The overnight appearance of mushrooms in a meadow or on a suburban lawn is a marvelous sight. It is one of many awe-inspiring, magical processes that have evolved among the fungi, yet this group remains the least studied and most poorly understood kingdom of organisms. In Mushroom, Nicholas Money offers a vibrant introduction to the world of mushrooms, investigating the science behind these organisms as well as their enduring cultural and imaginative appeal. Beginning with the basics of mushroom biology, Money leads us through a history of mushroom research, painting portraits of the colorful characters involved in their study—among them, Beatrix Potter, the celebrated author and creator of Peter Rabbit, and Captain Charles McIlvaine, a Civil War veteran who engaged in a dangerous quest to determine the edibility of every mushroom in North America. Money also discusses the uses of mushrooms today, exploring their importance as food and medicine, their use as recreational drugs, and as the cause of horrific poisonings. A cultural, natural, and scientific history in one, Mushroom is a must-read for mycophiles, mushroom gatherers, and nature lovers alike.
Mushroom
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"Botanist Nicholas Money is unashamedly in thrall to the 'fungal sex organ'. In this brilliant scientific and cultural exploration, these organisms of rot and soil positively sparkle." - Nature
"This book was fascinating! The main cause of this is, without a doubt, the author, Nicholas P. Money. You can tell that this is the kind of professor that loves his craft." - Scientific American, Blog
"Mushroom is a compelling read for anyone with even a tinge of interest in the natural flavor of fungi." - Audubon Magazine
"At its core, Mushroom is an excellent natural history, but it's much more ... In a very short space, Money offers a fungus primer which would probably earn you an "A" in mycology (if you can retain all of the details of biology, chemistry and engineering) as well as a fascinating history of our relationship to this remarkable life form." - Corvallis Advocate
"Money offers preemptive reassurance that the magic of mushrooms will not be spoiled by revelation of their tricks, which he explains in some detail...he reveals his passion for mushrooms with a sheepishness that is unusual in nature writing. But mushrooms are unusual." -- SCIENCE
"As was the case with his earlier books (e.g., The Triumph of the Fungi, Feb'07; Mr. Bloomfield's Orchard, Feb'03), Money's recent book on mushrooms, designed to bring knowledge of fungi to nonmycologists, is excellent. ... The information is detailed and current. Highly recommended." -- Choice
About the Author
Nicholas P. Money is Professor of Botany at Miami University and author of The Triumph of the Fungi, Carpet Monsters and Killer Spores, and Mr. Bloomfield's Orchard.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent book for anyone interested in mushrooms
1 Jan 2012
By Djibo Zanzot
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I am a trained mycologist, so I wasn't sure if I'd get much from this book. I did get quite a lot out of it, though, as Dr. Money presents some very modern research as well as some old chestnuts. While I was reading this book, a friend of mine picked it up and started reading it. She was also quite enchanted by it, so it also has appeal for those who are not mycologists of any stripe. I found this book to be quite entertaining. This book won't teach you how to identify mushroom-forming species, but you will learn a lot about many of the main popular ideas about mushrooms (i.e., they are poisonous, they appear on pizzas, they are hallucinogenic, they can cure cancer).
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book
18 Dec 2011
By Dr. Michael J. Storek
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Even though I have been interested in mushrooms for last 33 years (probably because of my Eastern European background), I learned a lot of interesting information from this book - e.g. the role of Buller's drop. Author describes history of interaction between humans and mushrooms really well and he does not avoid the topic of mushroom toxicity, which he vividly describes on several famous cases.
The only possible issue - I liked his humor, but I am not sure if every reader will.
The only possible issue - I liked his humor, but I am not sure if every reader will.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Massive misrepresentation, awkward opinion.
20 Aug 2012
By Renee A. Davis
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I had hope this book to be a gem. But alas, it's a stinker. I have read and enjoyed the author's previous works, and was puzzled by what seemed to be a chip on the author's shoulder towards medicinal mushrooms and bioremediation. No doubt these areas of study are in relative infancy. But I was disappointed how the author degraded the work and research of mycologists in this area. I almost wondered if there was a personal gripe expressed in the pages.
Anyway, I thought the opinion portion of the book soured the interesting parts. And for that reason, it's a stinker.
Anyway, I thought the opinion portion of the book soured the interesting parts. And for that reason, it's a stinker.
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