CATEGORY

The Great Encyclopedia of Mushrooms is billed by its publisher as a "culinary title," but fungi lovers who just want to look at them will enjoy this reference as much as gourmands. Profusely illustrated with color photos, cross-sections, and close-ups, this book will help you identify the mushrooms you pick and find out which ones are good to eat. (We prefer our customers alive, so heed the authors' warning and get your mushrooms identified by an expert mycologist before eating any you pick yourself.) After a thorough rundown on the parts of a mushroom and a glossary of terms, you'll find detailed descriptions of almost 500 wild species. The mushrooms are arranged according to taxonomy, so mycologists as well as amateurs will find this a useful guide. Both edible and poisonous species--and their look-alikes--are identified in this large book, perfect for figuring out what you've brought home after a pleasant day in the woods. --Therese Littleton