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1st out of 5 books
—
4 voters
Mushrooms Demystified
by
David Arora
Simply the best and most complete mushroom field guide and reference book, MUSHROOMS DEMYSTIFIED includes descriptions and keys to more than 2,000 species of mushrooms, with more than 950 photographs. Mushroom authority David Arora provides a beginner's checklist of the 70 most distinctive and common mushrooms, plus detailed chapters on terminology, classification, habitat...more
Paperback, 1056 pages
Published
October 1st 1986
by Ten Speed Press
(first published 1979)
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This is one of the most amazing biological guides ever. In addition to being an almost comprehensive guide to most macroscopic fungi of the western US, it is also weird, hilarious, and just plain wacky. Pretty much every time I grab it to look something up, I come across some new gem from Arora. Here's one I just found:
Since so few bracket fungi are edible, they are ignored by most people and barely mentioned in many popular mushroom books. As I am also ignored by most people (and have yet to be...more
I will actually be "currently reading" this book for the rest of my life - at least during those months that the mushrooms are out.
The most extraordinary thing about it is that it's actually fun to read -- no small feat for what's fundamentally a guidebook. Arora leads you to approach the overwhelming task of figuring out the wild mushroom in your hand like a mystery, and like many mysteries you end up chasing down dead ends, eliminating suspects, and enjoying every minute of it.
It seems that...more
The most extraordinary thing about it is that it's actually fun to read -- no small feat for what's fundamentally a guidebook. Arora leads you to approach the overwhelming task of figuring out the wild mushroom in your hand like a mystery, and like many mysteries you end up chasing down dead ends, eliminating suspects, and enjoying every minute of it.
It seems that...more
Highly comprehensive reference text for all fungivores. Well outlined and information is easy to find. However, not the most portable volume--I suggest "All the Rain Brings and More," its pocket-sized field guide companion.
Clearly a classic and the bible of mushroom identification, though expect a big learning curve when it comes to working through the "choose your own adventure" style method of identifying your bounty.
I don't think that I will finish this book before the next eddition is published (soon), but it is an essential and easy to use reference.
Jul 27, 2010
Terri Klemetson
added it
I attended HSU and took Fleshy Fungus as a class, this was one of the textbooks. Super awesome paired with field collection!
This book is super great for learning but it's also fun to read. He thanked his wife saying "...she did not provide countless house or selfless assistance without which this book would have not been possible."
Best book out there for mushrooming(with its smaller companion All the rain promises and more)
In my fungi identification guide, we affectionately called this the "crazy mushroom guy."
Possibly the best field guide on anything, anywhere. But won't fit in your pocket.
Fantastic "bible" of mushrooms. Excellent, clear yet humorous reference.
Hands down, the best guide to fungi published.
mushroom bible
Everything you ever wanted to know about mushrooms and then some. This is a doorstop of a mushroom guide for anyone interested in learning about hunting and identifying. Photos are black and white, with a section of colour plates in the middle of the book. Gives very detailed information about habitat, edibility, spore prints, fruiting bodies, etc. There are also several scientific keys included in the book to help you identify each mushroom species properly.
I have not actually read through this hefty tome, but I have perused used it and deem it a favorable fact that I and fellow consumers of found fungi are still intact, and much the happier for our mushroom meal, many thanks to Arora. Great photos, fun to read. I do disagree with him about his rankings of the tastiness/desirability of some fungi. He underestimates, in my opinion. But his is an American perspective.
Second edition needs to be added to my personal library.
A lot of good information but just because he says one or another mushroom tastes good doesn't mean he's right. Giant puffballs taste like funky, chemical marshmallows - they are not "eminently edible."
But if you like campy fungophile in-jokes: "better kicked than picked," etc., this is your book.
If you're not interested in wild mushrooms, probably not for you. But who knows?
But if you like campy fungophile in-jokes: "better kicked than picked," etc., this is your book.
If you're not interested in wild mushrooms, probably not for you. But who knows?
One of the great reference books of our times! I have so often leafed through this book for the simple sheer pleasure of it, that I have found myself in the forest identifying wild mushrooms that I didn't realize I knew anything about. I can think of no higher praise.
Incredible resource. After almost 1000 pages I'm still more than a bit mystified, but I've started bringing fungi home and trying to work through identifications. I'm sure years of mycological fun await!
another mushroom book that I have used, but never read cover to cover. but will probably be reading this book and using it as a tool for a long time, perhaps till the day I die.
This is my most used reference book ever... I got it in college for a class called Mushrooms, history and culture in 2000 and it has seen much use since.
Oct 19, 2008
Chris Keefe
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone interested in mushroom hunting.
Brilliant. The best of the best. Detailed, comprehensive, easy to use, and hilarious.
I would never have expected as much from a field guide.
I would never have expected as much from a field guide.
Perhaps the best field guide for the educated North American amateur. If only it were biased towards the midwest rather than the west coast...
bet you didn't think a 10 lb book of dichotomous keys could be fascinating AND funnnnnny....
A newly developed interest. David Arora is a leading expert from and still living in Santsa Cruz.
I love this book. Yes it's a good key to identifying fungi, but it's also super entertaining.
Do not use this manual... very INCONCLUSIVE and VAGUE. Danger danger danger :(
May 17, 2013
Ron Moore
marked it as to-read
May 17, 2013
fae Townsend
marked it as to-read
May 17, 2013
Hallie Rose
marked it as to-read
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David Arora (born October 23, 1952) is an American mycologist, naturalist, and writer. He is the author of two popular books on mushroom identification, Mushrooms Demystified and All That the Rain Promises and More....
Arora first developed an interest in wild mushrooms while growing up in Pasadena, California and organized his first mushroom collecting group while in high school. He began teaching...more
More about David Arora...
Arora first developed an interest in wild mushrooms while growing up in Pasadena, California and organized his first mushroom collecting group while in high school. He began teaching...more
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I've read "growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms" but I spotted another title at th...more
Nov 19, 2007 05:11pm