Entangled Life

How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures

By: Merlin Sheldrake

Narrated by: Merlin Sheldrake

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “brilliant [and] entrancing” (The Guardian) journey into the hidden lives of fungi—the great connectors of the living world—and their astonishing and intimate roles in human life, with the power to heal our bodies, expand our minds, and help us address our most urgent environmental problems.

“Grand and dizzying in how thoroughly it recalibrates our understanding of the natural world.”—Ed Yong, author of An Immense World

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Time, BBC Science Focus, The Daily Mail, Geographical, The Times, The Telegraph, New Statesman, London Evening Standard, Science Friday

When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave.

In the first edition of this mind-bending book, Sheldrake introduced us to this mysterious but massively diverse kingdom of life. This exquisitely designed volume, abridged from the original, features more than one hundred full-color images that bring the spectacular variety, strangeness, and beauty of fungi to life as never before.

Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They are metabolic masters, earth makers, and key players in most of life’s processes. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. By examining fungi on their own terms, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms—and our relationships with them—are changing our understanding of how life works.

Winner of the Wainwright Prize, the Royal Society Science Book Prize, and the Guild of Food Writers Award • Shortlisted for the British Book Award • Longlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize

©2020 Merlin Sheldrake (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Sheldrake is admirably humble, knowing that there is much more to be discovered about the fungal web all around us. He has a slightly husky, convincingly precise voice, and his mental and physical involvement in his subject is brought out by his thoughtful, amused narration and allusive, often almost poetic cast of mind.”—Christina Hardyment, The Times, Audiobook of the Week

“I fell in love with this book. Merlin is a scientist with the imagination of a poet and a beautiful writer. . . . This is a book that, by virtue of the power of its writing, shifts your sense of the human. . . . It will inspire a generation to enter mycology.”—Michael Pollan (Bay Area Book Festival, 2020)

“Fungi are everywhere, and Merlin Sheldrake is an ideal guide to their mysteries. He’s passionate, deeply knowledgeable, and a wonderful writer.”—Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction

Mind-blowing!

I loved learning all the new science around fungi and what we gain from symbiotic life.

Fascinating science, artfully told

I never thought a book about science could be so entertaining. Fungi are everywhere but little understood. Sheldrake is a compelling researcher and writer and his narration draws you into this largely unseen world.

A Fascinating Book

The author possesses a singular intelect...but a rather dry writing style. I'm not docking any points though, because it was a fascinating read.

superb

yet again another visionary Within mycology speaks in ways it seems directed only to me answering and confirming many of my questions and thoughts super informative and a great guide with references very useful resources

4.5/5

This was super interesting and taught me a lot not only about fungi but also agriculture and plants. I truly had no clue about a lot of what was in this book, and now look at the world differently because of it. I found it held my attention most of the time and was an easy listen.

Fungi are more in my life now

excellent narration, and plenty of moments that made me stop and say "wow, that's cool"

Amaze-ballz

Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaze-ballz Amaz e ball z wow that was amaze ballz

Great Narrator, not the book I was hoping for.

The book was excellent, unless you were hoping for something scholarly. The book relied a lot on argument from metaphor which makes for excellent and engaging story, but low academic value. I’m trying to learn more about fungus to teach my students and I didn’t get what I was personally looking for, even though I liked the book. I specifically wanted to learn about the evolutionary importance of fungus, but the book was far more about abstract relationships of fungus to other creatures. These relationships were often conveyed through metaphor.

Overall recommended and like other reviewers I loved the narrators voice.

My favorite Non-Fiction of 2020 (so far)

Terry Gilliam recommended this book and I picked it up soon after. This is one of those books that can transform the way you perceive and think-about the world. Added bonus, it is a very entertaining read, and the author does the audio perfectly!

A beautiful scientific tour of fungi

He so obviously loves what he studies, and he takes you along for a scientific tour of the state of the science. Enjoyable and informative, you will learn a lot and even be surprised.