Field Guide to North American Mushrooms: National Audubon Society: H

by Gary A. Lincoff With more than 700 mushrooms detailed with color photographs and descriptive text, this is the most comprehensive photographic field guide to the mushrooms of North America. The 762 full-color identification photographs show the mushrooms as they appear in natural habitats. Organized visually, the book groups all mushrooms by color and shape to make identification simple and accurate in the field, while the text account for each species includes a detailed physical description, information on edibility, season, habitat, range, look-alikes, alternative names, and facts on edible and poisonous species, uses, and folklore. A supplementary section on cooking and eating wild mushrooms, and illustrations identifying the parts of a mushroom, round out this essential guide. A reader: 'This is a fine field guide, overall. It's not designed for total beginners -- those folks should get some experienced assistance before trying to identify mushrooms with this book alone. But once you know the basics, this guide can be your first reference, and the only one you carry in your pack. Of the five field guides I have owned, this is by far the best for North American mushrooms. Still, no guide is 100% complete, so having some alternative guides to refer to is a good idea. Also, while it is described as ''leather bound,'' my copy and all others I have seen actually are bound in vinyl with a leather-like texture stamped on it. Don't be fooled into thinking you are getting a real leather-bound book. Of course, vinyl is more practical for field use anyway, where you are likely to get the book wet!' Leather Bound - 926 pages

Mushrooms of Northeast North America: H

Midwest to New England by George Barron The author, George Barron: 'This is a well-illustrated user friendly book: 1. The book describes more than 600 species and all of them are illustrated. 2. The pictures are big, the descriptions short and the keys simple (honest!) 3. There are over 200 thumbnail images in color that help to get you where you want to go IN A HURRY. 4. The book is compact and can easily be carried in a backpack without wearing you down. 5. The different groups of fungi are color coded for rapid access and the pages have rounded corners that don't get dog-eared (page flippers will be especially grateful for these features). 6. The fungi are photographed in natural surroundings and the pictures are very good to excellent (so say reviewers!). 7. The names of the mushrooms (which change as fast as the weather) are up to date (for the moment!). 8. There are over 20 species of Slime Molds described. Slime Molds are interesting (to some), attractive and seldom illustrated in other books. 9. All the fungi in the book are found between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic coast. Most other books contain large numbers of species from the west and the south that don't fruit in our area and this is confusing.' A reader: 'This book by George Barron is a wonderful feild guide. Every picture is large and in vivid color not like many books that that have small or unclear pictures. This detail makes distinguishing alike mushrooms simple, and if you are still confused Mr. Barron's simple laid back notes on each will correct any confusion. The book has user friendly color coded sections. There is even extra information on edible and toxic mushrooms overall there is no better book on the market today to identify mushrooms period. Although Mr. Barron is an expert on this subject and has a Ph.D in Mycology he is a master at keeping it simple. If you are intrested in this topic, buy this book!' Paperback - 352 pages