litwtchreads's review
4.5
This was a really fascinating book. Like all Object Lessons, this is part memoir, part cultural exploration of an object, in this case, a Mushroom, that we see all around us. I enjoyed reading this and think the author's writing style was well-suited to this subject. 4.5 Stars
kairosdreaming's review
3.0
*This book was received as an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley.
This was my first book in the Object Lessons series. I didn't really know what to expect. The description makes it seem as if it takes mundane objects and reveals them in detail. And I guess that's what happened here, but maybe not in the way that I thought it would.
In Mushroom, Rich separates the story of the mushroom into two parts, per season, repeating seasons. The first part usually details some information on a particular mushroom, her experiences foraging it, and maybe some information on preparation/taste. The second part varies wildly; it ultimately looks at the mushroom through sociological/philosophical connotations.
I don't think this book is for the average person going in and reading about mushrooms. Trying to read it out loud was like doing a tongue twister. Lots of pretty, academic words jumbled into a mix. It bounced around so much as well, especially in those second parts. In one minute, we could be talking about nuclear fallout, in the next, the religious tendencies of Stamets. In other ways, the book seemed like a memoir of Rich's experiences. None of this is a bad thing, but again, not what I was expecting in a book presumably about mushrooms.
I will say that it had some nice imagery in it and the artist in me now has a few thoughts for creating. But overall, I'm not sure this was a great introduction into the Object Lesson series, if indeed most are about the objects themselves and less the writer.
Review by M. Reynard 2023
This was my first book in the Object Lessons series. I didn't really know what to expect. The description makes it seem as if it takes mundane objects and reveals them in detail. And I guess that's what happened here, but maybe not in the way that I thought it would.
In Mushroom, Rich separates the story of the mushroom into two parts, per season, repeating seasons. The first part usually details some information on a particular mushroom, her experiences foraging it, and maybe some information on preparation/taste. The second part varies wildly; it ultimately looks at the mushroom through sociological/philosophical connotations.
I don't think this book is for the average person going in and reading about mushrooms. Trying to read it out loud was like doing a tongue twister. Lots of pretty, academic words jumbled into a mix. It bounced around so much as well, especially in those second parts. In one minute, we could be talking about nuclear fallout, in the next, the religious tendencies of Stamets. In other ways, the book seemed like a memoir of Rich's experiences. None of this is a bad thing, but again, not what I was expecting in a book presumably about mushrooms.
I will say that it had some nice imagery in it and the artist in me now has a few thoughts for creating. But overall, I'm not sure this was a great introduction into the Object Lesson series, if indeed most are about the objects themselves and less the writer.
Review by M. Reynard 2023
acornsbooksandcoffee's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
Mushroom is an interesting foray into mushrooms, philosophy, religion, and the human condition. Told over six chapters, Sarah Rich review the uses and history of a number of mushrooms while also exploring their cultural and philosophical properties. The writing style is very rhythmic and easy to read. Mushroom was very informative and got me thinking about the world around me and how everything ties together in ways that I don't usually take the time to think about.
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