This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

1. 1. The Lost Orchid

   A Story of Victorian Plunder and Obsession

   

   In 1818 a rare orchid root shipped from Brazil to England ignited an era of "orchid mania" and a decades-long international hunt for Cattleya labiata. The book follows the collectors, nurserymen, plant hunters, South American workers, and botanists whose ambitions and curiosity drove expeditions, and examines the social and environmental damage their pursuit caused. It’s a study of scientific fascination, consumer desire, and the colonial forces behind the scramble for a single extraordinary flower.

   The 13045th Greatest Book of All Time

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