Mycelium Running

I had the opportunity to hear Paul Stamets speak at SOMA, a sleep-away camp for mushroom nerds in Northern California. Believe me when I say, it was as if the Beatles had descended when he stepped onstage. Short of screaming and the tearing off of t-shirts, the crowd hung on his every word, not a soul blinking or talking for fear of missing something. The word “visionary” is often used to describe Stamets, and I would add “architect”, for he maps out for the world in Mycelium Running how mushrooms can help save our planet. I used to think he… show more.

This book reveals the critical role mushrooms play in maintaining ecosystem health. Research has uncovered the stunning degree to which fungi regulate life on this planet. Paul Stamets shares that here while also explaining myriad ways mushrooms can be used to repair the web of life that we have damaged. For example, oyster mushrooms have been shown to be effective at digesting hydrocarbons such as diesel and motor oil, rendering them inert and non-toxic. The information and perspectives provided in this book are downright eye-opening; Mycelium Running invariably inspires while at the same time also pointing to practical solutions.