MycoRant

Mr. Bloomfield’s Orchard by Nicholas P. Money

Reviewed by Robert Rogers

I really enjoyed this book — for the second time. I read it previously after borrowing it from the local library and thought it was a good read then. This time around however, I enjoyed it like a gourmet dinner, with truffles of course, rather than a quick snack.

Cover of Mr. Bloomfield's Orchard by Nicolas P. Money

The book is not only interesting but well written, with the requisite hyperbole and numerous allegories needed to acquaint one with this unique world.

I especially enjoyed the chapters on Phallus and Cordyceps species. Being Canadian, I found myself taking pride in the work of Reginald Buller, one of the greatest experimental mycologists in history.

But what I like most about it is that it is genuine and authentic. Professor Money lives and breathes the subject, and because of his intimate knowledge of fungi, it feels as if we are invited into a secret room that is shared in silence and reverence. It is as if the world of mushrooms takes on its own life through his senses, and we get to share his excitement and wonder. It is like have a shaving of truffle put on a plate of home-made pasta, so that the aroma fills the air and our visual senses are intertwined with olfactory satisfaction. It is a book I can recommend to anyone interested in the Kingdom of Fungi.

Robert Rogers is an educator and consultant living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is a Professional member of the American Herbalist Guild, Past Chair of the Alberta Natural Health Agricultural Network, Past Chair of the Community Health Council, on the faculty of the Holistic Health Practitioners Program at Grant MacEwan College, a Fellow of the International College of Nutrition, a Director of the Western Canada Functional Food & Natural Health Product Network, and is on the Science Board at Immunall Scientific Inc. He is currently the  Vice President of the Alberta Mycological Society.

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Mr. Bloomfield’s Orchard: The Mysterious World of Mushrooms, Molds, and Mycologists

Tags: book, Money