This is a great guide for beginning mushroom enthusiasts and intrepid explorers! After explaining the basics of mushroom anatomy, identification, and preparation in a highly understandable way, this book beautifully showcases 20 varieties of safe mushrooms that can be easily identified by the burgeoning forager!

Absolutely fantastic guide. Very interesting and in-depth field guide. I great deal of side information and stories are included. Some was more then I wanted to know as a novice my main focus is identifying mushrooms so I didn't care about some of the stories. However, an avid mushroom collector or anyone interested in the history of collecting in general will be thrilled by these extra tidbits.

In all I highly recommend the book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This is a fantastic, easy to read guide that will help you find delicious mushrooms that you can actually eat, and teach you how to identify the ones you can't.

This book begins with the basics: What is a mushroom? and takes you through everything you need to do about foraging for 29 common edible mushrooms. It is a handy guide for foragers.

I received a free, temporary digital copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. However, I will buy a print copy of this one to take out foraging.

My opinions are my own.

This book was a lot of fun to read. I still do not feel 100% confident about going out and foraging for mushrooms, but reading this did help me learn to identify some and give me an interest in learning more about fungi and foraging.

A helpful, approachable guide to harvesting wild mushrooms. Instead of organizing the book alphabetically by variety name, Hyman breaks it down by time of year, location, shape, etc. Plenty of pictures and diagrams to help, too. Plus tips on preserving, freezing, or powdering mushrooms for future use.

Enjoyably written--the author states he hopes to be funny ad he is, as well as clear and practical. His description of common mushrooms has everything foragers would want--identification details ranging from color to texture of each part of the mushroom, what kind of trees it can be found on, what time of year it appears, and more. Of course he includes whether it's poisonous or edible and if there are any lookalike mushrooms and how to tell the difference. If a mushroom is edible Hyman includes how it tastes and at least one way to prepare it. Photography is beautiful and makes identifying mushrooms even easier.

I am a complete beginner interested in learning the art of foraging for mushrooms, as it were, without dying. Frank Hyman's book is fantastic and will be a treasure on the shelves of beginners and more experienced foragers alike.

The book contains a wealth of information on mycology and the practical aspect of foraging, written in straightforward, easy to understand language, with a dash of humor that also makes reading the book pure fun. Hyman shows you exactly what to look for and where, and tells you how to avoid dying - perhaps the most essential part of your foraging outing.

I also loved the photos! These were beautiful to look at and helpful in identifying the fungi I've come across so many times on hikes and walks. They also make this book a great field guide - I would be confident in using it on a foraging expedition to help me visually match the mushrooms that are safe to forage.

Very happy that I have a copy of this and will certainly be purchasing a hard copy to keep in my backpack.

What a fantastic title! I know so many are afraid of mushrooms, but they are amazing little things and the more you learn the more exciting they become. This book opens the Pandora’s box and just makes you want to go out and hunt for some mushrooms!

I have long been interested in foraging for mushrooms. The idea appeals – environmentally friendly wild farming? However, one thing has always prevented me from scooping up mushrooms I find out on my hikes; I don’t want to kill my family.

And that is where Frank Hyman’s How to Forage for Mushrooms Without Dying comes in. With slight humor, Hyman goes through all of the basics you need to begin foraging mushrooms and live to forage again, without overwhelming the reader. From basic mycology to tips on how to tell mushroom species apart to the importance of proper storage, this book will have you identifying and harvesting mushrooms in no time. If you are a fan of other Storey books, such as Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees or Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens, this will fit right in with your collection.

I did not read How to Forage for Mushrooms without Dying through an educator lens.

How to Forage for Mushrooms without Dying by Frank Hyman was a fantastic book on this topic. The organization was easy to follow as was the information. The straightforward nature of the book in regards to what to look for, how to avoid dying, where to find mushrooms, and other tidibts is something that I appreciate greatly. The photography throughout this book was so well done. I could easily take this with me on a forage outing and be able to identify what I can and cannot eat and understand why. I will definitely be purchasing a copy of this for myself and a few friends.

This must simply have one of the best titles going - foraging for mushrooms without dying!

I, like many people, want to be confident in discovering mushrooms that are edible and can be safely gathered. This book definitely holds your hand and gently guides you to find those treasures when out walking.

Definitely a reference book for your shelf that you'll get plenty of use out of.

I wish I had a physical copy to gift to my outdoor loving sister. REally cute, interesting read even for someone who is not outdoorsy themselves. Thanks to netgalleys and the publisher for sending this to me.

I think it's a good enough starter book if you to read if you're interested in learning the basics of foraging for mushrooms. It's written in a way that people like me, who have no background on the plant sciences, could quickly grasp. There is also a whole chapter dedicated to safe and responsible foraging. All in all, reading this book is a fun and fascinating experience.

I was very interested in this book because I have found several of the mushrooms on my land so I found the book 📖 to be extremely helpful. Thank you for the Advance Reader's Copy Storey Publishing. Mr. Frank Hyman because of your expertise at foraging mushrooms I've learned so very much.

I found out about 29 of the good edible mushrooms and I found two for sure on my land. The book also advised you of the xx the mushrooms you should stay clear of. The book also has plenty of resources on everything you need to know about mushrooms. I found this book very helpful and I give this book ***** stars ✨ because I found it very helpful. This book review is of my own opinion. I hope you decide to read it and get as much as I did from it.

This book is fantastic! humorous and informative. I feel inspired to seek out a local foraging group. The pictures didn't look great on the kindle addition. I thought the layout on my computer was fantastic. I would buy as a gift or for myself.

This is an excellent book on foraging for mushrooms! It's written by a man that's licenced to sell forage and sell mushrooms in the United States. I love how it's written in plain English, and has beautiful color pictures of the mushrooms that he's describing. It's full of the history and facts about mushrooms. It contains the dangers, medicinal uses, and use as food. It's a great guide for beginner foragers!

Super informative! I was drawn in by the matter of fact title. Not dying. It’s hard enough to trust whomever you comb the forest with, much less trust yourself to share your fungi collection with anyone else.

I would like to thank Storey Publishing for providing me with an advance readers copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.

For reference, I’m a novice when it comes to foraging mushrooms, having learned a bit through survival courses, foreign travel, and my latest desire to get and train a Lagotto Romagnolo who I plan to name Macchiato. Once got a tad ill eating what should have been easily identified morel, now I know it was more likely inappropriate preparation, so after reading this book, it makes complete sense. My confidence is building though and I’m grateful for the treasures in this book. With that said, I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in foraging mushrooms, whether beginner or expert, as I think it spans a significantly important range of historical context, anatomy, identification, preparation, handling, storage, and cooking without being pretentious or belabored, hitting the highlights while not being too geographically niche or of mushrooms that are less commonly eaten.

There is a lot of information about foraging out there and it can get pretty overwhelming with certain rules that have exceptions that can make the process confusing. I liked the approach to foraging and the uniqueness in its safe and uncomplicated mushroom recognition. It covers plenty of information that is easy to read, simple to navigate while being interesting and perceptive. I appreciated the verbiage and guidelines, not difficult to remember, they don’t overreach nor ignore subtle difference that I’m just learning about.

The illustrations are also a great asset. A great balance of diagram, overall features depicted, along with sharp macro shots.

I look forward to having a copy for my reference library.

*I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley and the publishers.*

For years, my father had taken me along mushroom hunting with him. I've always enjoyed the time together in nature and the spoils of foraging, but though I have a passing familiarity with the different species, it's not enough for me to venture out on my own. This book immediately appealed to me, as a straightforward guide on what I can and can't eat.

As the title promises, this is a humorous and informative overview on, well, how to forage mushrooms without dying. The format is effective, starting off with safety guidelines, biological information and a general background on the topic, building a foundational understanding on the topic for readers. I appreciated the author's stringent and consistent emphasis on safety throughout the entire book. The decision to highlight a few of the most sought-after mushrooms rather than detailing a large number is perfect for beginners and intermediate foragers. The information on each species is on point as well: the appearance, lookalikes, where and when they can be found, how they can best be prepared and preserved... It's comprehensive without being long-winded about it, and covers all the essentials. I'm sure the sections on cooking and preservation will be especially useful to many readers. The book also covers other useful information, such as how to get certified with foraging and how to go about selling excess finds.

I also enjoyed the humorous and practical tone, and the anecdotes sprinkled throughout, which kept it entertaining. I have to mention the bit that highlighted threats from climate change and encouraged foragers to consider it - as an environmentalist, I really appreciated that!

One caveat that should be noted is that this book will be most useful for readers based in the USA, as all of the location and seasonal information is focused on that region. It's understandable as the author is from there, however that does make the book less useful for readers based elsewhere, as descriptions may be less accurate for where you live, and you should consult local guides (both written and human). Nevertheless, there's a lot of other information in here that will be useful regardless of where you live. This is definitely a book I'd want to pick up a physical copy of for reference, to take along while foraging!

I found this book very informative, as a person who enjoys mushrooms, I find many pop out of the ground on our farm. Many are easy to identify, but lately there has been quite a few that have intrigued me.
This book is very detailed with a lot of information, description and photographs.
I have never gone foraging in the country side but my parents had in Europe, with tales of tasty meals of mushrooms.
Here in Australia I see many people forage in forests and would love to find out more of what is eatable. This book is a good starting point to learn and look at mushrooms, to be more aware of the identification of some that grow in the area,.and to seek more information on mushroom that may be eatable.
An excellent book for experienced hunters and a good starting point for beginners.

I will definitely buy this book as we are homesteaders who love to forage for mushrooms and fiddle heads. Knowing what is safe and how to cook them is always important information. I will have this book on my shelf to refer back on and like the title says..... to forage without dying.