The Little Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Guide to the Extraordinary Power of Mushrooms

by Alex Dorr, Sara Richard (Illustrations)

A beautifully illustrated guide to 75 of the most unique and fascinating mushrooms in the world, including interesting insight into their history, uses, and etymologies.

From sweet little toadstools to giant puffballs, mushrooms come in all shapes and sizes. With over 10,000 mushrooms in the world, some are cute and colorful, while others may look super adorable but are actually deadly. No matter the kind, it’s time to celebrate all types of mushrooms with The Little Book of Mushrooms .

This book is a collection of everything you need to know about 75 of the world’s most unique mushrooms. With information on their etymology, geographic location, characteristics, and culinary or healing powers, this book is the perfect companion for amateur mushroom hunters, cottage-core fans, or anyone just looking for a beautifully illustrated book on some of the most incredible fungi around the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Art, Food, Reference, Witchcraft

256 pages, Hardcover

Published May 2, 2023

Reviews

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this gorgeous little book from my Secret Santa at work, and can I just say that she nailed it?!

This stunning little book is a very informative guide to 75 species of mushrooms, each of which is accompanied by an illustration by the immensely talented Sara Richard (who also illustrated a mushroom-themed Tarot deck called "Midnight Magic"). The author, Alex Dorr, is quite knowledgeable, and does a fantastic job of introducing fungi and mushrooms to the readers, first with a section that explains their life cycles, the anatomy of macrofungi (fungi that produces a fruiting body that we call mushroom), the different types of mushrooms, as well as the scientific vocabulary necessary to discuss them - then in a mushroom by mushroom section, detailing the special features of various species. Those sections are also quite complete, with common and scientific names, their usage, the history of their discovery, their growing location and how to cook them, when edible.

I will say that Dorr can sometimes be a little repetitive (he will explain what an adaptogen mushroom is every time he mentions one, and this in spite of a clear glossary at the beginning of the book... gah!), but he is also clearly passionate about the subject, and his enthusiasm is infectious.

This is a great book for both the newbie mushroom enthusiast as well as for people who have a bit more experience. I've read quite a few books on the topic and still learned some new interesting things reading this one, but I must say that the beautiful layout and stunning artwork is one of the best parts of this book. I simply love Richard's style, which may not be hyper-realistic, but is very detailed and really captures her love of her subjects. I found myself lingering on each illustration for ages as I was flipping through the book, and will definitely revisit it.

If there is a fungi or mushroom lover in your life, this is a perfect gift, and if you are the mycology-enthusiast, it will be a lovely addition to your library!

[‎♡‧₊˚✧Ginny✧˚₊‧♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Educational. I expected more types of mushrooms. The illustrations are beautiful

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative, easy to read, and beautifully illustrated. This is a great guide for for beginner and experienced mushroom enthusiasts alike.

[Malli (Chapter Malliumpkin) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content/Trigger Warning: Page 211-213 Talk of spiders & on page spider depiction


I've been trying to including mushrooms/fungi into my life more and what better way to do that than with a book! This was such a great read and has really helped identifying mushrooms/fungi on my hiking adventures. Can I also mention how blown away I am by how many mushrooms/fungi get mistaken for other species, some of those species being poisonous/fetal?! Let me tell you, it was horrifying and really concerning, but also really informative! The artwork is was also stunning! I don't think I could pick out a favorite because each individual piece is so beautiful. I just really enjoyed my time with this book, learning about the different species, the cooking and foraging information was great, and the artwork makes me wish I had prints to hang on my walls. I think all fungi/mushroom lovers need to read this book because there's just so much to uncover within it's pages!


All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.

Instagram|Ko-fi|Throne

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Book of Mushrooms contains fascinating information on my favourite topic in the world with gorgeous illustrations and text on 75 of them, many common and delicious, others disconcerting, smelly and inedible. But all well worth learning about as they are critical for for survival of humans, animals and plants.

There is nothing as mysterious and entrancing as mushrooms (and more broadly, fungi). Author Alex Dorr describes history, basic anatomy below and above ground, how mushrooms grow and reproduce, habitats, what they are used for (eating, fighting disease, skin care, removing pollutants and so on), the four types of fungi (saprotrophic, mycorrhizal, parasitic, and endophytic) and examples of each, characteristics, look-alikes and how to best prepare edibles. Interestingly, there are about 2,200 good to choice edibles, of which 200 have the potential to cause gastric upset. Many thousands are inedible, others cause sickness and still others are fatal when ingested. Whether you are an aspiring mycologist or an expert, you are sure to find something exciting here. The illustrations by Sara Richard are so breathtaking and detailed I easily identified 100% of the mushrooms I knew instantly.

As a forager and mushroom identifier, I am blessed with living much of my life in Central Europe completely surrounded by incredible mushrooms, many of which are prized edibles including white truffles. I've seen about 90% of those mentioned and loads more. Though one of the goals is to forage for food, the killers are also fascinating (and crucial!) to know and examine. The author does a beautiful job writing in a conversational tone and including intriguing tidbits you may not have previously known. Though the layout is practical, this is not a field guide but rather an informative and inspiring all-purpose book on mushrooms. I will happily purchase the hard copy to add to my large fungi library. I am smitten with this book!

My sincere thank you to Adams Media and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this stupendous book, one that really resonates with me and fills me with mushroom joy!

[Shawna Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mushrooms come in many shapes, sizes, colours, and patterns. The more you go out in the woods and pay attention to the life around you, the more you will see and be astonished by the complex biodiversity of the fungal world. Mushrooms are just one small piece of a much wider biological web of life. Fungi are the great connectors and disassemblers of our ecosystems, and without fungi, life as we know it would cease to exist.

The author Alex Dorr is the founder and CEO of the Austin-based functional mushroom company Mushroom Revival Inc. His first book Mycoremediation Handbook: A Grassroots Guide to Growing Mushrooms and Cleaning Up Toxic Waste with Fungi (2017). Alex hosts the number one mushroom podcast in the world.
The illustrator Sara Richard is an Eisner and Ringo Award nominated artist from New Hampshire. Her art is inspired by Art Nouveau, Art Deco, funerary imagery, and the natural world.

The first part of the book is a breakdown and background in the history and anatomy of mushrooms, it's time to explore seventy-five of the most intriguing mushroom species. Each mushroom entry: including the scientific and common names for mushrooms, where mushrooms grow, what they look like, and for what purpose they are primarily used. The book is full of beautiful illustrations and detailed information as well the difference between common names and scientific names of the mushrooms.

Dorr gives a detailed, mysterious, and fascinating world of these unique organisms. He hopes you’ll be absolutely obsessed with the power of mushrooms.

This book was sent to me from PR team from Simon and Schuster for a honest review.

[Ddnreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS!!! The illustration is gorgeous 🥰

This book was divided into two parts. On the first part, we will take a look at the brief explanation about mushrooms itself. How it grows, its lifecycle, the importances, and basically everything you need to know about mushrooms in general (and fungi). IT'S VERY BEGINNER FRIENDLY.

The layout of the book helps a lot where we can picking up important notes/ information easily.

In part two, we get to know 75 types of mushrooms along with their breathtaking illustrations and properties. The characteristics, where to find them, their habitats, and name origin. It explained briefly any trivial information about each mushrooms. I enjoy it a lot.

If you're enjoying book about mushrooms, or nature in general, this book is a perfect companion 💖

Thanks for the ARC Netgalley and Adams media publishing 🍄🌱🍄

[Autumn Uhrig · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first real foray into the fascinating world of mycology. I loved picking this up randomly throughout my week, whenever I had a random free moment, reading about a mushroom or two. Full of great information without being too overwhelming. Plus the illustrations were stunning!

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ONLY because the layout design was jumpy. I feel like information would have sat better if there was a structured flow to how information vs. Images was presented. However, content was 5/5. I learned so much, got a little scared, and also solved a childhood mystery of mine while reading this.
Would recommend to anyone who is just curious about the world of fungi!

[Ciluy Colby Kenavea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prologue-

This is A very Stupid psa, by an out of touch FunGuy.

Art is kinda Beautiful. It takes on so many amazing forms, Can we illustrate every book, or maybe even create entirely new forms of creative expression and ways to experience them lmao.

The end.

Credits-
Random Fungus Brained Human




Epilogue-

Hate on Harry Potter but what they did with releasing illustrated versions of every book was actually genius!

Of course don't stop imagining the characters and scenes within literature, but the more someone resonates with the story the more vivid the picture of that world will be in their mind.

Imagine If everyone illustrated their unique perspective of a world no matter how miniscule. Would that not make it so much easier for film directors to adapt any piece of written work. Are we not past the age of giving crappy visual adaptation to amazing literature. Not everyone can make a Hollywood film, and the people that do often only do it for the money with no passion for the source material.
We should open source the production process so much more than it is today. Let the people that care about stories tell & experience them, and let the people that want to make money deal with logistical production of them. Obviously that already is what happens in our modern world, but the system could be so much better.
With how developed encryption technology is especially. Systems could be set up to equal distribute equity between everyone involved in the production processes, both on the creative side and the logistical side.

Maybe even take that past story. Creating equal opportunity Implementation for both creatives and logistical thinkers through unhackable encryption societies/systems/productions. For every facet of life. From something as basic as survival needs, anything as complicated as Hollywood Productions, Laws/Regulations, and even Scientific Reasearch.

The more People care about any given thing (Real or Story).
The people will contribute creative energy to it. The bigger the idea gets, the more funding it will get, to then force action on the logistical side of things. 🤷‍♂️


But alas we live in the most perfect beautiful world, where "Everyone" can already do that, so what would even be the point of improving anything at all?

🖐️Who wants to sit on the couch in front of the screen made by a starving kid across the pond. They actually don't exist at all so it's ok. You can't see them. Nothing bad happens over there. Our world is perfect.
The only thing Technically is good for watching Tiktok, and arguing about who is more right, about their unique perspective in life.
I mean who in their right mind would ever want to improve anything?

Yell at your stupid naive neighbor, eat McDonald's everyday, sit on your couch, pretend like your party affiliation is solving all the problems.
It has worked perfectly for over a century at this point. Nothing bad ever happens, everyone is happy and fed. No Lies, No Corruption, No Fear Mongering, Yes tons of Hating each other, but we love that! Our neighbors are morons, they don't think like us, they deserve to be enslaved & murdered 😄.

Our way of life is Perfect. It will continue to be Perfect for the next century. There is no point in changing. There's not even any point in improving what we already have without changing!
Perfection is Perfect and our world is perfect in every way.
Let's keep living our best lives together all as equals for Humanity :))

https://notebooklm.google.com/noteboo...

https://www.youtube.com/@ciluywithpro...

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Little Book of Mushrooms by Alex Dorr is a beautifully illustrated guide to 75 of the most unique and fascinating mushrooms in the world. The book provides interesting insight into their history, uses, and etymologies. From sweet little toadstools to giant puffballs, this book celebrates all types of mushrooms.

I have to admit that the cover of this book is beautiful. This book is also stunningly illustrated, with gorgeous drawings, and beautifully decorated fonts. It very much has the feeling of it being a scrapbook that makes for a visually pleasing book to flip through.

The author does an excellent job of laying out the content. Divided into two sections…the first is “A Basic Introduction to Mushrooms” and the second is “The Mushrooms” themselves laid out in alphabetic order. The illustrations in this section are gorgeous, and there is plenty of information to keep you engaged.

I particularly enjoyed the “At A Glance” sections, along with the extra bits of information, recipes, etc., in the stapled rectangles that are featured throughout the book.

Overall, this was just a stunning book to read and would make an excellent gift or coffee table book for anyone interested in learning about mushrooms or appreciating exquisite illustrations. I highly recommend The Little Book of Mushrooms by Alex Dorr!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mushrooms from around the world, this is a delightful "little book" that features an illustration of the mushroom, basics of the anatomy and background, and a short story about it including possible uses, mistakes in eating or finding it, curious factoids, or mythological and pop culture connections since some of them called things like "dead man's fingers" or what actual "magic mushrooms" are made up of are all in this gorgeous volume. It would work whether it's a huge coffee table book or this little book to be for the lovers of the fungi and would pair well with the cool documentary that came out a few years ago.

All hail the mushroom for it's beauty, psychedelic properties, sustenance, and more.

"Saprophytic fungi are the only type of decomposers that will focus on already dead or decomposing organic matter, like fallen logs, dung, or dead animals... Some examples of wood-decaying mushrooms are Turkey Tail, Chicken of the Woods, and Shiitake."

"Just as humans have darker skin colors when their skin produces more melanin, the same is true in other species. The outer color of this dark, almost charcoal-like fungus is a result of its high melanin content. [Chaga]... The traditional way to ingest Chaga was to make a hot tea, which makes a delicious and earthy vanilla chai flavor. Today it's often mixed with coffee, chai lattes, and hot chocolate... is found in many skin products because of the high amounts of melanin present in Chaga help support healthy skin."

[Catlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not only a guide to common mushrooms, but a work of art. Beautifully illustrated in a fanciful manner, it gives the appearance of a vintage storybook. The first section gives a basic tutorial on mushrooms, Then, the remaining sections of the book focus on profiles of individual species. Each profile contains an "at a glance" box with basic information about the mushroom's location and characteristics. The text of the profile explains the unique nature of that particular mushroom, as well as including stories involving the mushroom and its uses. If you are seeking a guide to mushrooms with accurate photos and tools for identification, this is not the book. But, if you are looking for an interesting book with tidbits about lots of different mushrooms, this might be a good one to have in your collection.

Thank you NetGalley and Adams Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a casual enthusiast of mushrooms, I loved this book! I learned so much about mushrooms, especially the species that can grow near me. I have two dogs, so it's really helpful to know which mushrooms to avoid. It was so interesting to discover all the potential uses of mushrooms.

The illustrations are absolutely stunning, and the general layout was very nicely designed. Condensing the information about each mushroom into two pages, and having each follow the same format, was an excellent choice. This made it much more accessible to amateurs such as myself. I would love a physical copy of this book as a reference to go back to when the urge to forage strikes.

*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, & illustrator for the ARC to review*

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic mushroom guide, particularly for those who love mushrooms and mushroom art. The illustrations are beautiful, often bordering on spooky. Each mushroom has a full page illustration and two pages of information, including where it’s found in the world and what type of habitat, its uses and more. Some are poisonous, some edible and some functional.

This isn’t the best book to use for identification since it relies on art and doesn’t prominently mention spore print color and other helpful information for identification. It’s a wonderful book for anyone who loves mushrooms though, and is very reasonably priced. I’m planning to gift a copy to my mycology loving daughter.

I read a temporary digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.

[Lunnaku · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a stunning masterpiece! The presentation is top-notch, with beautiful artwork that makes it look like a luxurious journal. It contains a wealth of valuable information about various types of mushrooms, including their potential uses. Surprisingly, it even discusses how some of the toxic mushrooms may have medicinal benefits in certain cases. Each mushroom is depicted so exquisitely that I find myself yearning for large prints to adorn my walls. Furthermore, the book provides practical applications for many of the mushrooms, making it even more useful. In summary, this book is a must-read for mushroom enthusiasts and anyone interested in natural remedies.

[Emma Powick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this fascinating and stunning little book.

The subject of fungi is a fascinating one and the author is clearly very knowledgeable on the subject. They write in a clear and approachable style.

This is coupled by stunning artwork reminiscent of that in Floriography and I’d imagine this book would appeal greatly to people who purchase that book as well as those engaging in the cottagecore and forestcore aesthetics

I for one will be purchasing a physical copy when the book is released

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this book was just delightful. From the wonderful illustrations to the informative knowledge it was fantastic. My son and I loved using it while foraging & exploring to see how many different species of mushrooms we could discover. I cannot wait to get a physical copy of this book. Thank you to Netgalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. I'm looking forward to buying a physical copy so I can ditch my phone on our walks and enjoy the illustrations properly.

[Zeb Gattis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a book to be used as a reference for actual mushroom foraging in the field. This is a book that is meant to be read for enjoyment while still learning something about mushrooms, and the book accomplishes this goal effectively.

The illustrations are very well made and, although I haven't fact checked anything beyond what I already knew, the information seems to be well researched and relatively accurate. Again, I would not take this book into the field while foraging but it is a good read before bed.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeously illustrated and designed book reminds me of old herbal texts, and I love the design of this book's pages. The illustrations of the mushrooms are gorgeous and the details about them are fascinating. I loved the call-outs in different sections that added some unique facts and thoughts about the mushrooms interspersed throughout. The design details in this book however really make it worthwhile to read. This book is ideal for mushroom lovers and gorgeously designed-book lovers.

[JadersCorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC netgalley review

Omg, I was just talking about want to find a fungi book that is this detailed, and then netgalley sends one my way. I can’t believe how beautifully this book is, from the layout all the way to the are work. The wasn’t anything left out. The arc copy did have some parts not organized properly, so I can’t wait to get the print copy once published.
Highly recommend.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fascinating read! I learned so many cool facts about mushrooms. The artwork is gorgeous, but I wish the book also included actual pictures of mushrooms. If you are hoping to learn to identify various mushrooms out in nature, this book isn't all that helpful for that. But still worth a read for anyone who enjoys learning about mushrooms.

[Mike Impagliozza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was loaded with knowledge of the fungi kingdom! It was perfect timing to learn more about morels, as the short hunting season is upon us. Mushrooms get a bad wrap, but if you're educated on them, have several health/eating benefits that should be taken advantage of. Leave the mushroom trips to those who delve into that space, plenty of other shrooms out in nature to eat and cook with!

[Anthony Nieto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really interesting and it covered a lot of unique mushrooms. It gave a lot of information on what they are used for and which ones are safe so it’s definitely a good read for people wanting to get into foraging. The art was so well done and honestly it was one of my favorite parts.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for gifting me a free eARC to review. It took me much longer to read than I expected, unfortunately.

This is a beautifully illustrated little guide in encyclopedic style, and it's filled with facts and trivia about different myco-species that, despite an avid interest in mycology, I had yet to come across anywhere else. It would be useful for foragers and casual admirers alike. It's easy to read and Dorr manages to cover all the important facts in brief entries on each represented fungus. I look forward to adding a physical copy to our home library.

[Hannah Stanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been wanting to explore the world of mycology for a while but was unsure where to start, and this little book was a perfect introduction and jumping-off point to ignite my curiosity. Highly digestible with beautiful images.

[Anne Lydolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book with some incredible art pieces and a lot of interesting facts about each mushroom. It is clear that the author is passionate about this area, and has put a lot of time and effort into this book.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and fascinating

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.

[Bronya Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous art and very informative; this was a perfect read for my little goblin brain
just a tad repetitive at times