Editorial Review

This is the be-all and end-all of mushroom books! Truly an encyclopedia of mushroom facts and lore, lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs, literally everything you need to know about mushrooms, edible or not. Arora has taught mycology for close to twenty years and has hunted and photographed mushrooms across the North American continent. Threaded through the book are his wry and humorous observations and comments, making what could have been a rather dull, "just-the-facts, ma'am" reference book into a really enjoyable read. The stunning photographs of the incredible variety of fungi are fascinating and eye-opening, and while the author gives clear and factual information, the mysterious allure of mushrooms in their countless shapes, sizes and colors is only increased by this huge and delightful book. --Read more

Reviews (29)

A Must Have
I am a biology teacher and own two tracts of woods.I bought two cheaper books thinking, foolishly, that I would then be able to identify most mushrooms.Cheap and thin is easy to carry in the woods, but this is the "mushroom bible" all naturalists should own.Arora handles a jargon rich science exquisitely.His use of humor in a virtual textbook takes away the thick book intimidation factor.Academia could learn a lot from David's style.I wish all the pictures were in color, but that would increase the price and thickness of the volume tremendously.I will add a few other field guides with color pictures for referencing. I now have a hard time believing there are still copies available for sale.I don't know who in their right mind would sell such a volume.I'll have mine until the end.

actually good beginner book
I love this book.
This Book Is Great!
After reading this book, I have a hard time reading other mushroom books.This one is just such fun to read!I subconsciously am looking for other mushroom books to be less dry and as funny as this one, but it just ain't happenin'.I really recommend this book both for the information it contains and the pleasure that you get from reading it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. General    4. Identification    5. Life Sciences - Bacteriology    6. Mushrooms    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Pacific States    10. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS   

Reviews (8)

Remarkable... both a pragmatic AND scientific treatment
I have to admit, I did not know Paul Stamets was this generation's premier mycologist.After reading this volume, there is no doubt of it.He is objective, a true mycologist of the highest order, and a down-to-earth pragmatic steward of the environment.I have learned a lifetime of valuable information...both scientific as well as practical know-how from this book, (a rare feat).Not only does Stamets enthuse the reader with the miracle of possibilities in cultivating mushrooms for the environment, nutrition, (yes nutrition), and health benefits of Reishi and other mushrooms, he details how it is to be done, (by individual cultivators and/or commercial operations alike).
Wonderful Book - Mainly Steered Toward Growing With A Business Perspective
Wonderful Book - Mainly Steered Toward Growing With A Business Perspective.
A definite how-to encyclopedia for all backround readers
THis book will take from start to finish on the following subjects: Growing methods for each mushroom, growing media preparation, nutritional information, consumption information, purchasing sources, club sources, etc.A definite must read.Highly recomend it. Black and white pictures. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. General    5. Mushroom culture    6. Techniques    7. Cookery by ingredient    8. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    9. Specialized gardening methods   

Reviews (17)

A Classic for Mushroom Cultivation
If you were to buy only one book on mushroom cultivation, this would be the best choice. It can certainly stand-alone in that it provides all the info the reader needs to cultivate mushrooms. Although psilocybian mushrooms are included these are by no means the exclusive or main focus of this book. For the most part, the book is concerned with legal edible mushrooms that can be grown in the home or yard. Absolute beginners can certainly start with this book and no other book will be necessary to provide all that the reader needs to know from beginning to end of the mushroom growing process.
mushroom cultivator a good buy
this book has lots of useful information about growing muchrooms
Usefull still
An older book, but its info is still very true. There are some more updated techniques out. However, it is surely a strong foundation for your mushroom cultivation knowledge, or just to satisfy your curiousity of how mushroom cultivation works. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening / Horticulture    2. Gardening/Plants    3. General    4. Horticultural Crops    5. Mushroom culture    6. Mushrooms    7. Fruit & vegetables    8. Specialized gardening methods   

Reviews (17)

Less than stellar
I was disappointed to find that there was no useful information contained therein. While the pictures were very well done there were no colloquial names to help identify species.

Good supplemental book
I own about a dozen mushroom books and have recently added this one to my collection. "Shooming" can be a dangerous pursuit and, like almost all are aware, absolute identification is required. I don't think I would personally feel competent with this book alone, nor any other for that matter. I feel there are better books but these are very heavy monstrosities. This one, like a few, can be carried into the field while the larger, more definitive guides await at home, or in the car. The pictures are good but I prefer a "Peterson Guide" type approach to indicate what, exactly, I should be looking for. My only other personal objection is that I prefer a guide that uses their Latin name since this knowledge will be more easily transferable from one book to another.
A poor choice
I purchased this book becase it said Audubon.Thus I expected much more than I received. I was hoping to identify a few mushrooms I had found in my area.After spending a great deal of time, I was able to identify none.There are far better pictures available in other books.For instance the picture of the Shaggy Mane does not look at all like the Shags I have collected and eaten.All in all, a waste of money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Fungi    3. Identification    4. Mushrooms    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. United States    8. Botany & plant sciences    9. Nature / Mushrooms    10. North America    11. Trees & wildflowers   

Reviews (6)

A must have
This book is excellent to keep in the car during forays and cross reference with mushroom field guides. The pictures are almost 3 dimensional and most of them show the various stages of the fruit bodies. The photos also show with clarity, every part of the mushroom in detail in their true colors and variations. This affordable reissue of this highly regarded tome caused quite a clamor in my mycolgist club.

Excellent mycological guide
The photographs and descriptions are among the most useful we have in our collection of mushroom guides.Marvellousfor amateur mycologists and veteran mushroom hunters alike.

a required text!!!!
As a long time schromer this book is used all the time. It is not a complete guide to wild mushrooms no book is since there a thousands of different species in the U. S..The pictures are the highpoint of this book, although the text describing what a mushroom is and how to use the book is also a value. I have the 1st edition and it is getting dogeared from heavy use ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fungi    2. Identification    3. Mushrooms    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. North America    7. Pictorial works    8. Reference    9. Reference And Information Services    10. Fungi - North America - Identification    11. Mushrooms - North America - Identification    12. Mushrooms - North America - Pictorial works    13. Nature / Mushrooms   

Reviews (4)

Know Your Fungi
A lot of this book is about fungi reproduction, and therefore, fungi sex -- although a lot of reproduction is anamorphic (asexual). Currently, there are over 100,000 fungi described scientifically (over 10,000 species of mushrooms), but Dr. Kendrik estimates that this is less than one tenth of the Earth's mycota (fungi). This book, of course, does not discuss all 100,000 fungi. It discusses fungi classifications, and some of the most important fungi. 3rd Editon The Fifth Kingdom 2001
The Fifth Kingdom is indeed an excellent treatment on the fungi kingdom. A lively text makes this topic approachable to most. I would also highly recommend the CDROM Dr. Kendrick has produced to go with the text. Over 3000 colour images and animations have been included which really brings the topic to life. He has placed many of these chapters online at his site mycolog com . I would recommend a visit there to anyone who would like to learn more about either the text or CD.

Please reprint!
I too have read this text and found it excellent. Alas, I now want to buyit (and use it as a text in my class) but it is no longer in print. I hopeit is reprinted soon and if it is-BUY IT! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. General    3. History - General History    4. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    5. Popular science   

Reviews (16)

Southeast Blues
Despite at least one other reviewer's remarks, I insist that this volume is greatly diminished for those of us in very different locations than the book's initial, (and I would say continued), focus area -the west coast.The titling and promotion of this book fail to make clear what it is truly about.
Love of Mushrooms
I always appreciate reading something by a person who loves what they are writing about. It seems like all too often a book is written by someone who seems to know what they are talking about, but don't LOVE what they are talking about.
Gettin' My Own Copy
I borrowed the book from a co-worker and have found it to be an invaluable and extremely handy and easy to use field reference guide.The information is excellent and the photos are just as helpful. The Quick Key in the front and back of the book help the Identification process go quicker. I am hooked and have to get my own copy now!!Great for beginners like me!
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Subjects:  1. Fungi    2. Identification    3. Mushrooms    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Pictorial works    7. West (U.S.)    8. Applied ecology   

Reviews (1)

Good reference book and learning tool
I haven't found many good books on algae that have come out in the pastfew years.This book is a great one with lots of information and pictures. It would be better if some of the pictures were in color, instead of allof them being in black and white.Some algae are indentified by color socolor pictures would be helpful.It has really good information on diatomsalso which is nice. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algae    2. Algology    3. Fish    4. Life Sciences - Biology - General    5. Life Sciences - Botany    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    9. Science / Botany   

Reviews (4)

Fabulous for funghi lovers!
I recommend this book for fungi lovers old and new. Great tips and fabulous recipes, along with cute family stories. I use this book often for dinner parties and family dinners. The colorful cover makes a great coffee table addition, but I use the book so frequently I can't keep it out of my kitchen. I have given many as gifts to my culinary friends. It's a winner.

DELECTABLE
I watched my husband glace at the book and he just started reading it and about 15 minutes later I realized he was still reading it.He doesn't even cook!Anyway, inspired by his attention to this tome, I grabbed my tea yesterday and hung out on the pet's couch for a good read!I was not disappointed! I now feel I wouldn't be shy about cooking with exotic mushrooms.I can't wait to try the mushroom chile (which I read about in Metropolitan Home mag.)for the Superbowl Party tomorrow.Wow! Thanks Amy Farges!

A mouth-watering compendium of more than 175 recipes
A mouth-watering compendium of more than 175 recipes, Amy Farges' The Mushroom Lover's Mushroom Cookbook And Primer is enhanced with a "Mushroom 101" guide and an innovative shopping and preparation primer for more than 30 edible fungi. From Crepe Pouches with Shiitakes, Seared Cod with Porcini a la Grecque, and Lamb Broth with Autumn Mushrooms and Pearl Barley, to Mushroom Cornmeal Muffins, and Old-World Polenta, The Mushroom Lover's Mushroom Cookbook And Primer offers a cornucopia of delicious eating inspired by common and exotic mushrooms, and eminently suitable both for family meals and special event celebrations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery (Mushrooms)    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Mushrooms    5. Specific Ingredients - Natural Foods    6. Specific Ingredients - Vegetables    7. Cookery by ingredient    8. Cooking / Natural Foods   

Reviews (3)

2nd best mushroom book
The pictures in this guide are not quite as nice as in the audubon version but is still easy to use and a nice handy size for carrying in a pocket

Still a standard field guide to fungi
This field guide is nearly twenty years old, but there are so few field guides to fungi that it still remains a standard reference. Like all Peterson field guides, it is handy and compact and can easily be taken into the field and pored over with the mushrooms in their wild habitat. The text is detailed and accurate and a "similar species" section is very useful. However, this guide uses painted plates whereas amateurs generally find it easier to identify fungi by photographs. I personally find photographs more accurate, but enjoy paintings in their own right. In this case the paintings are pleasing and quite faithful.
mushroom field guide
I found this book to be well illustrated. And although not as comprehensive as i'd hoped, it is still the most complete guide I have found. Overall, I feel it is well above average--and I'm quite hard toplease! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fungi    2. Identification    3. Life Sciences - Bacteriology    4. Mushrooms    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. North America    8. Pictorial works    9. Botany & plant sciences    10. Microbiology (non-medical)    11. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    12. Nature / Mushrooms    13. Plant life: general    14. Trees & wildflowers   

Reviews (2)

Fungal ID
It is a well written, and illustrated book for the idenfication of fungi, however, the inclusion of plates for appearance on media and more direct photos would improve the publication (and no doubt increase the cost) otherwise it is a good book for the identication of fungi in the laboratory that processes some fungi, as an offshoot to the microbiology department, a mycology department would include this in its library but would include other texts, and resources. In summary good at uni good on the bench, but would need suplementation in a pure mycology department.

It�s a good book for fungi identification
I have had very satisfactory experiences in the use of this book as a guide for the identification of Food Fungi, even though outside written forFungi of Medical Importance. It displays a very particular approach thatmakes extremely didactic, mainly for the novices in the subject or thatthey do not make fungi identification of routine. It presents first aclassification of the fungi based on the color of the colony and thecharacteristic formation of conidias of the fungi genera. In one secondpart of the book it makes a more detailed description of each one of theconsidered generas. And finally it makes an review of the main medias usedin the isolation and identification of fungi. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cultures and culture media    2. Fungi    3. Identification    4. Laboratory Medicine    5. Medical    6. Medical / Nursing    7. Medical Mycology    8. Microbiology    9. Pathogenic fungi    10. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    11. Scientific equipment & techniques, laboratory equipment   

Reviews (5)

Practical field guide and interesting read
Reviewed by Juanita Watson for Reader Views (8/06)
Understand what you are buying
This is a good book in the right hands.If you are looking for the definative book on mushrooms, it hasn't been published.The closest equivalent to definative is the David Arora Mushrooms Demystified.This book by Miller is a FIELD GUIDE (and maybe 1/5 the size and weight of Demystified), it is very, very short on the number of species covered ('only' hundreds out of thousands).Do not use this book to decide if you have harvested an edible mushroom.There are a great many edible mushrooms that look like a great many inedible and poisonious mushrooms and YOU CANNOT DO IDENTIFICATION BY COMPARING PICTURES.
Over six hundred color photos and line drawings offer important identification keys
If only one field guide to North American mushrooms is to be obtained for a reference holding, make it NORTH AMERICAN MUSHROOMS: A FIELD GUIDE TO EDIBLE AND INEDIBLE FUNGI. Over six hundred color photos and line drawings offer important identification keys and a comprehensive survey of where and how to gather wild mushrooms. Pictorial keys throughout enhance suggestions for location and identification as well as culinary use, and come from one of the most respected mycologists in this country, also a professor of Botany and Curator of Fungi. He's written six books on fungi and has authored 105 new species new to science in his papers: his is a masterpiece including sturdy binding for solid field use.
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Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Fungi    3. Identification    4. Mushrooms    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Pictorial works    8. United States    9. Nature / Mushrooms   

Reviews (7)

MMMMMMMMMMMMMGood
Lovely photographs, excellent identity descriptions, tons of useful information and I love the recipes -- plan to make every one of them.

Excellent Book For Novice Edible Mushroom Hunter
This is a concise easy to use book for people just starting to
Limited scope, horrible recipes.
I bought this book many years ago as the first of what is now a fairly large collection on the subject.As the title indicates, it concentrates on the EDIBLE fungi, so the reviewer who was dissappointed because he/she could ID only one of the 13 mushrooms he/she found has unfair expectations out of the scope of this work. That said, only the most popular edibles seem to be listed here, and variants on those species are not covered in much depth. It's ok for those who just want to be able to distinguish a golden chanterelle from a jack-o-lantern, or a morel from a thimble-cap so they can safely gather some edibles. The worst thing about this book, however, is it's unfortunate recipes. Every single recipe I've tried from it completely sucks. Either the cooking method is inappropriate to that particular mushroom (turning delicate specimins to mush, for instance, or inundating absorptive ones with oil), or strong flavors from other ingredients overwhelm the sometimes subtle flavors of the mushrooms themselves. I get much better results by trusting my cooking intuition and experimenting than I do by following these recipes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bacteriology    2. Cookery (Mushrooms)    3. Cooking    4. Identification    5. Life Sciences - Bacteriology    6. Mushrooms    7. Mushrooms, Edible    8. Mushrooms, Poisonous    9. Nature    10. North America    11. Specific Ingredients - Vegetables    12. Cookery by ingredient    13. Cooking / Vegetables    14. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)   

Reviews (4)

classic text but no bargain
This is an excellent introduction to the fungi, however the cost is extremely prohibitive.The coverage is good, and its strong points are in morphological description and taxonomy.It is less impressive in molecular aspects of mycology.Given the high price of this volume, I highly recommend checking it out from a library to see if it meets your needs and expectations before deciding to purchase.And keep in mind that there are more affordably priced alternative pathways to introduce you to the fungi, such as The Fifth Kingdom by Kendrick.

Excellent reference text for fungi
The text is a good introduction to fungi with several excellent black and white pictures and illustrations.The text also contains an extensive glossary of mycological terms.However, as other reviewers have indicated, the text appears to be written for people with at least a general biology background.As a microbiologist, I find this book to be a perfect reference for fungi.

A classic introduction with a focus on plant pathology.
Last month I began browsing my 1962 edition of Introductory Mycology.Loand behold I read through the whole book over a weekend.This book was ourbible for the Mycology 100 course in grad school.I was noticing how goodthe narrative and drawings were in this classic.The book is not a glitzytome so common in textbooks today.Each class of fungi is dealt withseparately and there are extensive references at the end of each chapter.Of course because of the date of my edition some of the references aredated.However, the basic science here is solid and presented in apedagogical manner.The chapter on class Basidiomycetes deserves specialmention.The basidium development narrative is just superb. If you have aninterest in fungi and want to delve deeper into this important living groupthen get this book.It will serve you well for years to come just as ithas done for me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fungi    2. Life Sciences - Bacteriology    3. Microbiology    4. Mycology    5. Science    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    8. Science / Bacteriology   

Reviews (4)

a sequel please
All things black and slimy.I loved your book Dr. Money.Lets add the nasty Chaetomium next time also neurogenic fungus.
Funny Fungi
If Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) were reincarnated as a mycologist, he would have written this book. Dr. Money's liberal dose of irreverent humor makes his very detailed, erudite book on toxic mold easy and enjoyable to read. A Great Book!
Nicholas Money is an amazing writer who manages to entertain and instruct at all times. I found myself learning and laughing from cover to cover. "Carpet Monsters and Killer Spores" is a book for everyone. Not only does it provide a wonderful introduction to the study of fungi; it explores the way our lives and destinies are inextricably linked to those of the fungi. Homeowners, attorneys, and people in the insurance industry will find much to enjoy (and fear!) in this book, as will biology enthusiasts, naturalists, and readers of all persuasions.Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Control    3. Dampness in buildings    4. General    5. Health aspects    6. House & Home    7. Indoor air pollution    8. Life Sciences - Biology - General    9. Molds (Fungi)    10. Science    11. Science/Mathematics    12. Toxicology    13. Life Sciences | Microbiology | Mycology    14. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    15. Popular science    16. Science / Biology   

Reviews (1)

A very practical reference on mycophagy and mycology
covers all the basics.. in detail.. includes basic taxonomic keys and useful materials. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bacteriology    2. Fungi    3. General    4. Identification    5. Mushrooms    6. Reference    7. Southern States    8. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    9. Science / Environmental Science   

Reviews (1)

Knowledgeable!!!
If you are interested in,mind expansion,consciousness,psychedelics,religious/mystical experiences,the un-tapped part of the psyche,and the magic of Psilocybin mushrooms that tap you into that part,then you will love this book!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternate Spirituality    2. Consciousness    3. Fungi    4. General    5. Healing - General    6. Mushrooms    7. Mushrooms, Hallucinogenic    8. Mycology    9. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    10. Popular Culture - General    11. Psychology    12. Shamanism    13. Sociology    14. Spirituality - Shamanism    15. Body, Mind & Spirit / Mental & Spiritual Healing    16. Microbiology (non-medical)   

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Crop Science    2. Life Sciences - Botany    3. Life Sciences - General    4. Life Sciences - Horticulture    5. Mushroom culture    6. Mushrooms    7. Mushrooms, Edible    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Crop husbandry    12. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    13. Science / Botany   

Reviews (3)

Best Reference
This is the best reference book I have on Boletes. It has so much information on just Boletes so it is fairly comprehensive, and the book is so easy to use. The keys make it easy to identify just about any Bolete. The descriptions are in alphabetical order as are the pictures so it is easy to flip through to find what you want.The pictures are incredible! The price was well worth it for me.

Most expensive paper weight i own
Great book if you are a scientist, but for the average mushroom hunter it is way too complicated to use. Information is scattered thoughout the book so you are forever flipping pages Ex.Once you get to a name, you have to go to the index w/that name to find out where the picture it's at. Don't it make sense to have that info next to the mushroom name and description.
Scholarly, yet accessible.
This book is a little pricey, but sometimes you get what you pay for. The keys are fabulous, the photography excellent, and by limiting itself to boletes, this book covers most of what you will find, at least in North America. I have been collecting, identifying, and eating wild mushrooms for years, and this is one of the best reference books of the many I've used. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boletaceae    2. Fungi    3. Identification    4. Mushrooms    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. North America    8. Pictorial works    9. Reference    10. Botany & plant sciences    11. Microbiology (non-medical)   

Reviews (3)

Excellent Book
I live in Tennessee. I own about 40 mushroom books and this one is my favorite. It is great to have a book for identification that covers mushrooms found in the south so well. The pictures are excellent. Roody lists possible look-alikes in many of the excellent, detailed descriptions. He also comments on the edibility of each species. Should be an excellent book for beginners and seasoned mushroom hunters alike. Highly recommended.

One of the Best Mushroom Field Guides Ever!
I live in New York State and have been collecting mushrooms for years - edible and otherwise.I already own just about every other field guide to identifying mushrooms and other fungi, so when I saw this book for sale, I thought "do I really need another?"Well, it turns out I did.This book is fabulous!The pictures are first rate, and sometimes provide identifying detail that pictures in other books do not.While the "regulars" are there (mushrooms you find illustrated in almost every field guide) it also contains pictures of mushrooms that are common but not regularly pictured in other field guides. Consequently, it allowed me to solve a lot of long-standing "mushroom mysteries" in my backyard.The book contains longer than average "comments" on each species, often providing fascinating information.I highly recommend ths book!

Finally
After a decade of waiting for this book, I am certainly not disappointed. As an avid mushroom hunter, I have to say that this is the best field guide I have found. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Appalachian Region    2. Identification    3. Mushrooms    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Pictorial works    7. Reference    8. United States - State & Local - General    9. West Virginia    10. Mycology, fungi (non-medical)    11. Northeastern & North Atlantic states    12. Reference works