This Naturalist Book Discussion explores a stunning debut by naturalist, forager, and educator Maria Pinto, who reveals the strange and beautiful connections between fungi and human history. Blending research, reportage, memoir, and nature writing, the book traces how mushrooms have shaped survival, culture, and resilience, from truffle traditions developed by Black farmers to the hidden roles fungi may have played in resistance and survival. Through these stories, Pinto invites readers to see fungi as part of vast, interconnected networks: ecological, ancestral, and communal. This discussion offers an opportunity to reflect together on the power, mystery, and diversity of the fungal world and its deep ties to our own lives.

Northshore Master Naturalists and Head of the Lakes Master Naturalists
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