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Mushroom
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.
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.
201 pages, Hardcover
First published October 24, 2011
10 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas P. Money
22 books49 followersNicholas Money is a mycologist, science writer, and professor at Miami University.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 2, 2020
Hey, look, another mushroom book.
Nicholas P. Money is a very celebrated mycologist, and with good reason. He's written a good number of books about mushrooms, and his book about yeast is one that I'm particularly excited to read. Unfortunately, my library doesn't carry all of Money's books on the subject so I had to get what they got... and that book, unfortunately, did not thoroughly impress me. That having been said, there was still a vast amount of good information within it, so it isn't as if I regret reading the book from cove to cover.
Mushroom is a slim book, and exactly what the title implies. It's a book about mushrooms. The biology of mushrooms, and the history of mycology. Mushrooms as a source of food, poison, recreational drugs, and income for many nations. Also, of note, is the chapter about mushroom conservation and what is and is not appropriate when collecting mushrooms - a topic of more contention within the mycology community than I ever expected.
The problem I had with the book is not the information within it. I learned a lot, and am excited to continue learning and give Money's other books a read. What bothered me was more the tone taken within the book. It veers from being incredibly dense to rather barbed asides and digs at different groups. Money does not come off particularly well in the bulk of these jokes, and they seem in poor taste and ill-placed throughout the book. The sections on psychedelic mushrooms and medicinal mushrooms also came off a bit odd, seeing how he largely dismissed the therapeutic aspects of mushrooms out of hand rather than appreciating the experiences people have had with psychedelic mushrooms helping them with depression or palliative care. Likewise, he acknowledges medicinal mushrooms have a whole host of proven benefits... but still labels them as largely a Fad Drug rather than something to be optimistic about as further studies take place.
So, all in all a bit odd.
Nevertheless, there was a lot of interesting information and it opened my eyes to the darker side of mushroom gathering on commercial sales and the dangers trampeling can cause to ecosystems. So, an interesting, if dry and strange at times, read.
Nicholas P. Money is a very celebrated mycologist, and with good reason. He's written a good number of books about mushrooms, and his book about yeast is one that I'm particularly excited to read. Unfortunately, my library doesn't carry all of Money's books on the subject so I had to get what they got... and that book, unfortunately, did not thoroughly impress me. That having been said, there was still a vast amount of good information within it, so it isn't as if I regret reading the book from cove to cover.
Mushroom is a slim book, and exactly what the title implies. It's a book about mushrooms. The biology of mushrooms, and the history of mycology. Mushrooms as a source of food, poison, recreational drugs, and income for many nations. Also, of note, is the chapter about mushroom conservation and what is and is not appropriate when collecting mushrooms - a topic of more contention within the mycology community than I ever expected.
The problem I had with the book is not the information within it. I learned a lot, and am excited to continue learning and give Money's other books a read. What bothered me was more the tone taken within the book. It veers from being incredibly dense to rather barbed asides and digs at different groups. Money does not come off particularly well in the bulk of these jokes, and they seem in poor taste and ill-placed throughout the book. The sections on psychedelic mushrooms and medicinal mushrooms also came off a bit odd, seeing how he largely dismissed the therapeutic aspects of mushrooms out of hand rather than appreciating the experiences people have had with psychedelic mushrooms helping them with depression or palliative care. Likewise, he acknowledges medicinal mushrooms have a whole host of proven benefits... but still labels them as largely a Fad Drug rather than something to be optimistic about as further studies take place.
So, all in all a bit odd.
Nevertheless, there was a lot of interesting information and it opened my eyes to the darker side of mushroom gathering on commercial sales and the dangers trampeling can cause to ecosystems. So, an interesting, if dry and strange at times, read.
February 25, 2020
On nearly every page there was a line or paragraph I wanted to read aloud so that my sweetie could enjoy the often hilarious, sometimes gorgeous writing. I enjoyed every bit of this book. The author's deep cynicism of anything more purposeful than natural selection seemed undermined by the amazing complexity of his subject. I was in awe reading about the drop mechanism which kicks tiny spores at incredible speeds out of the gills of the mushroom fruit bodies. And more. A thoroughly enjoyable read. It's about mushrooms.
August 28, 2012
This book has done for mushrooms what The Buzz about Bees did for those creatures – transformed them from the everyday to the amazing. I really hadn’t thought much about mushrooms apart from knowing that they were fungi, but the variation and complexity of these remarkable fruiting bodies – and the more complex organisms that can exist unnoticed under the ground is fascinating.
Nicholas Money does not limit himself to the biology of mushrooms but takes us on a trip (occasionally literally) through the human experience of them – locating them in the wild, eating them, producing myths about them (not surprising with the magical way they can spring up overnight) and, of course getting poisoned or high as a result of consuming them. Don’t get this book expecting a guide on how to recognize edible mushrooms – it is a science book, not a guide for wild mushroom hunters – but do expect to be fascinated and beguiled.
I have a couple of issues with the writing. When I write a book, my editor is fierce about cutting out my attempts at humour, probably with some cause. Clearly Money’s editor didn’t stand up to him as well, because the book is peppered with very weak humour. It might work for some, but it didn’t for me. I also, strangely, found the most sciencey part the least readable. I found it very difficult to follow Money’s description of the reproductive habits and biological niceties of mushrooms. Now admittedly I’m a humble physicist who share’s Feynman’s revulsion for all the names you have to learn to have a vague idea of what’s going on in biology (yes, we have all those particles, but not many more names to memorise). But I can usually cope with introductory biology – this time it really didn’t sink in.
In the end, though, that was a relatively minor part of what was a wonderful adventure among the fungi. It’s pleasantly short and full of interesting stories. Pull up an mushroom and enjoy.
Review first published on www.popularscience.co.uk and reproduced with permission
Nicholas Money does not limit himself to the biology of mushrooms but takes us on a trip (occasionally literally) through the human experience of them – locating them in the wild, eating them, producing myths about them (not surprising with the magical way they can spring up overnight) and, of course getting poisoned or high as a result of consuming them. Don’t get this book expecting a guide on how to recognize edible mushrooms – it is a science book, not a guide for wild mushroom hunters – but do expect to be fascinated and beguiled.
I have a couple of issues with the writing. When I write a book, my editor is fierce about cutting out my attempts at humour, probably with some cause. Clearly Money’s editor didn’t stand up to him as well, because the book is peppered with very weak humour. It might work for some, but it didn’t for me. I also, strangely, found the most sciencey part the least readable. I found it very difficult to follow Money’s description of the reproductive habits and biological niceties of mushrooms. Now admittedly I’m a humble physicist who share’s Feynman’s revulsion for all the names you have to learn to have a vague idea of what’s going on in biology (yes, we have all those particles, but not many more names to memorise). But I can usually cope with introductory biology – this time it really didn’t sink in.
In the end, though, that was a relatively minor part of what was a wonderful adventure among the fungi. It’s pleasantly short and full of interesting stories. Pull up an mushroom and enjoy.
Review first published on www.popularscience.co.uk and reproduced with permission
August 11, 2017
(2.5 stars)
well. nicholas p. money certainly loves mushrooms. but i might suggest an alternate title: the complete viewpoints of nicholas p. money on various political and religious subjects, with a dense mass of mushrooms facts thrown in. money has strong opinions about pretty much everything, and frequently attempts a convoluted sort of cultured humor that doesn't end up making sense, perhaps because I am probably not the target demographic. his antireligious views bothered me because many of them were overly generalistic and, in my experience, unfounded. he continued to dismiss religious people, such as myself, as irrational and, unlike the oh-so-superior atheist, incapable of critical thought. that interfered with my enjoyment of the book and was almost completely irrelevant. i did appreciate his thoughts on climate change, but, alongside his warnings, he conveyed an attitude of "climate change is a real problem people should do something about, but i find it almost funny because i'll be dead and gone once it gets bad." i will probably not be dead and gone once it gets bad, so i find this mentality frustrating and disturbing. money writes as if he is much smarter than the people he describes and his readers as well (why? i don't know.). perhaps this motivates his excessively technical descriptions of mushroom reproduction in the first couple chapters. the content was interesting, but money managed to make it seem both dry and out of reach for most people. i'm still left with questions about mushrooms that may have been answered in some convoluted way- my conclusion is that this book needs a good editor, or maybe a rebrand.
well. nicholas p. money certainly loves mushrooms. but i might suggest an alternate title: the complete viewpoints of nicholas p. money on various political and religious subjects, with a dense mass of mushrooms facts thrown in. money has strong opinions about pretty much everything, and frequently attempts a convoluted sort of cultured humor that doesn't end up making sense, perhaps because I am probably not the target demographic. his antireligious views bothered me because many of them were overly generalistic and, in my experience, unfounded. he continued to dismiss religious people, such as myself, as irrational and, unlike the oh-so-superior atheist, incapable of critical thought. that interfered with my enjoyment of the book and was almost completely irrelevant. i did appreciate his thoughts on climate change, but, alongside his warnings, he conveyed an attitude of "climate change is a real problem people should do something about, but i find it almost funny because i'll be dead and gone once it gets bad." i will probably not be dead and gone once it gets bad, so i find this mentality frustrating and disturbing. money writes as if he is much smarter than the people he describes and his readers as well (why? i don't know.). perhaps this motivates his excessively technical descriptions of mushroom reproduction in the first couple chapters. the content was interesting, but money managed to make it seem both dry and out of reach for most people. i'm still left with questions about mushrooms that may have been answered in some convoluted way- my conclusion is that this book needs a good editor, or maybe a rebrand.
June 2, 2019
This is an excellent introduction to the world of fungi, especially mushrooms. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding these mysterious (and often overlooked) organisms better.
November 20, 2023
This is the second book I've read by Money, after Mushrooms: A Natural and Cultural History. It rehashes almost the exact same subjects (why did he write the same book twice... and why did I read the same book twice?) and has the same writing problems I wrote in my review for his other book I read--weird aside jokes that make no sense and show his various neuroses and unasked for opinions. His staunch atheism continues to be irrelevant and vaguely offensive, and I myself don't even believe in God. But why must he put these sort of remarks in a book about mushrooms, of all places? This book desperately needed the editor to cross off entire sections of Money's annoying asides.
Anyway--I do continue to read his work because it is educational and accessible, but man, is this dude annoying. I wish there were more mycologists writing about mushroom biology, but he is one of the few. Well, at least his science sections were good.
Anyway--I do continue to read his work because it is educational and accessible, but man, is this dude annoying. I wish there were more mycologists writing about mushroom biology, but he is one of the few. Well, at least his science sections were good.
January 7, 2020
Excellent background on the mushroom and fungi. It's a short book, and very readable. A few chapters about the biology of the Fungi kingdom and mushrooms, and a few chapters about the sociomycology (humans and mushroom interactions, including uses and poisons, hobbyists, academics, etc....) are fascinating. Apparently mushroom katsup was a thing in the 1800s....
Recommend reading for a basic background on mushrooms.
Recommend reading for a basic background on mushrooms.
September 26, 2018
I laughed, I learned. A jolly romp.
Read
July 14, 2018Disclaimer: I did not finish. The other reviews convinced me that the tone of the first chapter would continue throughout the book. What is this tone? The following quote is representative:
"While I don't have much patience for the supernatural, I am awestruck, sometimes overwhelmed, by the sight of a ring of fresh mushrooms in a dewy meadow. . . . This is an expression of ludicrous sensitivity rather than evidence of spirituality, but perhaps they are the same thing."
I was hoping for a book on mushrooms. What I got in the first chapter was a combination of a very technical and convoluted presentation of the biology of mushrooms... and Money's social and political views on every other page. He sets up religious and political straw men and knocks them down with a very superior tone.
Since my interest in the author's personal opinions are limited and I think we disagree about what matters and what doesn't (and since he might think I'm a victim of the "ludicrous sensitivity" of the spiritual), I won't be reading further. I just wanted some information on mushrooms.
For the record: what I was able to glean about actual mushrooms from his first chapter, I found in what was, to me, a much clearer presentation on the first page of Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares: The Love, Lore, and Mystique of Mushrooms. That book's focus seems to be different (more on eating wild mushrooms than on biology) but I'll be reading it instead.
"While I don't have much patience for the supernatural, I am awestruck, sometimes overwhelmed, by the sight of a ring of fresh mushrooms in a dewy meadow. . . . This is an expression of ludicrous sensitivity rather than evidence of spirituality, but perhaps they are the same thing."
I was hoping for a book on mushrooms. What I got in the first chapter was a combination of a very technical and convoluted presentation of the biology of mushrooms... and Money's social and political views on every other page. He sets up religious and political straw men and knocks them down with a very superior tone.
Since my interest in the author's personal opinions are limited and I think we disagree about what matters and what doesn't (and since he might think I'm a victim of the "ludicrous sensitivity" of the spiritual), I won't be reading further. I just wanted some information on mushrooms.
For the record: what I was able to glean about actual mushrooms from his first chapter, I found in what was, to me, a much clearer presentation on the first page of Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares: The Love, Lore, and Mystique of Mushrooms. That book's focus seems to be different (more on eating wild mushrooms than on biology) but I'll be reading it instead.
February 24, 2013
Like many people, I've always been fascinated by the seemingly alien biology of mushrooms. Whether it's the fact that they often appear seemingly out of nowhere overnight, flourish in areas like the deep forest that seem so out-of-bounds, or because certain species are so well-known for their hallucinogenic and toxic properties, they just seem alien.
Money does a good job of grounding the study of mycology in sound biology, while also instilling the reader with a proper perspective about human attitudes towards fungi.
At first you almost want to go out into the wilderness observe mushrooms that you may have overlooked, until he strays into their occasionally toxic properties, which makes one second-guess eating even the mundane button or portobello mushroom.
I was a little put off by his dismissive tone towards certain species' hallucinogenic properties, but I appreciate that he was trying to sweep away the pseudo-science that plagues their study.
In all, this was a nice, short read that remained intriguing throughout, even for somebody who almost never strays into the realm of biology with his non-fiction.
Money does a good job of grounding the study of mycology in sound biology, while also instilling the reader with a proper perspective about human attitudes towards fungi.
At first you almost want to go out into the wilderness observe mushrooms that you may have overlooked, until he strays into their occasionally toxic properties, which makes one second-guess eating even the mundane button or portobello mushroom.
I was a little put off by his dismissive tone towards certain species' hallucinogenic properties, but I appreciate that he was trying to sweep away the pseudo-science that plagues their study.
In all, this was a nice, short read that remained intriguing throughout, even for somebody who almost never strays into the realm of biology with his non-fiction.
June 9, 2012
Interesting, informative, and infused with the author's experiences and humor.
Sometimes, too, with quite charged language... which also made me laugh.
"Paul Stamets makes the case that the mushroom trips taken in the 1960s and '70s are linked tot he birth of various social movements described under the umbrella of environmental activism. The common depersonalization experience of the psychonaut may be part of this, and if it takes a mushroom to redirect humanity toward a less destructive relationship with the rest of nature, then perhaps it's time to embrace mushroom worship on a global scale. After all, most versions of the God delusion seem hell-bent on negating our kinship with other living organisms and defiling the biosphere."
p 156
Sometimes, too, with quite charged language... which also made me laugh.
"Paul Stamets makes the case that the mushroom trips taken in the 1960s and '70s are linked tot he birth of various social movements described under the umbrella of environmental activism. The common depersonalization experience of the psychonaut may be part of this, and if it takes a mushroom to redirect humanity toward a less destructive relationship with the rest of nature, then perhaps it's time to embrace mushroom worship on a global scale. After all, most versions of the God delusion seem hell-bent on negating our kinship with other living organisms and defiling the biosphere."
p 156
February 4, 2012
Mushrooms are fascinating - just to be plain about it. This little book was full of all sorts of interesting tidbits: the fruiting body (the mushroom) has no more cells on the day you pick it than when it first erupted from the underground fungi body - it's just that the cells are swelling with water. Isn't that cool?
I won't spoil anymore of the book. There's basic info on what we know/understand of the life cycle of mushrooms, how and why some are toxic, the history of finding and labeling mushrooms, difficulties in growing mushrooms commercially, and more stuff.
If you don't know much about mushrooms, but are interested, this is a great book to start with.
I won't spoil anymore of the book. There's basic info on what we know/understand of the life cycle of mushrooms, how and why some are toxic, the history of finding and labeling mushrooms, difficulties in growing mushrooms commercially, and more stuff.
If you don't know much about mushrooms, but are interested, this is a great book to start with.
February 23, 2012
Halfway through at this point. The writing is more technical and dry than I had hoped for. Even when he tries to inject humor in his writing I find myself groaning rather than laughing. Still I will finish it because it is really great information about mushrooms. Finished and amazingly my opinion went down even more. The last few chapters seemed like he really had an ax to grind and the "great information about mushrooms" became even sparser as he refuted silly claims about mushrooms. I can't say I would recommend this book. There must be a better book on the subject. ugh.
April 11, 2015
This book is amazing! Full of fun facts and stories of crazy mycologists and their adventures and discoveries. I have gained an immense respect for and reverence of as well as fear of mushroom "fruit bodies". I highly recommend this to anyone interested in an amusing brief textbook of mushrooms, colonies and spores.
October 15, 2012
I really enjoyed the information in this book. It takes a weird turn into atheism (yes, mushrooms => atheism), but the ideas it raises are intriguing.
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July 30, 2014
The first few chapters were fairly informative. I like the less formal writing style and the attempts at humor were nice. I thought some parts of the final 3-4 chapters could have been cut out.
June 3, 2015
A lively introduction to fungi, how they grow and reproduce, and how they have been (and continue to be) used and misused by people.
August 21, 2017
Good informative general introduction to the topic, though the writing is too informal for my taste.
June 29, 2012
A good, well written introduction to the world of mushrooms.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews