The Fungal World: 8 Astounding Books about Mushrooms and Fungi that Will Blow Your Mind
Are you prepared to educate yourself with mushroom knowledge, but unsure of where to begin? Or perhaps you already have a solid understanding of mycology and want to learn more. In either case, you’ve arrived at the ideal place!
Mushrooms are all over the place as the summer cruises along at high speed and the temperature increases. Indeed, mushrooms are beautiful. They quickly and covertly emerge from the soil without being seen. They are sensitive to the touch, but they can break through concrete and asphalt.
Even yet, mushrooms are merely the above-ground extensions of the fungi that grow underground. We are only beginning to comprehend the ways in which the fungal world has altered our surroundings. It is a wild and intriguing realm.
The eight works listed below examine the Fungi Kingdom, outline how it relates to the human world, and highlight its crucial importance to life on our eccentric planet.
1. Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World by Paul Stamets
The introduction to all things mushroom is called Mycelium Running. It is a thought-provoking and fascinating reflection on the value of fungi to human culture. In this book, Stamets explores the development of fungus and demonstrates how diverse they are on Earth.
He also promotes “mycorestoration,” which is growing mushrooms on purpose in an effort to preserve and improve the environment. As Stamets points out, fungi have the capacity to digest garbage and pollutants, purifying the habitats they live in. Pick up this book; it’s an interesting read.
2. The Fungal Pharmacy by Robert Rogers
This is for all the drug manufacturers out there! Robert Rogers appears to have taken to heart the African proverb, “When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground,” since he has authored more than 40 books on medicinal mushrooms and plants. Readers of The Fungal Pharmacy have access to the experience of a man who has worked as a herbalist for more than 40 years, both in academia and with indigenous elders in North America.
Over 300 native North American species of therapeutic lichens and mushrooms are covered by Rogers in this study. Each explanation is thorough, covering everything from chemical components to clinical studies, historical applications, folklore, mycoremediation usage, and more!
This book’s versatility as a resource is what makes it so enjoyable. It makes the ideal coffee table book for you and your guests to browse through randomly while educating themselves for five minutes at a time.
It can be kept in your home apothecary for use when you or a loved one becomes ill and needs a natural treatment. Though perhaps its finest application is as a guide after a day of wild foraging to help you identify the type of medicine you’ve found and the most effective way to use it!
3. Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation by Tradd Cotter
The discovery that two of our resident mushroom growers with the most experience had never heard of this book or Tradd Cotter was one of the finest parts of making this list. This demonstrates that there is always more to learn about mushrooms and cultivation methods, as well as more mushroom books to read.
Cotter guides us through a number of straightforward, sophisticated, and experimental methods for both indoor and outdoor mushroom growth in this book. Both novice and seasoned growers who want to grow a variety of mushrooms will find it helpful because of its extensive, simple-to-understand methodology.
The mycoremediation portion of this text, which is also the branch of mycology that inspires the most promise but lacks research and testing, should not be disregarded.
Imagine a world where mushrooms are consuming plastic, purifying water of contaminants, and restoring life to barren, contaminated soils, all while supplying us with food security and herbal remedies.
This is the promise that mycoremediation holds for the globe, and Tradd walks you through the basics of how you may contribute to making it happen in his book. To find out what this crazy mycologist is working on next, visit Mushroom Mountain, which is always on the cutting edge of mushroom research.
4. The Mushroom Hunters: on the Trial of an Underground America by Langdon Cook
Food writer Langdon Cook immerses his audience in the realm of mushroom hunting in his book The Mushroom Hunters. Cook’s travelogue details the best places to find mushrooms and includes the biographies of the foragers he encounters. He demonstrates how mushroom foraging is a multi-million dollar industry in the process.
A stake in that industry is equivalent to striking it rich during the gold rush. From the mysterious, dark depths of the forest to the sumptuous tables of American restaurants, the amazing journey of these chosen mushrooms is detailed in The Mushroom Hunters. It is a very interesting read.
5. Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora
David Arora’s Mushrooms Demystified is still the best book for finding and foraging for mushrooms, despite having over 1000 pages and being rather heavy. These sections are filled with incredibly extensive classification guides, humorous anecdotes, and helpful picking advice. Arora’s book also features over 2,000 mushroom species and hundreds of images to make it easier for you to recognize your favorite fungi outdoors. Foragers and mushroom aficionados must own this book.
6. Mushroom: a Global History by Cynthia D. Bertelsen
The outstanding and engaging Edible Book series from The University of Chicago Press includes Cynthia D. Bertelsen’s history of mushrooms. Her brief history of the fruiting fungi demonstrates how battles between rival states, advancements in agriculture and medicine, and religious traditions have all been connected to mushrooms.
Bertelsen delves deeply into the history of mushrooms as food and the enormous economy that developed around the desire for them on a global scale. Mushroom is a fast read that covers the world of mushrooms.
7. Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World: an Identification Guide by Paul Stamets
Paul Stamets, the author of Mycelium Running, offers a comprehensive guide to psychotropic mushrooms, complete with visual and biological details on more than 100 species. He painstakingly details how to responsibly forage for these unique mushrooms as well as which harmful imitators to stay away from throughout the entire course.
In addition, he talks about contemporary usages of these mushrooms as well as their use in historic societies all across the world. Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World is the book you need if you want a wonderful adventure!
8. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
Even while everyone can benefit from this book, it’s our go-to suggestion for people who are just getting started with fungus. More times than you can count, Merlin Sheldrake’s text will leave you speechless while engrossing you with his masterful storytelling. After finishing, you won’t be entirely sure where you end and the rest of the world begins, which is exactly how we like it!
Merlin, the son of Rupert Sheldrake, describes his journey into the mushroom industry from the singular viewpoint that only someone who grew up with uncles like Dennis and Terrence McKenna can offer.
Merlin leads us on a voyage into the enigmatic realm of mycorrhizal fungi, lichens, psychedelics, and more, and it is clear that those men had an influence. He’ll force you to consider all facets of existence, from the micro to the macro, from a fungus point of view. You’ll discover how the kingdom fungi have impacted our ecosystems, consciousness, and culture—and how little is known about their behavior.
A journey into the world of fungi from the view of the brilliant authors of these books is an exciting ride. They serve as an illustrated guide to the world of mushrooms; mushroom cultivators, wild mushrooms and field guide.
Share with your fellow ‘mushroom’ fans!