"There is a worldwide resurgence of interest in fungi, so Mushrooming arrives at a perfect time. . . . Diane Borsato’s tales of mushroom hunters, the gouache renditions by Kelly Oseid, and, yes, the culinary side of mushrooms (choose them carefully!) combine to make this book a delightful adventure from beginning to end."
"Absolutely terrific. This is a volume that, at first glance, is a field guide. But peering closer, as every mycologist knows, brings reward. Borsato’s species descriptions are bright and lyrical; accompanying caps and stems rendered lovingly by Oseid. From art to culture to food, Mushrooming is a celebration of the human relationship with fungi."
"Amid ‘shroom boom,’ this book is ripe for the picking. . . . Mushrooming, which celebrates more than 120 different kinds of fungi through stories and art, takes a different tack than a traditional field guide. For one, Borsato isn’t a mycologist—she’s an artist. So the book explores not just individual mushrooms, but contemporary art and projects that embrace them."
"Reference books reveal their singularity by their parameters. Mushrooming, by Diane Borsato, is a merry, idiosyncratic guide, charmingly illustrated by Kelsey Oseid. A sort of collector’s journal of mushrooms and mushroom-related experiences, the book has entries on more than 60 North American species and is punctuated with personal essays, including one about Ms. Borsato’s foray into the medicinal-mushroom world of New York’s Chinatown. Among that community’s stars is the supposed performance enhancer Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungal parasite that the showrunners of HBO’s “The Last of Us” have so creepily and fancifully employed."
"This curious compendium of all things fungi will be welcomed by amateur mycologists, avant-garde artists, intrepid woods trampers, cautious cooks, and even armchair readers. . . . The illustrations alone, saturated with eye-pleasing, earthy colors, are worth the price."
"Mushrooming is, in every way, a delightful book."
"Mushrooming is as much about identification as it is about finding wonder in all that surrounds us. Borsato frames the silent hunt through art, ecology, spirituality, ethics, and access. A guide unlike any other, this book is a must for artists, nature lovers, and anyone looking to find more magic in the world around them."
"Every turn of the page in Mushrooming reveals surprising delights, between the eye-catching illustrations, cleverly quippy commentary, and insightful background information. Whether you’re the sort to dig in the dirt in search of mushrooms, are considering your next gastronomic adventure, or are simply eager to learn more about the natural history of our fungal friends—this book will speak to the mycologist in everyone."
"I want to live in Diane Borsato’s brain. What a joy it is to experience the fruiting bodies of her deep wide intellect in this book about mushrooms, art, forests, feminism, poison, pasta, and so much more. This is my favorite kind of fence jumping, perspective shifting, deliciously illustrated, eloquently enquiring, radically alive book."
"Fungi are an order so mysterious they push our wonder and horror buttons simultaneously. In Mushrooming, Diane Borsato uses her radical curiosity to consider what they have to teach us about interconnection, the diversity of life, and the wildly creative possibilities of risk and attention."
Reference books reveal their singularity by their parameters. “Mushrooming,” by Diane Borsato, is a merry, idiosyncratic guide, charmingly illustrated by Kelsey Oseid. A sort of collector’s journal of mushrooms and mushroom-related experiences, the book has entries on more than 60 North American species and is punctuated with personal essays, including one about Ms. Borsato’s foray into the medicinal-mushroom world of New York’s Chinatown. Among that community’s stars is the supposed performance enhancer Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungal parasite that the showrunners of HBO’s “The Last of Us” have so creepily and fancifully employed.”—The Wall Street Journal “This curious compendium of all things fungi will be welcomed by amateur mycologists, avant-garde artists, intrepid woods trampers, cautious cooks, and even armchair readers. . . . The illustrations alone, saturated with eye-pleasing, earthy colors, are worth the price.”—Booklist “A delightful, eclectic, and enjoyable tour of mushrooms and their place in our world . . . This is a book that isn’t afraid to mix the personal with the practical and will thrill many readers because of that.”—Tristan Gooley, New York Times–bestselling author of The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs “Mushrooming is, in every way, a delightful book.”—Eugenia Bone, author of Mycophilia “Amid ‘shroom boom,’ this book is ripe for the picking. . . . Mushrooming, which celebrates more than 120 different kinds of fungi through stories and art, takes a different tack than a traditional field guide. For one, Borsato isn’t a mycologist – she’s an artist. So the book explores not just individual mushrooms, but contemporary art and projects that embrace them.”—Globe and Mail “Every turn of the page in Mushrooming reveals surprising delights, between the eye-catching illustrations, cleverly quippy commentary, and insightful background information. Whether you’re the sort to dig in the dirt in search of mushrooms, are considering your next gastronomic adventure, or are simply eager to learn more about the natural history of our fungal friends—this book will speak to the mycologist in everyone.”—Emily Graslie, creator of The Brain Scoop and ART LAB on YouTube and host/writer of Prehistoric Road Trip on PBS “Absolutely terrific. This is a volume that, at first glance, is a field guide. But peering closer, as every mycologist knows, brings reward. Borsato’s species descriptions are bright and lyrical; accompanying caps and stems rendered lovingly by Oseid. From art to culture to food, Mushrooming is a celebration of the human relationship with fungi.”—Jonathan C. Slaght, author of Owls of the Eastern Ice “I want to live in Diane Borsato’s brain. What a joy it is to experience the fruiting bodies of her deep wide intellect in this book about mushrooms, art, forests, feminism, poison, pasta, and so much more. This is my favorite kind of fence jumping, perspective shifting, deliciously illustrated, eloquently enquiring, radically alive book.”—Kyo Maclear, author of Birds Art Life “There is a worldwide resurgence of interest in fungi, so Mushrooming arrives at a perfect time. . . . Diane Borsato’s tales of mushroom hunters, the gouache renditions by Kelly Oseid, and, yes, the culinary side of mushrooms (choose them carefully!) combine to make this book a delightful adventure from beginning to end.”—Jay Ingram, author of The Science of Everyday Life “Fungi are an order so mysterious they push our wonder and horror buttons simultaneously. In Mushrooming, Diane Borsato uses her radical curiosity to consider what they have to teach us about interconnection, the diversity of life, and the wildly creative possibilities of risk and attention.”—Shary Boyle, artist “Mushrooming is as much about identification as it is about finding wonder in all that surrounds us. Borsato frames the silent hunt through art, ecology, spirituality, ethics, and access. A guide unlike any other, this book is a must for artists, nature lovers, and anyone looking to find more magic in the world around them.”—Jen Delos Reyes, director and founder of Open Engagement
02/01/2023
Borsato (Outdoor School: Contemporary Environmental Art) and Oseid (What We See in the Stars) take a joyful, artistic approach to the enjoyment of mushrooms and their inherent qualities. This is not a field guide; it's short-form creative nonfiction presented in alphabetical order with accompanying beautiful illustrations. Readers should not expect to be able to confidently identify various mushrooms, or the occasional non-chloroform plant, slime mold, or symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY), but they will be treated to tidbits that will likely make them pause and express amazement. The art in this book deserves its own gallery space. Readers who experience trypophobia, a fear of holes, should note that images throughout the book detail the spots, frills, and holes in mushrooms. The book also touches upon a wide range of subjects such as feminism, whiteness, and death by mushroom hunting not caused by ingesting poisonous mushrooms. VERDICT This book would complement environmental art and nature lovers' collections. It also pairs well with works about Beatrix Potter's artwork, Paul Stamets's contributions to mycology, and Eugenia Bone's Mycophilia. A beautiful artistic exploration and tribute to mushrooms for their own beauty and value.—Naomi Toftness
