While I’ve read a number of works about fungi in the past, I’m very impressed indeed with how Dr. Sheldrake presents his subject in this book (as of this writing I’m approximately half-way through it). Many times it has already caused me to interrupt Mrs. Naturalist from whatever I found her doing at the moment in order to share with her something I had just read in the books pages that I found too important or interesting about which not to immediately tell someone.
In case you hadn’t marked it on your calendar, Tuesday, 21 April 2020, is Fungi Day. And as such, taking the opportunity to learn a bit more about the fascinating fungal framework that supports a remarkable amount and diversity of the life on this planet simply seems appropriate.
Anyone interested in becoming involved with wild mushrooms had better have themselves a good field guide. For those in the Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic region, such a guide has long been Bill Russell’s 2006 book “Field Guide to Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic,” part of the Keystone Books series from Penn State University Press.
The fact that Oxford University Press seeks out world-renowned experts in their fields to write the volumes of the press’ Very Short Introductions series is not surprising. However what really makes the extra bit of difference is that the authors also have to be an exceptionally skilled writers, capable of explaining often complex subjects clearly and succinctly to a general but admittedly curious readership, in order to make the grade.