"This little book is big fun."--Michael Pollan
An illustrated mini-encyclopedia of fungal lore, from John Cage and
Terence McKenna to mushroom sex and fairy rings
Fungipedia presents a delightful A-Z treasury of mushroom lore. With
more than 180 entries--on topics as varied as Alice in Wonderland,
chestnut blight, medicinal mushrooms, poisonings, Santa Claus, and waxy
caps--this collection will transport both general readers and
specialists into the remarkable universe of fungi.
Combining ecological, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary
knowledge, author and mycologist Lawrence Millman discusses how
mushrooms are much more closely related to humans than to plants, how
they engage in sex, how insects farm them, and how certain species
happily dine on leftover radiation, cockroach antennae, and dung. He
explores the lives of individuals like African American scientist George
Washington Carver, who specialized in crop diseases caused by fungi;
Beatrix Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit, who was prevented from
becoming a professional mycologist because she was a woman; and Gordon
Wasson, a J. P. Morgan vice-president who almost single-handedly
introduced the world to magic mushrooms. Millman considers why fungi are
among the most significant organisms on our planet and how they are
currently being affected by destructive human behavior, including
climate change.
With charming drawings by artist and illustrator Amy Jean Porter,
Fungipedia offers a treasure trove of scientific and cultural
information. The world of mushrooms lies right at your door--be amazed!
- Features a real cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
