In the Company of Mushrooms: A Biologist's Tale - Softcover

["In the Company of Mushrooms"] is an eclectic and arcane account of mushrooms in history and folklore, of their biology and importance in the environment, and of the characters who hunt and study them. From the use of mushrooms in the political murder of Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius, to species nicknamed Laughing Jim and the Train Wrecker, the book fascinates from cover to cover, and will be as accessible to the lay reader as to the professional microbiologist.--Ron Fraser "Microbiology Today [UK] "

Intrigued by the secret life of fungi, the author shows how fungi recycle most of the world's vegetable matter - from grass to trees, making way for other superior forms of nature. He also explains when and where to find mushrooms, how they are cultivated and how they are used in various cultures.