Description

“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 cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design

Publisher Review

"This little book is big fun."---Michael Pollan on Twitter, "The author is a true snapper-up of unconsidered trifles, which he blends into erudite and cheery notes which will inform and entertain, amaze and (occasionally) repel you. . . . I have never laughed so much over a serious book. And I learned a lot too."---Gillian Mawrey, Historic Gardens Review "Millman has come out with a delightful stocking stuffer. . . . Wit and good humor are never lacking, the whimsy doesn't belie the deep knowledge, and its diminutive size makes it useful, as well as readable."---Art Goodtimes, Montrose Mirror "The cultural encyclopedia of mushrooms that we need right now." * Literary Hub * "A delightful collection of notes on a wide variety of mycologically related topics . . . . This is a book you can pick up for a few minutes, or get hooked into for an hour."---Susan Kayser, Fungus Friends "If your fungal forays have been limited to identifying toadstools, this A-Z of the fungal kingdom, written with profound knowledge and wry good humour, will be a revelation."---Phil Gates, BBC Wildlife "A delightful little introduction to the world of fungi. . . . a whimsical 184-page A-Z miscellany that could be slipped into your back pocket . . . even seasoned mycologists will here find things to entertain and enlighten them." * Inquisitive Biologist * "Charming, fact-filled, enjoyable read."---Neville Davies, Wild About Gwent "An extraordinary treasure box for readers."---Irmgard Krisai-Greilhuber, Osterreiche Zeitschrift fuer Mykologie "Fungipedia is a fun, fast-paced, fascinating, fungi foray formatted on facsimile foolscap (OK, that last one about it being printed on facsimile foolscap I just made up, but the paper is indeed quite nice)."---Johannes E. Riutta, The Well-read Naturalist "I found this a delightful little book, a mini-encyclopaedia, hardback, and at just 4.5 x 6.75 ins, easy to slip into a pocket and dip in and out of on a bus or metro journey. An ideal Christmas stocking-filler for both mycologists, whether "amateur" or "professional", and inquisitive naturalists. " * IMA Fungus * "It could best be described as a light, whimsical, yet extremely knowledgeable dip into the world of mycology. . . . Whether you are interested in fungi or not, I think this book will appeal." * Essex Birding * "[Millman] illuminates some obscure corners of mycology for sure, but better, he brings a kind of feisty joyousness to the endeavor that makes the facts feel fresh. . . . As far as I am concerned, there can never be enough mushroom books out there. And I call this one a treasure."---Eugenia Bone, New York Mycological Society Newsletter