The Lives of Fungi
by Elio
he Lives of Fungi book cover. Source
The Lives of Fungi A Natural History of Our Planet's Decomposers
by Britt Bunyard (Release date: April 26, 2022)
In the beginning of this gorgeous and intellectually fulfilling book, Britt tells us that, due to modern technology, fungi are now known to be "more ubiquitous than we thought" and are "much more important to the environment and, by extension, to ourselves." He proceeds to justify these statements with a broad but erudite romp through fungi both microscopic and visible to the unaided eye. There are plenty of the latter sort to satisfy most amateur mushroomers. Their fungal horizons will be expanded by the treatment of fungi that are pathogenic to man, beasts, and plants, and those participating in symbiotic relationships. The book ends with a section on "Fungi and the Future." I heartily recommend this book to all who are interested in broadening their knowledge of these fascinating life forms. Britt is superqualified for this task. He is a trained mycologist who has authored a couple of books on mushrooms and is the editor-in-chief of the esteemed magazine Fungi.
