OUTDOORS / NATURE
We love guidebooks. Well, all reference books are interesting here at Whistlestop, but guides and references to the natural world and how to get about in it with ever-increasing knowledge and familiarity are important to us. This page conveys our current holdings and whatever reliable Pennsylvania or regional books we carry. "Survival" books will be here, too, although we hope you won't find yourself in that extremity. Historical "survival" books have a deep interest as well, because they often re-create a sense of what the world was like when we did not depend so blindly on technology. Here's the world -- enjoy!
The Lives of Fungi: A Natural History of Our Planet's Decomposers
The Lives of Fungi: A Natural History of Our Planet's Decomposers
We know fungi are important, for us as well as the environment. But how they live, and what they can do, remains mysterious and surprising. Filled with stunning photographs, The Lives of Fungi presents an inside look into their hidden and extraordinary world.
The wonders of fungi are myriad: a mushroom poking up through leaf litter literally overnight, or the sensational hit of umami from truffle shavings. Alexander Fleming cured infections with mold and spiritual guides have long used psychedelic mushrooms to enhance understanding. Then there are the tiny threads of fungi, called hyphae, that create a communications network for the natural world while decomposing organic matter. Combining engaging and accessible text with beautiful images, The Lives of Fungi lays out all the essential facts about fungi for the mycologically curious.