Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #708213 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Customer Reviews

You'll never look at flowers the same way again...
Did you ever read Anthony Bourdain's book "Kitchen Confidential" which is a sort of tell-all and autobiographical book of what goes on behind the swinging doors in restaurants. It's hilarious, sarcastic, etc. In its own way, Flower Confidential achieves the same greatness, just by its thoroughness in showing us what 'really' goes on in the flower industry. In a way, this is even more relevant, because we all have an idea of how we get our food from a restaurant, but no one thinks about how many miles and extensive processes that had to occur just to get that simple bouquet you're about to purchase in your hands.

In addition to being able to spew off tons of facts about flowers to people (I can't tell if they're impressed or just think I'm crazy), this book has made me more conscious of the practices that go on and how to support ethical labor and fertilizating companies. I can't tell you how excited I was one day when I was in Sam's Club looking at their flowers, and yes, the Fair Trade sticker was there! I was happy to see it, and I was also glad that I knew what that sticker symbolized.

The book came out at an interesting time-right when Columbia and Ecuador (two major growers) were fighting each other. Every time I heard about the war, I always wondered what happened to the flower farms.

This book is honest, captivating, and is a great look at a very interesting industry. I'm amazed how much effort is put in to such a simple, cheap thing that we don'e even really think about. For me, whenever I get flowers, I'll ALWAYS be thinking about where they came from. Reading this book will make you appreciate cut flowers in a way you never before knew.