{"product_id":"close-encounters-of-the-fungal-kind-by-richard-fortey","title":"Close Encounters of the Fungal Kind (Hardback) - By Richard Fortey","description":"\u003cp\u003eThere are three great kingdoms of life – Animals, Plants and Fungi – but the fungi always come in third place. This may be because fungi seem alien to many people: their strange forms, their rapid appearance and disappearance, their hidden means of feeding and propagation. In \u003cem\u003eClose Encounters of the Fungal Kind\u003c\/em\u003e, acclaimed scientist and author Richard Fortey acknowledges this otherworldliness, marvels at their unique charm and boots-up as a guide through this great, mysterious Kingdom of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo Fortey, the strangeness of fungi is what makes them so exciting. Many people find them alien and threatening: the way so many toadstools appear so quickly and disappear with equal dispatch; their strange forms and colours; their reputation as poisoners. But for Fortey, the extraordinary nature of fungi makes him wonder, think and marvel. In \u003cem\u003eClose Encounters of a Fungal Kind\u003c\/em\u003e, Fortey leads us on a glorious literary journey, narrated through field trips to real places in search of the strangest, most extraordinary, or even most delicious fungi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWriting with characteristic warmth, wit and wisdom, Fortey focuses on a selection of the larger fungi, the kind that might be spotted on a country walk, and a handful of microfungi that have particularly caught his attention. His enthusiasm and passion as a life-long ‘mushroom twitcher’ is infectious as he shares his own ‘close encounters’ and brings us along on his treks through this magnificent Kingdom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe unique charm of the mushrooms themselves is centre stage in this gripping narrative that explains what fungi do in the natural world and rejoices in their profusion and diversity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHardback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eH 241mm x W 164mm x D 34mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e336 Pages\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49916449751381,"sku":"","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0906\/4677\/4101\/files\/CloseEncountersoftheFungalKind.jpg?v=1732137170","url":"https:\/\/www.wildfungarium.com\/products\/close-encounters-of-the-fungal-kind-by-richard-fortey","provider":"Wild Fungarium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}