A first edition, first printing published by Random House 1998. A fine book - SIGNED by the Author - in a fine unclipped wrapper - a touch rubbed to the corners. The Orchid Thief, a non-fiction book by Susan Orlean, is a captivating exploration of obsession and the strange world of orchid enthusiasts. The story centres on John Laroche, an eccentric plant dealer arrested for illegally poaching rare ghost orchids from a Florida state preserve with the intent of cloning and selling them for profit. Intrigued by the crime, Orlean follows the case, which leads her into a bizarre subculture of fanatical collectors, smugglers, and showmen. The book, which inspired the film Adaptation, ultimately uses the orchid theft as a lens to examine human passion, the pursuit of beauty, and the often-unconventional lengths to which people will go to gratify their desires.