Why am I passionate about this?
I’ve always been fascinated by great ideas, even wrong ones. As a child, I read a ‘science’ book that proposed that atoms are like solar systems inhabited by electron-sized people and animals. It was bonkers but it got me thinking about astronomy, biology, and particle physics and I retain that fascination today (though I no longer believe in tiny people living inside atoms). But ideas, even wrong ones, can be endlessly fruitful. Einstein came up with the idea of quantum entanglement ‘spooky action at a distance’ as he called it, supposedly as an example of where quantum mechanics goes wrong. A few decades later, experiments proved quantum entanglement was real.
Johnjoe's book list on the big ideas that changed our world
Why did Johnjoe love this book?
Who would have thought fungi could be so fascinating and clever?
In this very easy to read but informative book, Sheldrake explores the intricate and symbiotic world of fungi and their invisible connections with plants and animals. From mycelium networks that connect plants underground to the potential of fungi in medicine, psychedelics, biotechnology, the book uncovers the hidden and remarkable abilities of fungi.
Sheldrake challenges our perception of fungi as mere decomposers or organic matter and reveals their immense impact on our planet. For my taste, Entangled Life does occasionally stray into wishy-washy mystical magic mushroom ramblings but Sheldrake’s engaging storytelling and scientific insights, Entangled Life offers a captivating journey into the interconnectedness of life through the lens of fungi.
17 authors picked Entangled Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “brilliant [and] entrancing” (The Guardian) journey into the hidden lives of fungi—the great connectors of the living world—and their astonishing and intimate roles in human life, with the power to heal our bodies, expand our minds, and help us address our most urgent environmental problems.
“Grand and dizzying in how thoroughly it recalibrates our understanding of the natural world.”—Ed Yong, author of I Contain Multitudes
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Time, BBC Science Focus, The Daily Mail, Geographical, The Times, The Telegraph, New Statesman, London Evening Standard, Science Friday
When we think…