Foraging for wild mushrooms is an increasingly popular pursuit and this beautifully produced volume—filled with insights, anecdotes and details about more than 120 common and charismatic fungi from across the northern hemisphere—will appeal to everyone from beginner mushroomers to advanced mycophiles.

Mushrooming offers a new perspective on the fascinating, edible, deadly and strange world of fungi, from candy caps to earth stars, puff balls to poison pie, prized chanterelles, morels, hedgehogs and the bloodless destroying angel. There are mushrooms named after fairies and demons, little brown mushrooms that are wildly hallucinogenic, phallic specimens prized as aphrodisiacs, and mushrooms that are the colour of precious jewels. Some mushrooms look so much like woodland birds they are shot at by hunters, and others, incredibly, glow in the dark.

Walk along with award-winning artist and educator Diane Borsato and illustrator Kelsey Oseid as they inspire foragers at all levels to see the wondrousness of fungi wherever they are: in the forest, the city park or the local market.

Learn how mushrooming can radically expand our perspectives, connect us to nature and quietly enrich our lives.

Diane Borsato is an artist, naturalist and educator. She is an associate professor of Experimental Studio at the University of Guelph. She has exhibited her work involving mushrooms, bees, raptors, orchards and tea in galleries and museums around the world; and was the co-editor and a contributor to the book Outdoor School Contemporary Environmental Art (D&M, 2021). She lives in Toronto, ON.

Diane Borsato's profile page

Kelsey Oseid is an illustrator, author, and amateur naturalist based in Minneapolis, MN. Her gouache illustrations focus on natural history subjects like taxonomy, biodiversity, and taxidermy, as well as related subjects like astronomy and the ways humans relate to the natural world. She is the author and illustrator of three books with Ten Speed Press.

Kelsey Oseid's profile page

"Mushrooming is, in every way, a delightful book."

Eugenia Bone, author of <i>Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms</i>

"A delightful, eclectic and enjoyable tour of mushrooms and their place in our world…This is a book that isn't afraid to mix the personal with the practical and will thrill many readers because of that."

Tristan Gooley, author of <i>The Natural Navigator</i>

"Absolutely terrific. This is a volume that, at first glance, is a field guide. But peering closer, as every mycologist knows, brings reward. Borsato’s species descriptions are bright and lyrical; accompanying caps and stems rendered lovingly by Oseid. From art to culture to food, Mushrooming is a celebration of the human relationship with fungi."

Jonathan C. Slaght, author of <i>Owls of the Eastern Ice</i>

"I want to live in Diane Borsato’s brain. What a joy it is to experience the fruiting bodies of her deep wide intellect in this book about mushrooms, art, forests, feminism, poison, pasta, and so much more. This is my favourite kind of fence jumping, perspective shifting, deliciously illustrated, eloquently enquiring, radically alive book."

Kyo Maclear, author of <i>Birds Art Life</i>

“Mushrooming is an exquisite production…Whether you’re an enthusiastic beginner or an experienced mycophile, this guide has something to offer for everyone. The guide is brought to life by two exceptional talents – Diane Borsato and Kelsey Oseid… For those passionate about nature, foraging, or simply embracing the quiet hunt for mushrooms, this book is an essential addition to your collection. Let it expand your perspective, connect you to the natural world, and enrich your life in ways you never imagined.”

<i>Canadian Cookbooks</i>

"There is a worldwide resurgence of interest in fungi, so Mushrooming arrives at a perfect time...Diane Borsato's tales of mushroom hunters, the gouache renditions by Kelly Oseid and yes, the culinary side of mushrooms (choose them carefully!) combine to make this book a delightful adventure from beginning to end."

Jay Ingram, author of <i>The Science of Everyday Life</i>

"Every turn of the page in Mushrooming reveals surprising delights, between the eye-catching illustrations, cleverly quippy commentary and insightful background information. Whether you're the sort to dig in the dirt in search of mushrooms, are considering your next gastronomic adventure, or are simply eager to learn more about the natural history of our fungal friends—this book will speak to the mycologist in everyone."

Emily Graslie, creator of <i>The Brain Scoop</i> and <i>ART LAB</i> on YouTube, and host/writer of <i>Prehistoric Road Trip</i> on PBS

"Mushrooming is as much about identification as it is about finding wonder in all that surrounds us. Borsato frames the silent hunt through art, ecology, spirituality, ethics, and access. A guide unlike any other, this book is a must for artists, nature lovers, and anyone looking to find more magic in the world around them."

Jen Delos Reyes, author of <i>Open Engagement</i>

"Fungi are an order so mysterious they push our wonder and horror buttons simultaneously. In Mushrooming, Diane Borsato uses her radical curiosity to consider what they have to teach us about interconnection, the diversity of life, and the wildly creative possibilities of risk and attention."

Shary Boyle, Artist