingsolver isn't overly preachy and is reasonable in her expectations of herself and others. She does not deprive her children, for example, of boxed mac 'n' cheese or herself of coffee, but she resists far more foods -- bananas despite a guest's temptation and imported asparagus which she grows in her own back yard.

The book made me want to get busy ordering seeds and other produce to grow in my own yard. It also prompted me to get out an old yet very UN-worn copy of Deborah Madison's cookbook, Local Flavors, as Kingsolver's book references Madison's work quite often. Other authors referenced include Wendell Berry and, of course, culinary great Alice Waters whom I was privileged to talk with in 2002 at where else but a farmers' market. (Try the rhubard compote recipe in Waters' tome on fruits.)

The best writing in Kingsolver's book, in my view, is not by Barbara Kingsolver but by daughter Camille Kingsolver. I do not know if Camille aspires to do more writing, but she writes in a clear, interesting and readable way.

This self-experiment of sorts -- living almost exclusively on local food -- was a superb idea for a book. It was also interesting to get to know Barbara Kingsolver's family -- her husband and two daughters, especially 9-year-old egg merchant Lily. Read the book to see what I mean by "egg merchant."

This book comes with a few recipes and is a keeper.