Orchid Muse, Erica Hannickel
Orchid Muse, Erica Hannickel
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

Orchid Muse
A History of Obsession in Fifteen Flowers

Author: Erica Hannickel

Narrator: Nicol Zanzarella

Unabridged: 6 hr 31 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/20/2022


Synopsis

One of Literary Hub's Most Anticipated Books of 2022

A kaleidoscopic journey into the world of nature's most tantalizing flower, and the lives it has inspired.

The epitome of floral beauty, orchids have long fostered works of art, tales of adventure, and scientific discovery. Tenacious plant hunters have traversed continents to collect rare specimens; naturalists and shoguns have marveled at orchids' seductive architecture; royalty and the smart set have adorned themselves with their allure. In Orchid Muse, historian and home grower Erica Hannickel gathers these bold tales of the orchid-smitten throughout history, while providing tips on cultivating the extraordinary flowers she features.

The story of orchidomania is one that spans the globe, transporting listeners from the glories of the palace gardens of Chinese Empress Cixi to a seedy dime museum in Gilded Age New York's Tenderloin, from hazardous jungles to the greenhouses and bookshelves of Victorian collectors. Lush and inviting, Orchid Muse is the ultimate celebration of our enduring fascination with these beguiling flowers.

About Erica Hannickel

Erica Hannickel, a master gardener, is professor of environmental history at Northland College. The author of Orchid Muse: A History of Obsession in Fifteen Flowers and Empire of Vines: Wine Culture in America, she writes for Orchids magazine and blogs at orchidmuse.com. She lives in Wisconsin.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jorja on August 09, 2022

Excellent book! It combines two of my favorite things: orchids and history. I highly recommend if you enjoy either.......more

Goodreads review by Tara on March 29, 2025

Fascinating history, beautiful pictures, excellent growing instructions. I want to get this book.......more

Goodreads review by Fran on November 09, 2022

A fascinating book on those mysterious plants, the orchids. She’s done a great job of making the history and research interesting and entertaining as well as educational. The illustrations and photos are wonderful, and for such a visual subject add hugely to the book. We get glimpses of other cultur......more