Review by Choice Review
For an astronomer, it is the number of stars; for a physicist, it is quantum mechanics; and for a biologist, it is the diversity of life. For each of these, awe overpowers the ability to hold it all in one's head. There are over 28,000 species of orchids, of which a mere 600 are featured in this 5.4 pound book. Each of these 600 gets a separate page, a range map, a one-sentence habitat description, two photographs, and a pen and ink drawing of its growth form. Of course, individual orchids get a few hundred words about their quirks--and what quirks there are, e.g., the Underground orchid has no leaves and even flowers below ground, the Fetid Sun-God orchid's flowers smell like "rancid cheese," etc. All in all, this beautifully illustrated book--its weight, its calm ordering of information, and its attention to tiny detail--allows one to grasp, for a brief moment, the sheer exquisiteness of Earth and its living things. From this book, dreams of travel, of immersion in evolutionary studies, and of launching or reenergizing a career in cataloging life emerge. The fact that the objects of study are beautiful only heightens the experience. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. --George C. Stevens, University of New Mexico
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
