Mushroom mania: 11 fantastic listens about fungi

Did you know that the Earth used to be dotted with fungi more than two stories tall? That they were the largest living structures on dry land for millions of years? Fungi are the founders of new ecosystems and the equalizers of old ones, including the ecosystems inside us. They may regulate our brain function as closely as they regulate the life cycles of extreme radioactive environments. These are a few of the astounding facts that lace Merlin Sheldrake’s fascinating narrative in Entangled Life. His narration is so contemplative and rhythmic that it is hard to resist, making this quirky story of fungus surprisingly compelling and delightfully calming.

Terence McKenna, ethnobotanist and mystic, sets forth a theory about the influence of psilocybin-containing plants and mushrooms on the evolution of the human race in Food of the Gods. Going back hundreds of thousands of years, he presents a theory for how these plants helped humans adapt to their environment, form language, and even develop civilizations. Jeffrey Kafer narrates this fascinating history that will make listeners reconsider what they think they know about the roots and rise of human culture.

In this New York Times bestseller, Michael Pollan shares how he initially began to research psychedelics and magic mushrooms to understand how they offered relief to those suffering from chronic pain, addiction, and debilitating depression and anxiety. As he became immersed in the study of perception-altering plants, he made a startling discovery—these substances often work wonders for not only the chronically ill but also healthy people facing everyday challenges. In this deeply personal self-narrated listen, Pollan combines a deep dive into the science behind psychedelic drugs with a gripping account of his journey to an exciting new frontier in our understanding of human consciousness and mental resilience.

This title brings clarity and insight to one of today's buzziest superfoods: adaptogenic mushrooms. Healing Mushrooms provides a comprehensive guide to 10 of nature's most powerful fungi, including familiar varieties (shiitake, oyster) as well as exotic (Cordyceps, Reishi). Author Tero Isokauppila is a Finnish self-styled nomad who has spent his career researching the benefits of a number of mushrooms, as well as some of the best ways to cook them. Through extensive field research and much experience in the kitchen, Isokauppila takes the listener from A to Z on each species of mushrooms and its properties, along with serving up 50 tasty mushroom-boosted recipes.

Seattle-based food writer and culinary adventurer Langdon Cook ventures deep into the wild to uncover the multilayered secrets of fungus in The Mushroom Hunters. Mushrooms are what Cook calls one of nature’s truly wild foods, and there is still much to learn about these incredible jewels of the culinary world. To better understand the subject, Cook joins forces with a team of mushroom experts and traders, taking listeners for a riveting ride into the seedy underbelly of the industry. Narrator Kevin Free captures the intrigue, thrill, and fun of the wild mushroom hunt, winning an Earphones Award for his performance.

The Mushroom at the End of the World takes a look at one of the most valuable (and downright strange) mushrooms on the planet: matsutake. This fungal variant is key to many ecosystems, growing in human-disturbed areas and restoring the natural order throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is also a delicacy in Japan, often sold at sky-high prices. This thoughtful exposé is as bleak as it is optimistic, providing listeners with a sense of hope for restoring our planet while not shying away from the grim realities of capitalism and human destruction.

A zombie story with a bite, The Girl with All the Gifts is a unique listen that’s best approached without too much prior knowledge. Like the 2016 film adaptation starring Sennia Nanua and Glenn Close, M.R. Carey’s postapocalyptic tale centers on a little girl named Melanie living in a future world plunged into fear and uncertainty by a fungus that has transformed most of humanity into empty, flesh-hungry creatures. But Melanie is not your average child. With a nonstop thrill ride of a plot and a cast of thoughtfully written, multidimensional characters, this listen will surprise you at every possible turn. Narrator Finty Williams’s performance of Melanie and all the players is heartfelt and dynamic, perfectly complementing this eerie and affecting dystopian story.

What could possibly be more terrifying than a rapidly spreading fungal outbreak? How about one that sets its hosts on fire? Bestselling author Joe Hill (NOS4A2, Heart-Shaped Box) drops listeners directly into this brutal scenario. This story follows Harper Grayson, a pregnant nurse who has treated hundreds of fungal infections. Everything changes when she notices symptoms of infection on herself. What follows is a bid for survival as Harper's husband, Jakob, abandons her in a fit of paranoia. When all hope seems lost, a mysterious figure known only as "the fireman" arrives, sporting what seems to be a resistance to the outbreak. This listen is as hopeful as it is bleak and full of suspense, with a brilliant vocal performance by Kate Mulgrew.

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher"—a short story that helped define the Gothic genre—is imaginatively retold in T. Kingfisher's 1890s-set What Moves the Dead. Upon receiving word that a dear childhood friend, Madeline Usher, is dying, military veteran Alex Easton makes the journey to the Ushers' ancestral home. What's waiting there is unexpected, to say the least—sprawling fungal overgrowth and wildlife that seems to be possessed by forces unknown. Fans of The Last of Us and others acquainted with mycological body horror need only glimpse at this listen's disturbing yet strangely beautiful cover to grasp its nightmarish appeal.

Though it’s the 11th book in a 13-book saga, A Series of Unfortunate Events, this one is a personal fav—and, yes, it features mushrooms. The Grim Grotto takes the Baudelaire children on a submarine adventure, like a dark version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The submarine is captained by the charismatic Captain Widdershins, whose daughter Fiona is a mycologist. The undersea exploits shared by the children lead them to an underwater cave populated by the fictional (and deadly!) mushroom species, medusoid mycelium. Without giving too much away, this formidable fungus becomes a focal point for the remainder of the series. Tim Curry narrates, brilliantly.

This powerful work of speculative fiction is set in a world suffering an apocalyptic viral plague, though it's not a fungal outbreak. But like many fungal outbreak stories, How High We Go in the Dark suggests climate change as the culprit. Sequoia Nagamatsu's stunning debut takes a dark turn as an archeologist grieving the loss of his daughter sets into motion a disastrous series of events when melting permafrost exposes the corpse of a girl who seemingly died of an ancient virus. The outbreak forces humankind to be inventive as well as perseverant. Nagamatsu's take on adapting to life after an apocalypse is one of deep compassion, built upon a narrative web woven so intricately that you'll want to listen again and again just to see what you've missed. And it's performed by a full cast of talented voices, including Brian Nishii and Julia Whelan.