Monday, September 23, 2013

Mushrooms for the People

My new book The Mushroom Hunters has been on the shelves for nearly two weeks and I couldn't be happier with the reception so far. If it inspires a few curious readers to get outside and interact with their natural environment, all the better.

The Wall Street Journal calls the book a "rollicking narrative...delivering vivid and cinematic scenes on every page," and The Seattle Timescomparing the book to Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief, Michael Pollan, and Hunter Thompson, says it both "instructs and delights" while "connect[ing] the dots between natural history, socioeconomics and cooking." Callers jammed the lines at both my Diane Rehm Show appearance and on Wisconsin Public Radio.

But equally important to me are the testaments from readers outside the professional media outlets. Ronald Holden at the Cornichon blog writes, "As always, it's Cook's story-telling skill that keeps you reading," and here's a post from a reader from Portland that recently circulated on Facebook:
I just finished reading The Mushroom Hunters by Langdon Cook... It's beautifully written and has a powerful, interwoven story. He really knocked this one out of the park! More than just a book about harvesting and selling mushrooms, he takes on so many important issues such as wealth/class structures, ecology and human interaction, small business challenges, immigration, and asks profound questions about happiness and satisfaction in life.
I feel lucky to have readers like these.

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In my next post I manage to sneak away from my desk to see why recreational mushroom hunters in the Pacific Northwest are calling this a banner year...

5 comments:

J9 said...

This review really says it all; "More than just a book about harvesting and selling mushrooms, he takes on so many important issues such as wealth/class structures, ecology and human interaction, small business challenges, immigration, and asks profound questions about happiness and satisfaction in life."

Read it on my iPad and made a lot of bookmarks!

Lynn said...

Can't wait to read it Langdon. Loved Fat of the Land and have recommended it to many. Hoping to get to go on one of your adventures one day.

Alfredo Medina González said...

¡¡¡Felicidades!!!

Bethany said...

So were you nervous to eat the first mushroom you picked yourself? I'd love to start foraging for them, but I'm scared!

Langdon Cook said...

Bethany - As a matter of fact, I was nervous. But I also knew I was in good hands. Go out with someone who knows what they're doing, or join a myco society. Mushroom hunting is one of my favorite ways to enjoy the outdoors. GL!