By Jessica Sims

The Book: Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures (2020) by Merlin Sheldrake, 368 pages

Mushrooms are having a moment. Workshops, books, and classes on wild mushroom foraging abound, while fantastic fungi can be found populating books and TV shows. But these incredible organisms, albeit an excellent device in science fiction, also have so much to teach us about the natural world.

For September and October, the OFNC Book Club will dive into the exciting world of mycology with British biologist Merlin Sheldrake’s smash hit from 2020. The book will be the focus of the first book club meeting on Zoom on Tuesday, October 29 at 7 p.m.

From the publisher of Entangled Life: “When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave.

Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They are metabolic masters, earth makers, and key players in most of life’s processes. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. By examining fungi on their own terms, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms—and our relationships with them—are changing our understanding of how life works.”

To register to attend the book club meeting (all OFNC members are welcome) please follow this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkce-qpzMtHNBIkE9SGmyN2VBQSl3g2wyy#/registration

If you’d like to be added to the book club’s mailing list (which allows you to vote for future books), please email ofncbookclub@gmail.com with your name and email address.