A narrative nonfiction book about the world of Fungi.Enter our world. The world of fungi¿ the most mysterious and misunderstood kingdom on the planet. We are not plants. We are not animals. So what are we?From Veiled Ladies to Bleeding Teeth, learn how we eat, live, and control a part of the world you rarely even notice. Peek beneath the crispy leaves, peer inside your old lunch box, and poke between your smelly toes¿We¿re here, we¿re growing, and even when you think you can¿t see us¿we can always see you.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “brilliant [and] entrancing” (The Guardian) journey into the hidden lives of fungi—the great connectors of the living world—and their astonishing and intimate roles in human life, with the power to heal our bodies, expand our minds, and help us address our most urgent environmental problems. “Grand and dizzying in how thoroughly it recalibrates our understanding of the natural world.”—Ed Yong, author of An Immense World ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Time, BBC Science Focus, The Daily Mail, Geographical, The Times, The Telegraph, New Statesman, London Evening Standard, Science Friday When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave. In the first edition of this mind-bending book, Sheldrake introduced us to this mysterious but massively diverse kingdom of life. This exquisitely designed volume, abridged from the original, features more than one hundred full-color images that bring the spectacular variety, strangeness, and beauty of fungi to life as never before. Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They are metabolic masters, earth makers, and key players in most of life’s processes. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. By examining fungi on their own terms, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms—and our relationships with them—are changing our understanding of how life works. Winner of the Wainwright Prize, the Royal Society Science Book Prize, and the Guild of Food Writers Award • Shortlisted for the British Book Award • Longlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize

You can run, but you can't hide. They're in the air you breathe. They're in the food you eat. They're on your body. Fungi are EVERYWHERE! But wait . . . do you need to be afraid? From fun facts about fairy circles to the delicious secret behind pizza, this book is the perfect read for young scientists. It even contains a Q & A section with a real-life mycologist!

The fifth order of the natural kingdom is made up of an estimated 1.5 million species of fungi, found in every habitat type worldwide. The Book of Fungi takes 600 of the most remarkable fleshy fungi from around the world and reproduces each at its actual size, in full colour, and accompanied by a scientific explanation of its distribution, habitat, association, abundance, growth form, spore colour and edibility. Location maps give at-a-glance indications of each species known global distribution, and specially commissioned engravings show different fruitbody forms and provide the vital statistics of height and diameter. Theres a place, too, for readers to discover the more bizarre habits of fungi from the predator that hunts its prey with lassos to the one that entices sows by releasing the pheromones of a wild boar. Mushrooms, morels, puffballs, toadstools, truffles, chanterelles fungi from habitats spanning the poles and the tropics, from the highest mountains to our own gardens are all on display in this definitive work.

The essential photographic guide to the world's fungi The fungi realm has been called the "hidden kingdom," a mysterious world populated by microscopic spores, gigantic mushrooms and toadstools, and a host of other multicellular organisms ranging widely in color, size, and shape. The Kingdom of Fungi provides an intimate look at the world's astonishing variety of fungi species, from cup fungi and lichens to truffles and tooth fungi, clubs and corals, and jelly fungi and puffballs. This beautifully illustrated book features more than 800 stunning color photographs as well as a concise text that describes the biology and ecology of fungi, fungal morphology, where fungi grow, and human interactions with and uses of fungi. The Kingdom of Fungi is a feast for the senses, and the ideal reference for naturalists, researchers, and anyone interested in fungi. Reveals fungal life as never seen before Features more than 800 stunning color photos Describes fungal biology, morphology, distribution, and uses A must-have reference book for naturalists and researchers

Fungi are essential to all life on Earth and yet fungal diseases and toxins lead to over one million deaths each year. How can we strike a better balance with our microbial cousins? These remarkable microbes enrich our lives: from releasing the carbon in plants, to producing life-changing medicine, to adding umami flavour and B vitamins to our food. But not all fungi are good for us. This compelling book from esteemed mycologist Keith Seifert ventures into our homes, bodies, farms, and forests to profile the fungi that inhabit our environments. Drawing from the latest research, he explains where fungi came from and how yeasts, lichens, and moulds have evolved and adapted over millions of years. The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi urges us to better understand our relationship with fungi, while revealing their world in all its beautiful complexity.

This new edition of The Fungi provides a comprehensive introduction to the importance of fungi in the natural world and in practical applications, from a microbiological perspective.