National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms

by Gary Lincoff
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms cover
Good Books rating 4.12
Education and Reference
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  • ID: 7176
  • Added: 2025-12-12
  • Updated: 2025-12-12
  • Publisher: Knopf
  • Published: 1981-12-12
  • Reviews: 4

The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms is an indispensable resource for mushroom enthusiasts and nature lovers. With more than 700 mushrooms detailed with color photographs and descriptive text, this guide is the most comprehensive of its kind. Organized visually by color and shape, it makes identification simple and accurate in the field. Each species account includes a detailed physical description, information on edibility, season, habitat, range, look-alikes, alternative names, and fascinating facts on edible and poisonous species, uses, and folklore. In addition to the identification guides, the book features a supplementary section on cooking and eating wild mushrooms, along with illustrations identifying the parts of a mushroom. This essential guide is perfect for both beginners and experienced foragers, providing all the information needed to safely and accurately identify mushrooms in the wild.

Reviews
Foraging · 2026-01-04
comprehensive 4.50

The Amazon reviews average to 5 stars, indicating a high level of satisfaction among readers. This guide is praised for its comprehensive coverage and user-friendly format.

Foraging notes that the Amazon reviews for this book average to 5 stars, reflecting a high level of satisfaction among readers. They appreciate the book's comprehensive coverage of North American mushrooms and its user-friendly format. The guide is praised for making complex information accessible and practical for foragers of all levels. They highlight its reliability and the positive feedback it has received from a wide range of users.

Quick quotes

    The Amazon reviews average to 5 stars, indicating a high level of satisfaction among readers.

    This guide is praised for its comprehensive coverage and user-friendly format.

    The book makes complex information accessible and practical for foragers of all levels.

Barnes & Noble · 2025-12-12
essential 4.50

This field guide is highly recommended for both new and experienced mushroom hunters, praised for its comprehensive coverage and stunning photographs. It is considered a must-have for anyone interested in mushrooms.

Mushroom enthusiasts and hunters alike will find this guide indispensable. The book is lauded for its extensive coverage of mushroom species and the high-quality photographs that accompany the descriptions. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced hunter, this guide provides valuable information and visual aids that make it a must-have for your collection. The practicality and clarity of the identification keys further enhance its utility in the field.

Quick quotes

    A must have for ANY mushroom hunter whether new or experienced!

    I've read most all books available on mushrooms of the West/Pacific NW and this is by far the ...

    It is more up to date than most books.

North American Mycological Association · 2025-12-12
useful 3.50

The book has a slight bias towards eastern North American species and limited photographic references, but it offers good species descriptions including spore data. It is a useful resource for mushroom identification despite its limitations.

This guide is particularly useful for those interested in mushroom identification, especially in eastern North America. The detailed species descriptions and spore data make it a valuable tool for both beginners and experienced mushroom hunters. However, the limited photographic references and regional bias may require supplementation with other resources for a more comprehensive understanding of North American mushrooms.

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    The original book by Lincoff has a bit of an eastern-North-American bias, limited photographic references – but good species descriptions (including spore data).

    It is a useful resource for mushroom identification despite its limitations.

    The book offers good species descriptions including spore data.

A-Z Animals · 2025-02-18
practical 4.00

This guide is a classic and very useful, though the formatting may take some getting used to. It is a practical reference with clear identification keys and a spore-print chart. It is recommended for those who prefer detailed and accurate information.

This field guide is a classic in the world of mushroom identification. Its detailed and accurate information, coupled with clear identification keys and a spore-print chart, make it a practical reference for both beginners and experienced mushroom hunters. The formatting may take some time to get used to, but the wealth of information and the high-quality photographs make it a valuable addition to any mycologist's library. The book's emphasis on practicality and accuracy ensures that it remains a go-to resource for mushroom enthusiasts.

Quick quotes

    A very useful classic: The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms by Gary Lincoff, 1981, Chanticleer Press.

    Reviewers widely praise this field guide as a go-to, photo-rich reference that is practical in the field, with clear identification keys, a spore-print chart, ...

    Good mushroom book, but the formatting takes awhile to get used to.

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