Reviews (12)

More Appropriate for the Farm than the Home
Contrary to what many cultivation cognoscenti repeatedly say, this book is not the 'bible' of mushroom cultivation. Although the amount of information in this book is impressive, it is limited to a handful of species, and gives exact growth parameters for a few select mushrooms, principally those belonging to Agaricus, Pleurotus, Psilocybe/Panaeolus, and Stropharia. It should also be noted that while some species, such as Pleurotus and Agaricus are relatively easy to cultivate, others such as Stropharia and Psilocybe/Panaeolus may be difficult to cultivate even under the most favorable conditions. As many of the topics in the book are more appropriate for the small mushroom farm, the book is anything but practical for home-based cultivation. As a result, using this book as a basis for hobby cultivation will more than likely take the fun out of cultivation entirely.

That said, the book explains the science behind mushroom cultivation very well, but places considerable emphasis on composting and Agaricus/Psilocybe production. The emphasis on Agaricus is understandable, as it is a commercially cultivated mushroom with mass appeal, but Psilocybe species are covered in a bit too much detail for my taste. More lab techniques are presented in this book than in Stamet's Growing Gourmet Mushrooms, and the authors provide detailed info on starting cultures from scratch, spawn maintenance and propagation, as well as setting up your own lab. One very strong selling point of the book is the authors' elaboration on the importance of good environmental control and how to achieve it, although again, the information on this topic would be more appropriate for a farm than a home. The authors also include two very detailed chapters giving information on invertebrate (insect) and microbial pests/contaminants and provide an excellent chapter on trouble-shooting during cultivation, focusing in particular on microbial pests/contaminants. The book includes a fairly good run-down on cultivation using non-composted substrates, but it could be expanded to include more substrates, more cultivation strategies, and more mushroom species that grow well on non-composted substrates. However, Stamets and Chilton primarily refer to varieties of alder, which is readily available in riparian and montaine habitats in the Pacific Northwest, and while they do provide the reader with material properties on other suitable hardwood substrates such as oak, beech, and birch in an appendix, a future edition should endeavor to show the reader the same techniques using those substrates. The authors end the book with a chapter that briefly explains the fundamentals of genetics and reproduction of edible mushrooms. The book's appendices contain invaluable information such as the construction of air and environmental systems, the composition of various potential substrates, data collection records and conversion tables, all of which do much to enhance its appeal to mushroom farmers. Finally, the book also includes a comprehensive and understandable glossary of key terms, a detailed bibliography, and a comprehensive index.

Essentially, the book's emphasis is on those mushroom species that can be grown with ease on compost with a few commercial species, such as shiitake, enoki, and oyster thrown in to round out the mix. You really have to look elsewhere for more detailed information on the medicinal properties of mushrooms and mushroom growing resources. Additionally, I found the absence of good, reliable economic data on mushroom cultivation, especially from the small farm or business standpoint to be lacking in both of Stamet's texts. While this text in particular was very comprehensive when it came mushroom science, I found myself looking to Stamet's Growing Gourmet Mushrooms for historical, cultural, taxonomic and medicinal information on edibles. Additionally, Growing Gourmet Mushrooms emphasized the edibles more, while this book played up the hallucinogenic mushrooms. Finally, better quality pictures, especially those in color and high resolution, would add significant value to this book.

In sum, while the average hobby cultivator just embarking on mushroom growing may find the information a bit too complicated, those looking to turn their hobby into a small farm venture will find it to be invaluable. To fully employ the techniques and methods presented in this book, the aspiring cultivator would have to invest a considerable amount of time and money. As such, I believe that this book is an excellent complement to a small farm operation. Those individuals looking to embark on hobby mushroom growing should first read Hajo Hadeler's Medicinal Mushrooms You Can Grow, and Paul Stamet's Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. Once the hobbyist is thoroughly familiar with the topic and the ins and outs of micro-scale (home-based) cultivation, I would strongly recommend that he or she pick up this book. As such, I see this as being more for folks who are serious about running a small farm or mushroom business, as most hobby growers would not even take the trouble to set up their own lab, or even maintain starter cultures beyond grain spawn. Thus, I recommend that this book be bought only after more basic information on mushrooms and their cultivation has been fully acquired.

Excellent Reference
This book is a excellent reference and guide for the intermediate to advanced mushroom grower. The emphasis is not necessarily on growing at home because the techniques described in the book require a pretty sophisticated lab. To grow mushrooms in the average kitchen with the dog walking by and shaking would be difficult using the info from this book. Of course if you buy the laminar flow hood from the author then things will be much easier for 800 dollars. The book is weak on sterile technique methods needed to sucessfully cultivate without laminar flow hoods.
Overall the book is a very comprehensive outline for successful cultivation indoors and outdoors. I reccommend it

This is the best book I have found.
Between both of paul's books, I have been unable to find anything even close. I consider this book to be the mushroom cultivation bible. I must agree with the statement above that it is written for a bigger cultivation operation than your bathroom. But there are so many differant scenarios for the home lever cultivator that there is no way a book could cover them. So Paul did what I believe he should have and wrote a book on the best way to grow mushrooms and left it up to us hobbyists to come as close as possible to achieving the optimum.

More than I asked for
I did not really understand just how comprehensive this book is until I recieved it in the mail. This book has everything and it is all in large print and worded well so it is easy to read. The majority of photos are black and white However there are some high resolution color photos in there as well. This is one of those books that you can pass down to your kids. There should not be a reason why your not going to buy this book.

Great Service
Great price and Great Service! Ordered and received in five days. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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. --Mark Hetts ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A Must Buy for Every Mushroomer
From the beginner to the expert, this book contains enough information to keep both satisfied. It can even make the beginner feel like an expert after a while! It is entertaining, interesting and filled with information that is simply unavailable elsewhere. Often I find myself reading it for the sheer pleasure of learning about mushrooms. It is amazingly comprehensive for a book that is supposed to be from the west coast. I live in the east and I find it incredibly useful. Often other books are incomplete or vague in their descriptions and this one steps in to fill the gaps. If there is one flaw with this book it is the lack of pictures. Often I consult other books to match a mushroom to the picture and get an idea of what it might be. Then this book helps to narrow it down to an exact species and supplies more information than most other books combined. If you are interested in hunting mushrooms then I can see no reason why you should not own this book...END

Don't pick without it!!
Not only is this book the most comprehensive and easiest to use guide on the market, it's necessary! *DO NOT* pick wild mushrooms to eat unless you own this book! As a mycologist of 25 years and gourmet cook, I relish wild mushroom dishes, but please: YOU CANNOT IDENTIFY MANY EDIBLE MUSHROOMS BY SIGHT ALONE! Spend the money to get this book and pick safely. I'm so glad it's finally fall, I'm going out to pick a basket of chantrelles for dinner! Yeay!!!!

Excellent
Fun and Fancy. Can't be beat, especially for the Pacific Northwest.

The Greatest
Mushrooms Demystified is the most useful single book I know of on the subject. The dicotomous keys are a powerful identification tool, and the descriptions are right on target. From beginning concepts such as "What is a fungus?" to technical microscopic details, Mushrooms Demystified is accurate and easy to understand. Humor and wit round out the text which is wonderfully well written. It is not a picture book, but it does have enough pictures to make a positive identification. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the intriguing kingdom of fungi. Im wearing out my second copy.

A room with a view!
I must say that a year ago I didnt give a hoot about shrooms! But now the "friendly fungi" adorn my house! I simply can't get enough of the ugly, rubbery little things.
In the past several months, I have managed to make several handy items out of roomies including a hat and several very nice coat buttons. This Christmas, my wife and I plan to decorate our tree with mushrooms and another of our favorites, potatoes! ... Read more

Book Description

With more than 700 mushrooms detailed with color photographs and descriptive text, this is the most comprehensive photographic field guide to the mushrooms of North America. The 762 full-color identification photographs show the mushrooms as they appear in natural habitats. Organized visually, the book groups all mushrooms by color and shape to make identification simple and accurate in the field, while the text account for each species includes a detailed physical description, information on edibility, season, habitat, range, look-alikes, alternative names, and facts on edible and poisonous species, uses, and folklore. A supplementary section on cooking and eating wild mushrooms, and illustrations identifying the parts of a mushroom, round out this essential guide. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms
This Field Guide is one of the best there is on the subject of mushrooms found in the North American continent. I hunt mushrooms regularly and use this guide when I encounter a mushroom that I am unfamiliar with or where there are simular features.

This guide has color photographs and an apt descriptions as to where and what a certain mushroom grows upon. Whether they are edible or not. I found this guide to be indispensable and keep it with me for accurate identification.

This guide is compact enough as to be with you on all hiking treks. It is worth the money as a very valuable tool for spore print color. Sometimes the only way to tell the difference between spieces.

Excellent and well worth reading. The best guide I found, but I own four others for cross reference. Before you harvest mushrooms from the wild you must be certain that what you harvest is what you've got.

Don't leave home without it. Be prepared...

Beautiful field guide
This book is, without a doubt, the most complete and comprehensive guide to wild mushrooms I have ever read. Stunning and accurate photography, a decent spore print chart, and a comprehensive introduction make this guide a must-have for the wild mushroom enthusiast.

great mushroom id book
This book by Gary Lincoff is a must have for every mushroom hunter who wants to identify species for any reason. It has a good visual key to get you started in the right direction, then there are photos and detailed descriptions for each to narrow down the search. Get it if you want to id some common species.

For Mushroom Lovers
This is absolutely the finest book available to have with you in the field. It is a great investment. Easy to use. Clearly written.

Somewhat disappointing
Though it's Audobon, it's not a comprehensive guide to North American mushrooms. Also grouped by colloquial or made-up names. This book has many mushrooms from all across the country but skips even more. If you use this for general identification you'll be lucky to identify anything. If you're looking to identify things get a book localized to the area you're in. Other than that, it has pretty pictures and can ID some of the most major mushrooms in the country.

-- JJ Timmins ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Handy in-field guide to common fungi
A handy guide that easily fits in a fanny pack or raincoat pocket. Chock full of colorful pictures and interesting anecdotes along with David's easy to use identification key. For the beginning explorer to the veteran who doesn't want to lug the tome Mushrooms Demystified in the field, this book is a great buy.

A must have mushroom identificaion guide
This book is GREAT! A fantastic field guide, giving great pictures, stories, recepies, and more. Even covers some of the psilocybin species. This book is aimed at mushrooms in the western U.S. so if your elsewhere it may not be helpfull, but most of these species do grow all over the world so I don't think it matters much. A great book!

An EXCELLENT Guide! (Even if you don't live in the West.)
I eagerly waited for this book to arrive to me because of all the rave reviews I read about it. Then when I found out it was a guide for WESTERN mushrooms (extending to Colorado; I live in the Midwest) I thought, Crap, I'm gonna half to return it. But the more I kept browsing through it, the more I wasn't going to return it. I LOVE this book! This is a good read even if you don't live in the area it covers. Some of a species described in the book I have actually found in my area.
The photography is excellent, and many times show different angles of the 'shroom. The descriptions are very clear and easy to understand and extra comments, stories and some cooking suggestions are included. However, this guide doesn't include all of the species; it's only made to be an easy-to-carry field guide. I would suggest a more in-depth guide as a compliment to this one. I've heard good things about Mushrooms Demystified (same author), and I am so impressed with this book that I am going to buy it as well.

Stellar book
Great on the coffee table, great in the field. This book is a whole lot more than the description suggests. Try and find Yellow Feet (a prolific edible in the west) in any other book.

Wonderful color pictures
This dandy little paperback is full of color photographs as well as very vivid descriptions, from immature to mature specimens. Makes hunting for the edible fungi easy and lots of fun. This should be used as a companion piece to the MUSHROOMS DEMYSTIFIED and can be kept right in your pack in the field! ... Read more

Book Description

This thorough revision presents the latest cultivation and biotechnological advances that contribute to the modernization of mushroom farming and the mushroom industry. It presents the individual steps of the complex mushroom cultivation process, not only the "how" but also the "why" is explored. Professionals/scientists in related fields will obtain a much greater knowledge of the nutritional and medicinal benefits that mushrooms have to offer. This interdisciplinary approach will appeal to a wide range of related fields with its complete coverage of breeding, efficient cultivation practices, nutritional value, and medicinal/pharmaceutical utility. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

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

Book Description

Most concise, readable book on the art of extractingpsilocybin from magic mushrooms. Includes closet production and explainssmall and large scale production. How to locate magic mushrooms, developstock for inoculation, cultivate, harvest, and dry 'shrooms.Explainshow mycelium can be grown in inexpensive jars and methods of extractingand using existing cultures to seed new one to create an ongoing farmyielding a regular crop of hallucinogenic mycelium. Suppliers. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

DON'T BUY THIS BOOK
This book is useless. The book contains information that only a scientist would use, but the book is written so poorly that one wouldn't use it. The book contains about 3 pages of information on growing mushrooms, the rest of the book is talking about setting up like a 1000sq.ft. lab and extracting psilocybin to make acid, with chemicals that you can't even get!

Just so we are clear, THIS BOOK DOES NOT CONTAIN MUSHROOM GROWING INFORMATION.

BEGINNER BASICS
This book is good for anyone who has interest in the topic but is not familiar with it. Pretty Short, but in general a good book. Very interesting although you may need more sources to start on growing mushrooms.

Short, found out some info, confused by the rest...
This was an interesting little read, though I don't know if I learned much useful information except that raising mushrooms seems to be a super-tedious task. The author writes as if the reader is supposed to know what the heck he's talking about, but I sure didn't. Perhaps someone with some laboratory know-how would find this book informative, perhaps not. Since I'm not a lab person, I don't know if his methodology is practical or not.

M's review
very informative book, but no real information on how to find supplies. This is a very techinical book which reads fluently with step by step instructions. I highly recomend although you may need other references to compete your project. ... Read more

Book Description

No one has done more to popularize mushrooms in America than Amy Farges, food writer and co-owner of the national mushroom distributor Aux Delices Des Bois. And now that Ms. Farges made sure mushrooms are available, she shows what to do with them. THE MUSHROOM COOKBOOK AND PRIMER is an inspiration-a mushroom extravaganza with 175 exquisite yet easy-to-make recipes, plus a Mushroom 101 guide to selecting, storing, cleaning, and cooking, plus a primer with full profiles and photographs of 40 exotic mushrooms.Full of sweet succulence, toothsome crunch, and haunting flavors from earthy to fruity to seafood-like, mushrooms offer the home cook a dazzling range of possibilities. Here are finger foods: Morels with Calvados, Ovoli and Fig Crostini, Wild Mushroom Bruschetta. Lighter offerings: Porcini Carpaccio, Cream of Asparagus Soup with Roasted Cremini, Blewitt and Crab Rolls. Glorious pairings: Risotto with Corn and Chanterelles, Sirloin Steak with Wine Caps, Mustard-coated Lamb Chops with Wild Oysters, Truffled Lobster with Cilantro Butter, Duck and Shiitake Tortillas. And the unexpected: Black Trumpet Biscuits, Portobello and Basil Salsa, Hen of the Wood Ravioli. A dozen fitting mushroomless desserts offer the irresistible finish. ... Read more

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.

DON'T MISS THIS GEM!
I bought this to give as a gift, and ended up cooking from it, and now it's ALL MINE. The recipes cover just about every kind of cuisine, including comfort foods like cream of mushroom soup, etc. I knew about portobellos, but man, this portobello salsa was way off my radar! I did it ahead and it was incredible! Served it with tortilla chips. Another cool thing is that in the back, there's a page for each mushroom , w/ a picture, and how to store and cook them. I give this cookbook my best-ever rating!
... Read more

Book Description

More than 1,000 species of mushrooms described in detail.Over 700 paintings and drawings reveal subtle field marks that cannot be captured into photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

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 to please! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Mushroom Magic
A well written and easy to understand book which clearly defines each type of mushroom with illustrations and photographs (in the appendix). It shows how to identify and distinguish between poisonous and hallucinogenic mushrooms (a vital skill). It also gives details on habitat. A useful reference guide. The only extra bit of advice I would give those thinking of ingesting hallucinogenic mushrooms is to always keep a sample in case something goes wrong so they can easily be identified. If in doubt don't pick. This book will certainly help reduces the confusion between similar looking psychotropic and poisonous mushrooms.

A great summarizing mushroom identification guide.
Easily identifies the genus of the mushroom to help identification in further examination. A great, pocket size manual to show which mushrooms are worth picking and which are better left alone. Used with another guide that features expanded species and photographs this book is a neccesity for hunting. ... Read more

Book Description

"Some new mushroomers will find this single volume all the library they need to harvest and enjoy wild mushrooms for the table." --Mushroom the Journal"The publication is of excellent quality and print, well edited, authoritative, and provides an excellent introduction to edible and poisonous wild mushrooms." --Mycologia Unusual shapes and colors make many mushrooms alluring to the eye, while the exotic flavors and textures of edible mushrooms are a gourmet delicacy for the palate. Yet many people never venture beyond the supermarket offerings, fearing that all other mushrooms are poisonous. With amateur mushroom hunters especially in mind, David Fischer and Alan Bessette have prepared Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America. This field guide presents more than 100 species of the most delicious mushrooms, along with detailed information on how to find, gather, store, and prepare them for the table. More than 70 savory recipes, ranging from soups and salads to casseroles, canapes, quiches, and even a dessert, are included. Throughout, the authors constantly emphasize the need for correct identification of species for safe eating. Each species is described in detailed, nontechnical language, accompanied by a list of key identifying characteristics that reliably rule out all but the target species. Superb color photographs also aid in identification. Poisonous "lookalikes" are described and illustrated, and the authors also assess the risks of allergic or idiosyncratic reactions to edible species and the possibilities of chemical or bacterial contamination. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

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.

more confused than before
I came to US from Europe several years ago. It was a family tradition to go pick wild mushrooms every fall during my childhood years. So when I moved to Virginia countryside I decided I will try and revive the mushroom picking tradition in my new country. I started with a book to help me identify all those different, unfamiliar species of mushrooms. So I bought the "Edible Wild Mushroom Guide". I went to the woods and picked a bunch of different mushrooms - each one was different and tried to use the Guide to identify them . Out of about 14 visibly different species of mushrooms that I picked - the guide gave positive ID on ONE (!) mushroom only. Other 13 were not even included in the book. I can't testify to the quality of recepie part of the book - I was somewhat reluctant to cook things I can not identify!

Great for Beginners
For a "first" book on wild mushrooms I found this one to be very good. The pictures show the top, bottom, stems, colors and different parts of each mushroom. There are "warnings" on those that are ediable, but make some people sick, and the NO-NO"s are equally shown and written about. We're just new at this, and for a "starter" book this was just the ticket.

An excellent companion book to a good field guide
For those interested in preparing and eating the more common and easily-recognized species of edible mushrooms, this book is a must-have. In-depth species descriptions, including dangerous look a likes, make positive identifications much easier. Lush recipes (with photos) in the back of the book inspire mycophagists to get out in the woods and hunt their quarry. Buy the book -- you'll love it! Suggest using this book in conjunction with Audubon or other field guide.

Beautiful photography Wonderful recipies!
This books is a wonderful collection of fantistic color photographs. Each recipie is a new journey into an exciting and tasty world of foods under our feet. Highly recommended to scientist and amatuer alike! ... Read more

Book Description

There are more than 100 "entheogenic" fungi known to stimulate ecstatic states in those who use them. In this provocative guide, Peter Stafford probes the history of these ancient, popular - and misunderstood - natural psychoactive substances. The most famous of the fungi are here, including the psilocybin variety, along with more esoteric mushrooms such as fly agaric, panther caps, and soma. This handbook includes photographs, illustrations, charts, tables, and chapters on the history, botany, chemistry, mental and physical effects, and preparation of magic mushrooms. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Ethnomycological History of the Sacred Mushrooms
As a contributor to this book, I highly recommend it for all student involved in the study of ethnomycology, both in the field of mycology and students interested in the magic Mushrooms.

The histories of the sacred mushrooms and their subsequent rediscovery in 1953 by R. Gordon Wasson has now spead throughout the known world from Oaxaca, Mexico to as far north as Alsaka and from China across Europe to the USA and to Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and South America in the south. Their chemistry, pharmacology, academia and recreational use is discussed in fascinating detail covering their entire history dating back almost 9000 years and describes in detail, some of the more than 190 known species which contain psilocybine.

Also under discussion are the Amanita muscaria and A. pantherina (Soma) mushrooms and the Boletus and Rusulla mushrooms used by aborigine gropups in New Guinea.

A supurb effort on the part of Peter Stafford to bring this updated revied chapter from his Psychedelic Encyclopedia to the attention of the general public at an affordable price to all.

With dozens of illustrations and numerous new photographs and a cover by me.

John W. Allen ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Just overall a great read!
A magnificent outlook to all the most very important and specific types of psilocybe containing mushrooms.
Great advice for having a good trip worth reading.
History of christianity into the mix of older style spiritual use on it and how they interacted ..
The first 3 pages of the history amazed and still amazes me with the knowledge and time ,beyond time we never thought there was humanity as we know it .

AWESOME Book On This Field
This is by far the most descriptive and complete guide to psychoactive mushrooms and their deadly look-alikes I have ever read. LOTS of cool, detailed color pictures to help with both identification and leisure entertainment.

The book is comprised of the following:

-5 pages on the history of them
-6 pages on their distribution around the world
-8 pages on general places they like to grow (e.g. under a bush or something)
-12 pages on tips for good trips
-20 pages on identification & collection techniques
-123 pages on just about every species of psychoactive mushrooms known to man (pics, description, habitat, etc.) both highly active and relatives that have low chemical content
-10 pages on deadly look-alikes
-includes a glossary, recommended reading, bibliography, and index

This is the best all-around book on this subject! Buy it now!

All-Time best field guide
This book is by far the best book I have read on identification of psilocybian mushrooms. It has good information as well as some interesting perspectives on psilocybes. A must have for anyone who is serious about this stuff!

Photos and descriptions are great for identification.
This book is a must for any enthusiest of Magic Mushrooms. The Photographs and detailed descriptions of the various species make this book a definite must for anyone wanting to identify Magic mushrooms, including deadly look alikes. The book is a complete guide, from history, experiences and all relative information that you could want. Paul Stamet's is "The Man" of mushrooms and a lot of his time and effort has gone into making this book factual and interesting. Hope you enjoy this book a much a I have.

Entheogens: Professional Listing
"Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy" http://www.csp.org/chrestomathy ... Read more

Book Description

Drawing on the observations of three years spent in the company of dedicated amateur mushroomers and professional mycologists, Gary Alan Fine explores the ways in which Americans attempt to give meaning to the natural world, while providing an eye-opening look inside the cultures they construct around its study and appreciation.

A landmark work of environmental sociology, Morel Tales is an engaging and instructive examination of a thriving community, one with its own language, ceremonies, jokes, narratives, rivalries, and social codes. Fine also provides a detailed discussion of the American phenomenon he calls "naturework"--that is, culturally constructing one's own place in the natural environment through communities with shared systems of assigned meaning.

"Naturework," Fine observes, is something we all do on some level--not only birders, butterfly collectors, rock hounds, hunters, hikers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts, but all of us who construct community through narrative and nature through culture. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Limitted Information
This is a nice book to augment a collection, but is not complete. The set of guides written by Smith and his daughter (Weber) do not overlap. This means that you need this book and the edition for the south in order to look up mushrooms in the south. There are no mentions of spore print colors in the individual entries, which makes for a lot of thumbing back and forth between the specific entries and the genus descriptions

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This book contains excellent color photos to mach the color tones and size characteristics of the mushrooms in the Midwest. We typically search in the areas south of Lake Superior. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best poisonous plant book to date!
Common Poisonous Plants by Dr. Nancy Turner is the top of the line field guide to deadly botanical beauties you could come across while exploring the great outdoors.
This book is top quality in information, details, poisoning symptoms, and content! It is well worth the expense, which is a good amount. The book itself contains, plants, mushrooms, and fungi that could be hazardous to humans and animals alike. The main highlight, by far, is the toxicity section on each of the poisonous plants. The symptoms of ingestion, (contamination) are well described and could easily compell the reader to shudder. The symptoms are specific to every single plant, so that an infected person's life could easily and efficiently be saved. There is also a very helpful insight on treatment of potential poisoning.
The book is so specific, it even tells you the degree of toxicity! Unfortunately, this book is very expensive and going out of print. So, any hardcore naturalist or interested botanist should purchase this online ASAP!

Plant Lore is Unequaled but Mushroom Data is Often "Lore".
Dr. Turners books are without a doubt unparalleled regarding her ability to use the trust she has cultivated with the indigenous peoples of the PNW. This gives her an entirely unique and very interesting look at hows plant were used by the native populations of this and surrounding areas. The people who would find her writing fascinating would cut across many disciplines from of course not only botany but anthropology, archaeology, paleontology; perhaps even modern "new-age" religious seekers. Having said that though, I dearly wish she would quit deviating in to the field of mycology. I'm not exactly sure where she gets her info from, but I suspect that working under the auspices of the BC Provincial Museum, that she has elected to defer to the often antiquated mycological texts from the among the ranks of those in the possesion of professors in the back rooms of the museum that are gathering as much dust as are the books that they in turn rely upon for ID'ing the fungi. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The One Indispensable Guide to Mushrooms in the North East
I live in the NY Adirondack Mountains and have been collecting mushrooms for years, trying to identify them. I almost gave up, but then I bought the Bessette/Fischer book, and identifying mushrooms became not only possilbe, but fun. The photographs are terrific, great aids for identification and often beautiful as well. The keys for identifying mushrooms within a specific genus are very useful - no book has room to illustrate all species, but these keys allow identification of mushrooms that "nearly match" the illustrated species. The book is the most comprehensive guide to mushrooms found in northeastern North America that I have found. Some of the standard "North American" field guides are good, but they all contain a great many species not found in this part of the country, which doesn't leave enough room to cover all of the fungi species commonly found here. George Barron's and William Roody's regional guides are also excellent, but not quite as comprehensive. If you live in the northeastern U.S., this is the one Mushroom Field Guide that you can't do without!

One of the definitive volumes on northest mycoflora
MNNA is a very good book, and has the finest keys I have ever found in any work on mushrooms. However, I find its coverage of certain groups of fungi to be in want of more detail. For example, the avid Russula student will find that few species have been included. The book could use more information on various genera, especially those which are in need of detailed systematic analysis, and more comprehensive data on the taxonomy of included fungi, which has been very neglected. I hope that a future edition of this book may correct some of these problems. Nevertheless, I reccomend Mushrooms of Northeastern North America to all serious amateur mycologists, you will find it to be an indispensable reference.

A must have supplement!
Alan Bessette is truly a great contributor to the field of mycology. Mushrooms of Northeastern North America is a fantastic book on its way to being the "bible" to species in the Northeast. A huge undertaking, Bessette does his best with a dichotomist key arrangement, making narrowing down the possibilities easier. Although aided by Fischers photographs, this guide is tremendously lacking quality, well organized, photographic detail. This book is not for the novice, as familiarity with mycological terms is necessary. I'm waiting for a new, up-to-date, thicker volume: MONNA revised. ... Read more

Book Description

Documenting the nutritional and health benefits of over 100 species, Medicinal Mushrooms is the most complete work ever published on the health-promoting and medicinal uses of mushrooms. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great treatment of an obscure topic!
Hobbs brings forth great information that is not available elsewhere in English. Just the information about Schizopyllum commune and PSK is worth the price of the book. After reading this book, I no longer pass the medicinal mushrooms by on my forays. ... Read more