Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America

by Roger Phillips

The ultimate illustrated handbook on mushrooms. More than 1,000 handsome color photographs by Roger Phillips illustrate this comprehensive guide to mushrooms and other fungi of North America, in all their astonishing variety. Amateur collectors, expert mycologists and armchair naturalists will welcome the reissue of this valuable reference. Each photograph has a neutral background to eliminate distractions. The specimens are arranged to show the cap, stem, gills, spines, and a cross section, usually in various stages of growth. The information on each mushroom variety Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America also includes useful tips and helpful advice on collecting specimens and identifying them. This book is the ideal introduction to mycology.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Reference, Science, Field Guides

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

In 1975 Roger Phillips began his life’s major work of photographing and publishing pictures of the World’s garden plants. Using modern photographic techniques, Roger set out to develop an encyclopedic collection of books to show the difference between plants as diverse as mosses, roses and annuals. His first book Wild Flowers of Britain was a huge success, selling 400,000 copies in the first year. He has since written 20 additional volumes (often with his co-author Martyn Rix) selling over 4.5million copies worldwide.

Roger has written and presented two major six-part TV series on gardening (BBC & Channel 4). Famed for his ebullient personality and garish red glasses, he has become a well-recognised figure in the world of gardening.

Roger trained at Chelsea School of Art from where he entered a career in advertising culminating in the position of art director at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising. He left O&M to start a career as a freelance photographer, winning many awards before turning his photographic talents to the world of natural history.

Reviews

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is exhaustively researched and seems quite reliable. However, it isn't the handiest for an amateur to use to identify edible species, as there are fairly few illustrations showing how to ID mushrooms, and not the most straightforward key. It is best paired with another book that can help suggest family-level IDs.

[Kali Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very informative and well-researched book. Unfortunately, as an amateur, I found it very difficult to use to identify fungi because the key was very brief, and there weren't many illustrations that helped with identification. Paired with another book that focused more on that, it would be great!

[Stosch · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the better mushroom identification books a tad outdated by now but excellent pictures and array of different mushrooms.

[Jordyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a dictionary style reference book on mushrooms. Good to have on the shelf but not for beginners just starting out.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first mycology book. I've got to say that even though I'm a complete neophyte, I still found this book to be wanting. First, for a book I'm relying on to avoid poisoning myself and those I love, I'm going to become increasingly skeptical every typo I see. If you didn't catch the simple misspelling of a word, did you really fact check your images and whether bruising of a fungi should be brown or blue or black or not present? Second, the pictures could be better. You're hitting me with different angles which aren't standardized throughout. Sometimes I'm just getting a profile, other times I'm getting a 360 horizontal view and 360 from zenith to nadir. I would never rely solely on this book to make an identification where edibility is concerned until the contents are edited thoroughly and the pictures are standardized.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this for my fiancé because we just realise we get so many kinds of mushrooms and saw this book at the store and bought it. The science geek in me just loooooooooooves it! It's very useful and easy to use the photo's are really handy in helping you with a Generic key to help classify them. Highly recommend it!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

More a field guide to the fungi of North America than anything else. Well-written, with excellent pictures of the different species. A little larger than the usual field guide, but still one that can be taken out.

[Mila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book opens with a Generic Key and Glossary which reminds me of the botany course that I took once and remember fondly. This large, heavy book is as advertised: "The most comprehensive mushroom guide ever, with over 1,000 color photographs."