Monday, February 16, 2004
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RHAPSODY IN ORANGE
Orangerie. I love that word and I like oranges, but a book about oranges? Among my Christmas gifts was a book my brother sent called simply Oranges, written by John McPhee. I had glanced at it and set it aside, but finally picked it up again the other day and started reading. It’s a gem! I read at least half of it straight through without putting it down. I didn’t realize until well into it that it was copyrighted in 1966, which surprised me. Mine has a preface that was added in 2000.
Not having grown up in an area where citrus thrives, I knew next to nothing about oranges. For example, did you know that a Valencia tree blossoms 14 months before the fruit is picked, with the result that it will be covered with blossoms and bright orange fruit at the same time? And if you plant an orange seed, it might produce limes instead?
McPhee’s style is so engaging that he manages to keep this story of the orange’s history, botany and lore moving along almost like a novel. The list of Mr. McPhee’s work in the front of the book makes me embarrassed to admit that I was not familiar with him previously. It reminds of how far I am from winning a MacArthur Award.
Orangerie. I love that word and I like oranges, but a book about oranges? Among my Christmas gifts was a book my brother sent called simply Oranges, written by John McPhee. I had glanced at it and set it aside, but finally picked it up again the other day and started reading. It’s a gem! I read at least half of it straight through without putting it down. I didn’t realize until well into it that it was copyrighted in 1966, which surprised me. Mine has a preface that was added in 2000.
Not having grown up in an area where citrus thrives, I knew next to nothing about oranges. For example, did you know that a Valencia tree blossoms 14 months before the fruit is picked, with the result that it will be covered with blossoms and bright orange fruit at the same time? And if you plant an orange seed, it might produce limes instead?
McPhee’s style is so engaging that he manages to keep this story of the orange’s history, botany and lore moving along almost like a novel. The list of Mr. McPhee’s work in the front of the book makes me embarrassed to admit that I was not familiar with him previously. It reminds of how far I am from winning a MacArthur Award.
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