In Search of Mycotopia: Citizen Science, Fungi Fanatics, and the Untapped Potential of Mushrooms

by Doug Bierend

Overview

“Mushrooms are having a moment. [A] natural sequel for the many readers who enjoyed Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life.”—Library Journal

“Bierend writes with sensual verve and specificity, enthusiasm, and humor. . . . [He] introduces us to the staggering variety of mushrooms, their mystery, their funk, and the way they captivate our imaginations.”—The Boston Globe

“Nothing is impossible if you bring mushrooms into your life, and reading this book is a great way to begin your journey.”—Tradd Cotter, author of Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation

From ecology to fermentation, in pop culture and in medicine—mushrooms are everywhere. With an explorer’s eye, author Doug Bierend guides readers through the weird, wonderful world of fungi and the amazing mycological movement.

In Search of Mycotopia introduces us to an incredible, essential, and oft-overlooked kingdom of life—fungi—and all the potential it holds for our future, through the work and research being done by an unforgettable community of mushroom-mad citizen scientists and microbe devotees. This entertaining and mind-expanding book will captivate readers who are curious about the hidden worlds and networks that make up our planet.

Bierend uncovers a vanguard of mycologists: growers, independent researchers, ecologists, entrepreneurs, and amateur enthusiasts exploring and advocating for fungi’s capacity to improve and heal. From decontaminating landscapes and waterways to achieving food security, In Search of Mycotopia demonstrates how humans can work with fungi to better live with nature—and with one another.

“Comprehensive and enthusiastic. . . . This fascinating, informative look into a unique subculture and the fungi at its center is a real treat.”—Publishers Weekly

“If you enjoyed Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life . . . I highly recommend this book. . . . In the vein of Louis Theroux, Bierend journeys deep in the wonderfully strange subculture of the mushroom-mad.”—Idler magazine

"Engaging and entertaining. . . .Bierend proves his skill as a science journalist through interviews and experiences shared with mushroom experts and citizen scientists."—Choice

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645021490
Publisher:	Chelsea Green Publishing
Publication date:	11/11/2022
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	1,042,777
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Doug Bierend is a freelance journalist writing about science and technology, food, and education, and the various ways they point to a more equitable and sustainable world. His byline appears in Wired, The Atlantic, Vice, Motherboard, The Counter, Outside Magazine, Civil Eats, and numerous other publications.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Among Us 13

2 Scratching the Surface 33

3 A Neglected Megascience 45

4 Big S, Small S 63

5 This Land Is Mycoland 90

6 Spawn Points 109

7 Building a Myco Scene 135

8 Ferment Yourself 159

9 Bio Prospects 183

10 Applied Mycology 209

11 Myx Messages 236

12 Who Speaks for the Mushroom 255

Acknowledgments 279

Notes 283

Index 313

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal—

“The author’s sharp ear for dialogue imbues his word portraits with vivid detail. . . . Mushrooms are having a moment. In Search of Mycotopia could be a natural sequel for the many readers who enjoyed Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life.”

Publishers Weekly—

“Comprehensive and enthusiastic . . . This fascinating, informative look into a unique subculture and the fungi at its center is a real treat.”

Booklist—

“As well as gaining new respect for fungi, readers will master new vocabulary on the order of frass, saprophytic, and microrrhizal. It sounds perhaps bizarre now, but humanity’s future may depend on slime molds.”

“In Search of Mycotopia is for mycophiles everywhere, from old hands to young enthusiasts, profiling in lively prose the kooky, brilliant, and inspiring folks who are changing the way we understand fungi, nature, and ourselves.”—Eugenia Bone, author of Mycophilia and Microbia

“In Search of Mycotopia is as wondrous and hopeful as its awe-inspiring subject. Doug Bierend deftly extends the mycelial threads of his curiosity into the many communities that congregate around fungi, from academic researchers to hipster entrepreneurs to Indigenous groups engaged in cultural mycoremediation. The resultant book is a masterpiece of intersectional fungal anthropology that will send you running for the mushroom stand at your nearest farmers market—and may even inspire you to venture forth on some forest forays yourself.”—Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager

“Fungi are nature’s alchemists, the circulatory and nervous system of the forest ecosystem, and the providers of nutrition, healing, remediation, and spiritual awakening. In this compelling book, Doug Bierend awakens the myco-nerd in each of us, uplifts the stories of queer, Black, and young citizen scientists, and challenges us to ameliorate our fungal illiteracy. Bierend convinces us that the healing of our planet requires that we remember the fringe and oft-forgotten fungal kingdom.”—Leah Penniman, cofounder of Soul Fire Farm, author of Farming While Black 

“What if our world were connected by unseen strands, by dynamic webs of life that maintain nature as we know it, a largely hidden substrate capable of healing us, feeding us, teaching us, churning death into life, sustaining the soil, plants, and animals? Well, it is, actually. Amiable, brilliant, and endlessly curious, Doug Bierend is the perfect guide to both the marvelous realm of fungi and to the radical human subcultures that have sprung up to celebrate it—citizen mycologists, cultivators, and activists from the Ecuadorian Amazon to the Pacific Northwest. In Search of Mycotopia is a fascinating, humble, and hopeful book, a glimpse at a cosmos of which we are not the center; in which everything is interconnected, and life humbly, quietly persists.”—Ben Ehrenreich, author of Desert Notebooks: A Road Map for the End of Time

“There’s a fungus among us, and it’s all good. As Doug Bierend’s engaging journey through mycoculture reveals, it’s time to make like a mushroom, join the club, and grow a distributed, curious, and sustainably prosperous world together—from the bottom up.”—Douglas Rushkoff, host and author of Team Human

“Doug Bierend’s book is a vivid trip past the flora and fauna of this world and into the reigning kingdom of Fungi. The most mind-altering forays take readers far beyond psychedelic ‘shroomer culture, which turns out to be one in a collection of subversive subcultures of enthusiasts, scientists, and citizen scientists from all walks of life. Written by a playful and candid storyteller, In Search of Mycotopia vindicates the mushroom, the literal and symbolic fabric that tightly binds together all life.”—Caren Cooper, author of Citizen Science

“In Search of Mycotopia is a must-read! Leaving no stone unturned, Bierend covers everything from cultivation to psychedelic studies, providing insight into how critical fungi are toward healing the planet and its inhabitants, and ultimately encouraging readers to become a part of the community. Nothing is impossible if you bring mushrooms into your life, and reading this book is a great way to begin your journey.”—Tradd Cotter, author of Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation

“With a fresh and welcoming voice, Doug Bierend takes us on a journey through the far-reaching branches of the modern mycocultural movement. As his search for mycological knowledge expands across the pages, so do we also find ourselves enmeshed in the underground world of citizen scientists, DIY mushroom growers, and landscape healers. Bierend presents voices that are rarely heard elsewhere, and rarer still is his holistic approach to such a diverse and dynamic community. This book offers a rich glimpse into a rapidly growing culture, as well as inspiring insights on the many ways that you can get involved in the future of fungi. A much-needed compass for the ever-evolving landscape of mycology, and a vivid portrait of fungi and the humans who work with them, In Search of Mycotopia is a must-read for anyone wanting to join in the fungi fun.”—Peter McCoy, author of Radical Mycology

"Bierend writes with sensual verve and specificity, enthusiasm, and humor. . . .[He] introduces us to the staggering variety of mushrooms, their mystery, their funk, and the way they captivate our imaginations, as well as to the array of characters involved in this 'mycological renaissance.'”—The Boston Globe

"Bierend offers an engaging and entertaining introduction to the broad field of mycology, demonstrating how fungi epitomize the concept of ecological relations. [He] proves his skill as a science journalist through interviews and experiences shared with mushroom experts and citizen scientists. . . . Bierend’s budding enthusiasm and passion for everything related to fungi makes the text fun to read. Bierend introduces surprising edge topics that serve as jumping off points for deeper thought. This would make an excellent introduction to mycology for undergraduate students and all readers interested in learning more about an important kingdom uniquely positioned within the empire of life."—Choice

From the Publisher

12/14/2020

Journalist Bierend introduces readers to a worldwide community that revolves around fungi in this comprehensive and enthusiastic debut. “If I am any kind of -ist at all,” Bierend writes, “it is a generalist” when it comes to fungi, and here he aims to prove that one does need to be an “expert” to “do beautiful things with and about fungi.” Readers join the author on an eye-opening tromp through the woods in search of mushrooms of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and follow him on trips to mushroom festivals (among them, the Telluride Mushroom Festival, held since 1980). Bierend peers into the dark side of fungi (such as poisonous “death caps”) and explains “microdosing” on psychedelic mushrooms, a practice he suggests is de rigueur in the technology industry. Though at times technical, Bierend’s survey offers glimpses into mushroom-centric communities across the globe: He visits the POC Fungi Community at an event in the Adirondacks and writes of a group in Ecuador attempting to use fungi to treat cancer. Beyond merely being edible, Bierend writes, mushrooms’ “most promising power” is their ability to “bring people together, and to shift perspectives.” This fascinating, informative look into a unique subculture and the fungi at its center is a real treat. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

02/01/2021

In this debut, journalist Bierend covers a lot of ground meeting many on mycology's leading edge: growers, entrepreneurs, amateur and professional scientists, and enthusiasts. The author travels from the National History Museum of Utah to London's Kew Gardens and beyond in order to meet people who are drawn to fungi. His reporting also takes him from small mushroom-growing operations (often begun in home kitchens or basements) to mycological fairs and annual gatherings. Readers may be disappointed to find no illustrations inside; even so, the author's sharp ear for dialogue imbues his word portraits with vivid detail. Bierend looks ahead, but also behind, as he traces the long history of mycology's reliance on contributions from citizen scientists. Along the way, readers will learn about some fantastic fungi, find out how they are cultivated, and witness some of the innovative applications under development. Interestingly, Bierend concludes that the "most promising power of fungi lies in their apparent power to bring people together." VERDICT Mushrooms are having a moment. In Search of Mycotopia could be a natural sequel for the many readers who enjoyed Merlin Sheldrake's Entangled Life.—Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.

Library Journal