We look at another interesting deep dive into the world fungi, this time by Doug Bierend. This book is by Chelsea Green publishing and is available here.
In the blurb to this book Merlin Sheldrake’s book is mentioned, and there is even a quote suggesting this book might be the sequel to it. You might argue that, though this one feels a lot more North American focussed. It is also tough for any writer, much like a film maker too, when something that you have been working on for several years, then sees another work covering similar ground emerge several months earlier. Naturally though all books should be considered on their own merits, which we aim to do also.
We liked the range of subjects covered in this book, both people and topics. Gordon Wasson pops up, as does Paul Stamets, the McKenna brothers, Oaxaca, and other, less well known passionate characters in the fungi world. Bierend also visits an interesting sounding fungi festival too, all pre-covid lockdown. There are a lot of interesting nuggets in this book, though, as times, it felt a little episodic, and we struggled at times to follow a narrative thread stitching it all together.
Overall Bierend is clearly passionate about the fungi world, and does capture how important and interesting this subject is. We may be reaching a turning point in terms of our growing interest and awareness about what fungi can do, and the exciting possibilities of how else they may be able to help and improve our lives too. The more we can do to learn about this, the more it seems like a strategic investment of our time, this book may be a helpful guide for you in this journey.
More about the book ->
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.
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.
More by Doug about the book from his blog ->
Fungi are fundamental to life. In their roles as decomposers, they are crucial to the formation of soils and and sustenance of ecosystems. Endlessly innovative chemists, they constantly devise and secrete enzymes that can break down a vast variety of materials, mitigate bacterial and viral infections, and interact—for better or worse—with the bodies and brains of animals that consume their fruiting bodies, also called mushrooms.
Given their ubiquity and utility, it’s no surprise that humans have deep cultural connections to fungi and mushrooms, even while they have remained both understudied by institutional science and misunderstood by the general populace. But an emerging mycological vanguard is emerging, exploring and advocating for fungi’s capacity to remediate contaminated landscapes and waterways, provide food and medicine, and demonstrate how humans might live in equitable and sustainable accord with nature, and with one another. This diverse cadre of growers, independent researchers, ecologists, entrepreneurs, and amateur enthusiasts is also moving to seize on rising demand for specialty mushrooms in culinary and medicinal markets, to advance emerging fields of ‘applied mycology,’ and center conversations about social justice and sustainability.
In In Search of Mycotopia, I profile an oft-overlooked kingdom of life and the potential it holds for our future, by way of colorful characters and communities of citizen scientists and microbe devotees working to turn the fungal fringe into a vital front in the effort to realize a better world. It’s a portrait of the modern mycological movement that sees fungi as teachers, partners, and sources of wisdom that offer ways and means for realizing a better world.
See more stories here.
Digital bank Monzo has released its inaugural edition of ‘The Monzo Money Pulse’, a research-led…
eir, Ireland’s leading telecommunications provider, today published its Digital Ireland Report, a landmark nationwide study…
Nevo reports that the Irish car market has crossed a landmark moment. New figures released…
Leading digital bank Monzo has released its inaugural edition of ‘The Monzo Money Pulse’, a…
Irish CEOs are entering 2026 with urgency and focus, responding to rising cost pressures, geopolitical…
Ireland’s transition to electrified mobility continues to strengthen, with two in five Irish consumers (40%)…
Irish Tech News are Ireland’s No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland’s No.1 Tech Podcast too.
You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news
If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss.
Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience.
You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.