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The Fungal Pharmacy
Medicinal Mushrooms of Western Canada
By Robert Rogers
Review by Jeanne Elpel

      Discover the wonderful world of mushrooms. You will be amazed at the medicinal aspects and potential of mushrooms. The Fungal Pharmacy will motivate you to learn more about mycology, the study of fungi. Moreover, The Fungal Pharmacy will help focus your studies on certain mushrooms with specific medicinal properties.

      This was my first mushroom book and honestly at least a third was over my head, especially when discussing specific amino acids or specific medicinal properties (i.e., contains ceramide with an unusual sphingoid base). However, knowing which mushrooms to ingest for treating muscle cramps, altitude sickness or diabetes is invaluable. Rather than overwhelm, Robert Rogers motivated me to read further about specific mushrooms of interest. I am now making smarter choices at the grocery store and looking forward to growing certain mushrooms.

      Rogers provides charts of mushrooms cross referenced to ailments and diseases for quick reference. The book includes an index with both Latin and common names and is organized in alphabetical order by Latin name. The mushroom information in this book overlaps Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms by Paul Staments, but Rogers has handy charts for quick reference. The charts indicate specific mushrooms for an ailment, which are detailed in the descriptions.

      As a bonus Rogers includes anecdotes, history and information on other uses such as microremediation. Bare in mind The Fungal Pharmacy is not an identification book and is best used in combination with a good mushroom identification guide. 234 Pages. July 2006. Prairie Deva Press.

Also be sure to see
Tom's Mushroom Photo Album