For people interested in shroom hunting, this book is great. I only wish it contained more color photos. For people of the Pacific Northwest, I am told that the 1st edition is more area specific, and I think I'll buy me a used copy.

At first glance this little gem of a guide seems to cover most world-wide species of mushrooms. But, its not until you begin to read the preface that you realize that this guide is for only the Western US, specifically California. Being in Belgium, I dont see many of these mushrooms mentioned around. But it a great book and explains in great detail the bio-sheres where mushrooms can be found. My only negaive is the lack of color plates to describe particular varieties. Black and white plates do not cut it in the mushroom world.

If I were a beginner, I would have been totally confused by this book. The problem comes from the dichotomous keys. They can be confusing and lead you in the totally wrong direction. The author says up-front, that there are several reasons you can be lead astray by the keys, mainly user error. Well, the keys are only as good as they are written. After having said the keys are confusing, the rest of the information provided in the book is quite good and very detailed. I wish there were more color photos to go along with the descriptions. Yes, there are over 800 photos, but most of them are black and white. It is difficult to compare detail of an actual mushroom in the hand with a black and white photo. Overall, I would say this is a good book to have in your collection, but I would not depend on this book for identification.

This is a very good reference book with tons of information. It is well written and easy to use.

Anybody who knows anything about mushrooms will most likely have this book! This book tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about mushrooms, including regional lore and legends about the mushrooms. This book is also very good for identifying mushrooms. has something like 300 color pics in which at least one of the mushrooms in those pics will resemble the one you want to identify and point you in the right direction. the keys in the front of each section are also very useful for identification.

it would be nice, however, to have more pictures. i also have Audubon field guide for the pictures and for the small size for a field guide. its a good combo. i look through the pics of the Audubon and read the short description and then i look that up in arora's book for a much more detailed description and to compare with other similar species.

I have owned this book for many years; and, through may hunts, it has proven invaluble for classifying mushrooms into their proper categories. However, I would caution buyers to know something about mycology BEFORE they buy this book! This is an area which requires experience!
David Auora is a mycological authority, and this is mostly written to the WEST COAST varietals and people who are familair with the basics.

While the variations from the west coast to the east coast are similar, the differences are what can kill you!

Remember, mushroom hunting and identification can be DEADLY!

This book arms you only with enough information to get you in the ball park unless you are an experienced hunter with many varieties.

Excellent reference, but not for the beginner!

Everything went smoothly with this transaction. I bought it used; it seems brand new except for some rather deliberate-looking permanent marker dashes on the unbound sides of the book (on the page tips, whatever that's called). Shipping time was on the fast side of the range of days.

Excellent guide, however primarily for western states. Could easily be used as a college textbook, but easy enough for a novice to use.

For anyone interested in learning about mushrooms, this book is the mushroom bible for species in the United States. It's not really a book for beginners, because the information can be somewhat overwhelming, but if you want a positive ID on something you've found, there's no better resource to do it. Then again, Arora injects a dose of unexpected hilarity that a mushroom-hunter with any level of experience can appreciate.

This book is amazing, and is my husband's new found hobby book and is already well-read. It is extremely thick for being a mere paperback, and arrived damaged. My only complaint is that it seems to not be ready for the hard wear and tear these mycologists will surely be exuding. The book itself is even more than we hoped for, and is an amazing resource.

It's an excellent book, but could be perfect if it has color spore charts, one of the most important taxonomic features are spore color and Arora recognize this on his book, why let that out?

It's a big book and covers a lot. The pictures are great. If you're looking a mushroom bible, this appears to be it.

This is a great book if you are interested in identifying the mushrooms in the forests and countryside of the PNW. Takes some getting used to the taxonomic nomeclature but is a good read, clearly presented and entertaining for beginners and experts alike. Not that many colour plates is the only downside of the book, but you mustn't be tempted to try to i.d. mushrooms by appearance especially if you intend to eat them. Use the keys! Highly recommended book.

Perhaps the best affirmation of this book is how I acquired it: it was assigned as a textbook in an evening class at a local community college, "Mushroom Identification and Taxonomy". That was 15 years ago. It was a regular 4 credit hour class, using microscopes to examine spores etc. I can't imagine what other book would have been used because it is so detailed and carefully organized. As other reviewers have commented, it is indeed heavy but I have still found it worthwhile to stuff into my rucksack when I go afield. My copy is weather-beaten and the pages are marked up and highlighted. The photos are excellent and I wish there were more of them. Arora is an excellent writer; the text is clear. He has a good sense of humor and an obvious passion for mushrooms. When it comes to safety he is completely serious. The section on the deadly Amanitas is especially helpful because he carefully explains the field marks and arms the reader with the knowledge of how to identify them. I have come to appreciate the incredible variety of mushrooms because the book has greatly increased my awareness. Just as I have learned to identify many birdcalls and native plants--which enriches my time in the forest--I find myself drawn to the beauty of mushrooms, even tho I can't identify most of them. I am purchasing a copy for my brother-in-law and his wife. When I saw the reviews I felt I had to add my favorable comments. And by the way, it is oriented to folks like me who want to learn to identify the edible varieties. All his listed species have a line for "Edibility". While the vast majority are "not recommended", "inedible", "unknown", etc., some are labeled as "Edible and choice!", a happy find. This book sets the standard for mushroom identification.

At 959 pages you won't carry this one to the field. We own several other MR/Fungi Guides, each has it's own strength. This one gets credit for attempting the greatest number of species. The Keys for each genus attempts to follow a logical step-by-step decision tree progression. When it works, it's great. But there are many times when the distinctions are just not clear cut, and it doesn't. That's more a function of the complexity of MR/fungi and nature than it is the author's fault. The lack of many color photographs is a minus, as is the very fine print used throughout. The author is a good educator. His knowledge and experience, as well as great sense of humor come through in his discussion. The book clearly identifies a West Coast bias, but adds observations from other experts in other geographic areas. This was recommended to us as the definitive guide. Maybe so, but if I was starting out, I would first use one of the simpler guides such as the Peterson Field Guide.

My son loves this book and has used it several times already. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in studying mushrooms.

Hands down, the best mushroom field guide available. Great pictures and excellent keys. Makes it easy to know what you're dealing with when you find a mushroom.

This hard to find book is great. Arora did a great job. The keys very good, are easy to use and the descriptions of each mushroom identified in the book are comprehensive and even entertaining. (A dicot' key can be a truly horrid thing.) The illustrations for key features also very helpful. Even for casual reading it is entertaining! The Fifth Kingdom is a great addition to this book for addl info about life cycles.

A VERY GOOD REFERENCE, BUT ALMOST TOO MUCH INFO TO PROCESS FOR THE BEGINNER.

THE comprehensive guide to mushrooms. I own several that I like, and this is probably the best of them. It's large size makes it unsuitable for a field guide, but it's a great resource. Just get "All that the rain promises...," or the Audubon book for a field guide.

THE comprehensive guide to mushrooms. I own several that I like, and this is probably the best of them. It's large size makes it unsuitable for a field guide, but it's a great resource. Just get "All that the rain promises...," or the Audubon book for a field guide.

I am a biology teacher and own two tracts of woods. I bought two cheaper books thinking, foolishly, that I would then be able to identify most mushrooms. Cheap and thin is easy to carry in the woods, but this is the "mushroom bible" all naturalists should own. Arora handles a jargon rich science exquisitely. His use of humor in a virtual textbook takes away the thick book intimidation factor. Academia could learn a lot from David's style. I wish all the pictures were in color, but that would increase the price and thickness of the volume tremendously. I will add a few other field guides with color pictures for referencing. I now have a hard time believing there are still copies available for sale. I don't know who in their right mind would sell such a volume. I'll have mine until the end.

I love this book.

I am a near total beginner. My previous experience was looking at chanterelles and king boletes with an experienced mushroomer.

My few lessons kept me grazing during a long wet packing trip. I brought home pictures of mushrooms I thought were interesting. This book helped me get started on identifying them.

NOTE - DO NOT IDENTIFY USING PICTURES, USE THE ID GUIDES IN THE BOOK

Frankly, it is the identification guides that are most valuable to me as a beginner. Without them, I'd be tempted to use pictures in a pocket guide. That works fine for fauna, but can be fatal for fungi.

My experience with the book itself is that I am goal oriented when I pick it up. "What is that one?" I then find myself having fun browsing through the book. It just draws me in. I love the parts saying "edible, but not worth it" or "supposedly edible, but I never cared to try".

I wouldn't expect kids to enjoy this book, but they're generally too impulsive to trust around unknown fungi anyway.

After reading this book, I have a hard time reading other mushroom books. This one is just such fun to read! I subconsciously am looking for other mushroom books to be less dry and as funny as this one, but it just ain't happenin'. I really recommend this book both for the information it contains and the pleasure that you get from reading it.

This book is an essential desk-reference for mushroom enthusiasts. The extensive introduction includes articles on "fungophobia" (fear of eating wild mushrooms), mushroom biology, mushrooms and the environment, scientific names and classification, mushroom collecting, mushroom identification, directions on how to use keys, mushroom FAQs, LBMs (little brown mushrooms), habitats, and a list of 70 distinctive mushrooms. This material is followed by a general key to the major groups of mushrooms, and then over 800 pages of mushroom descriptions, organized according to the key, with additional specific keys for each major group. Brief articles are provided for each individual mushroom species, including scientific name, common names (if available), and descriptive information covering (where relevant) cap, gills, stalk, veil, spores, habitat and edibility. High quality black-and-white photographs are provided for many (though not all) species. There is also a section of color plates in the middle of the book referenced by name and page number to the articles in the text. End material includes articles on mushroom cookery, preservation, and toxins, a dictionary of scientific Latin relevant for mushroom study, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. A metric/inch ruler is printed on the back cover as a useful measurement aid.

With its varied in-depth articles and large number of species covered, this book is a treasure-trove of information. It is not quite as visual as other large guides, since not all species have photos, and all the photos in the main text are black-and-white. This approach forces the user to rely on reading the details of the key, which is a very sound approach to identification. The first edition of the book was written solely about Californian mushrooms. In this edition, Arora has expanded his coverage to the continental United States, but he notes that many of his comments about habitat may be more relevant to California residents than others. The size and weight of the volume make it a bit unwieldy to carry into the field, but it makes a fine reference for study and identification once you've got the mushrooms back home.

I must say that a year ago I didnt give a hoot about shrooms! But now the "friendly fungi" adorn my house! I simply can't get enough of the ugly, rubbery little things.
In the past several months, I have managed to make several handy items out of roomies including a hat and several very nice coat buttons. This Christmas, my wife and I plan to decorate our tree with mushrooms and another of our favorites, potatoes!

This book really gets into those fungi!! I got this book for my wife and I to use as our complete reference book on mushrooms. The book is a little intimidating because it gets so in-depth. And definitely lacks in good pictures. However, after reading a lot in this book you really start to learn a deeper side to those mysterious fungi. Great humor and candor mixed in throughout the book. The step by step ID section has been right-on in helping to identify mushrooms. There are quite a few I have been unable to identify if only I had a great picture of it! Some of the Step by step groups are so extensive its easy to get lost in them without ever finding your mushroom. By far the the most complete book on mushrooms I've seen but probably not for the total beginner. I will be looking for a companion to this one with more color pictures to help. Don't get me wrong, if you want to really get into mushrooms, or already are into them, this book is a must.

Not only is this book the most comprehensive and easiest to use guide on the market, it's necessary! *DO NOT* pick wild mushrooms to eat unless you own this book! As a mycologist of 25 years and gourmet cook, I relish wild mushroom dishes, but please: YOU CANNOT IDENTIFY MANY EDIBLE MUSHROOMS BY SIGHT ALONE! Spend the money to get this book and pick safely. I'm so glad it's finally fall, I'm going out to pick a basket of chantrelles for dinner! Yeay!!!!

This is probably the best field guide ever done on the subject. Although I was a neurobiology student in grad school, I had an interest in mycology and took every mycology, lichenology, and non-vascular plant course offered at San Francisco State by the great mycologist, Dr. Harry Thiers, so I've had instruction in the subject by the best. And although the academic specialists have done better books on the individual genera, this is still the best overall "nature guide" type book. Just the photographs themselves are worth the price of the book, because they're gorgeous. There is also plenty of information on other topics besides the description and identification material, such as how fungi reproduce, their distribution and ecology, edibility and toxicology, and many other interesting subjects.

The one criticism I've heard about the book from the professional mycologists is that Arora did not do microscopic analysis on his specimens so as to actually prove what species it is. If you approach the book from the standpoint of this being the best book on the art and science of mushroom identification based on macroscopically observable features, you will be fine. It is Arora's expertise in this aspect of mycology and the detailed and clear descriptions of the species for identification purposes that is exceptional about this guide.

I've heard this book referred to as "the Bible" of mushrooms. This book is written for novice and seasoned mushroom hunters alike. This is a good key for species and is an excellent text to familiarize yourself with the kingdom of the Fungi. Arora does a good job of making the subject accessible to all interested readers. This book exceeds the quality of other field guides, such as Peterson's Mushrooms field guide by Kent McKnight (not that McKnight's book is bad). Mushrooms Demystified is a good addition to any mushroom field guide as a careful double-check of identification (especially before eating your find!).

Dave Arora has written, in my opinion, the best book on the subject. It is full of useful information, as one should expect from such a weighty book on the subject. It is a must have for anyone who stomps the same mushroom hunting territory as the author. Mr. Arora's wit and proficient, if not skillful, use of the English language makes this book surprisingly funny and readable. My only caveat is that the book does not contain much information for those readers who are interested in cultivating mushrooms.

The best treatment of West Coast mushrooms available today. Using Arora's concise descriptions, I have increased my knowledge of fungi with each foray. This is an enjoyable and informative text that is littered with fungi stories. When is the next edition arriving?

More information than the typical hunter would likely use. A good mix of factual knoledge and personal experience. Very entertaining and easy to understand.

Contains lots of cosmopolitan species. So the book is great for European readers. The ONLY minus is a lack of color photos, but the B&W pictures are good. The book has lots of humour so its very entertaining. A must for your mushroom library.

If you don't own this one, then you are not serious about mushrooms! A comprehensive guide that is easy to follow. Good technical level that is missing from a lot of guide books out on the market.

If you can only have one book on mushrooms - I pity you. You're missing out on a lot. But, if you can only have one, then this is the one you should have. As far as single volume, non-technical mushroom books go, this is the top of the line. Arora's clever text (One species is graced with the common name of "Yet Another Mycena"; edibility notes may consist of "Who knows? Who cares?") does not detract from the real learning of the author, nor does it overwhelm and bury the large amount of information to be found in the book