What is the best fungi book?

I am starting to look for options for book promos so I am just going to be popping into a bunch of forums and seeing what people think some good book suggestions for each individual forum topic would be.

So, what is the best book that deals with fungi?

Thanks.

Mushrooms Demystified, David Arora

The answer to that question has to do with what you're trying to do. If you're trying to identify wild mushrooms, many people would agree with Tom that David Arora's Mushrooms Demystified is the best book. It is a large wide encompassing book about identifying many types of mushrooms, but doesn't say anything about cultivating them. However, since we are a permaculture site and many are going to be interested in cultivating mushrooms, Paul Stamets is the king of that and his two best are his two most recent, "Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms" and his most recent, "Mycelium Running".
John S
PDX OR

Thanks guys! Appreciate it!

Someone else recommended Farming the Woods which comes out in September, I think.

Cj, a promotion is in the works with them already. Get excited!

Mycelium Running was crazy good for those of us just getting started.

I bless our wise elders, like Paul Stametz who were the first wave. They brought the dream of a better world, and set the stage for the next generation to perform on. And that next generation is now emerging to do 'the work' of reinventing the world. So now we have groups like radical mycology (see their upcoming convergence info elsewhere on this site). And in this vein, Tradd Cotter's new book out called: Organic mushroom farming and mycoremediation, is a very solid review of cultivation techniques and remedial applications that speaks to our younger generations interests and concerns. Stametz's has been the man for so long and his books are great, so it is great to see that now more and more people are stepping up to share the burden/joy of regenerative agricultural practices.

I just picked up Cotter's book and love it.

Seth

Thanks so much Seth! I appreciate the new stuff!

A really good book bt Tradd Cotter, Organic Mushroom Farming And Mycoreremediation. He was just on the The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann. www.mushroommountain.com

For people in the midwestern U.S. I recommend Missouri's Wild Mushrooms by Maxine Stone.

For growing mushrooms in a permaculture scenario I too would recommend Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets.

Yeah I tried to get in contact with Paul Stamets about doing a promotion but haven't heard back from him so not sure about that one. I wish he would because that seems to be number 1 on people's lists.

Cassie Langstraat wrote:Yeah I tried to get in contact with Paul Stamets about doing a promotion but haven't heard back from him so not sure about that one. I wish he would because that seems to be number 1 on people's lists.

OMG OMG OMG! Paul Stamets on Permies?!
You go Cassie, you're the best!!!

Hahaha you must have misread my post. I said that I TRIED to contact him but he hasn't replied though..

Cassie Langstraat wrote:Hahaha you must have misread my post. I said that I TRIED to contact him but he hasn't replied though..

Nope, I read it, I still think the fact that you're trying to do a promo with him is awesome!
Keep up the great work

Oh! Well, thanks then. I will maybe send a follow up email and see if that works. Oftentimes if you are a little bit annoying they do what you ask.

Cassie L. : most mushroom books are all about the fruiting body and very little about the largest organisms alive, some fill entire counties and weight
nearly incalculable amounts !

Paul Stamets not only knows and understands both parts of the story and their close symbiotic relationship with trees and some bacteria, and tells the
story in an interesting way in several books, wikipedia has a good write-up on him. Just watch out for Richard Simmons ! He might be a good inter-
view for Paul W. for the craft ! Big AL

Cassie Langstraat wrote:Oh! Well, thanks then. I will maybe send a follow up email and see if that works. Oftentimes if you are a little bit annoying they do what you ask.

he's so popular now i think his speaking fee is 5-10k.

i don't think you're likely to get him posting on any forums.

didn't you get trad, tho?

Also working on Tradd. I've been talking to my contact from chelsea green about tradd and they seemed keen at first but I also haven't heard back from them. Again, I will try to follow up with them.