Mushrooming With Confidence

 

Mushrooming With Confidence: A Guide to Collecting Edible and Tasty Mushrooms, by Alexander Schwab
Skyhorse Publishing paperback, also available as an ebook
November 2012
ISBN: 978-1-62087-195-9
Price: $14.95

This book is a delight.  In this guide Alexander Schwab describes how mushrooms grow, what the various parts of a mushroom are, and how to be sure that the mushroom you select is the edible treasure you are seeking.  The beautiful clear photographs, the easy to understand descriptions, and the helpful color bars and identification steps, make this book is a wonderful resource.  I love this book.

The book begins with helpful advice on how to use this guide to safely identify and gather edible mushrooms. 

The next section, ‘The Mushrooming with Confidence Method’ introduces the topic of what edible means.  The author points out that the definition of ‘edible’ is merely non-poisonous, which could include cardboard.  The author’s goal is for the reader to learn to identify and collect tasty mushrooms and leave questionable or non-prime specimens.  Other topics in this section include leaving some mushrooms to encourage growth for next season/year, steps to make sure you are choosing the mushroom that is edible and not a look-alike poisonous mushroom,  tools for gathering and transporting mushrooms, the issue of worms,  whether to cut or pull a mushroom, and the advisability of cooking wild mushrooms rather than eating them raw.

Next, the author introduces the basics of what a mushroom is and what parts make up a mushroom. I enjoyed learning about the different mushroom parts from the excellent photos with accurate identifying tags.

The next section of the guide describes the various features that separate different mushrooms such as gills, ridges, tubes and spines and how to tell which you are looking at on a particular mushroom.

‘Positively identifying Mushrooms’ contains sections describing edible mushrooms grouped into types.  Each mushroom is shown in sharply focused mouthwatering photographs, described in clear language and with unique features accurately pointed out so identification can be confidently made.  I liked the inclusion of specific Information about where each type of mushroom commonly grows (for example some grow near birch, while others may grow near oak.)  A positive id checklist along with a color bar is provided for each tasty edible mushroom. 

The table  of common trees and which mushrooms most frequently grow near each tree makes it easier to search for mushrooms in your local area and make success more likely.

The guide also includes a section on safely cleaning, preparing and storing mushrooms by drying or freezing.    An index makes it easy to find a particular topic or mushroom.  The list of the top 25 best to eat and most common mushrooms is colorful and useful.

Using this guide, I was able to identify mushrooms, such as hen of the woods, which grow in my area.   I liked everything about this colorful and precise guide including its glossy format, the close-up photos, the easy to use layout for the tables and identification steps, the tips on cleaning and use of the various mushrooms and the confidence building details included throughout.  I can see that I will have to be careful about loaning this book out because it is such a treasure that I might not get it back!  

 Reviewer for Bookpleasures.com

City of Exiles review

 

CITY OF EXILES (Signet Mass Market Paperback Original; December 4^th, 2012; $9.99)

By Alec Nevala-Lee

ISBN: 978-0-451-23878-8

City of Exiles is a thrilling read with its multi-faceted characters and fast action.    From the moment the story begins with Manuel, an assassin, waiting to close in on his target, suspense builds and the plot twists in unique and thrilling ways.  Ilya, a Russian Jew and a former Russian agent was betrayed by his government so he left their service and has established a cover for himself as a translator.  He narrowly escapes the assassination attempt.  Ilya begins to investigate who wants him killed and why now.

Rachel Wolfe, a special agent with the FBI was sent to work as a liaison officer to the Serious Organized Crime Agency in London.  Rachel is assisting in an international investigation and dealing with her feelings of disenchantment with the Mormon Church and dissatisfaction with her life in total. Rachel is working with Alan Powell.  Powell had specifically asked for Rachel as liaison and respects her abilities but Rachel is feeling barely tolerated by other members of the team.

 Lasse Karvonnen is a current Russian agent who prides himself on never killing a fellow Finn but has no hesitation when killing others.  There is a contrast between Ilya, who is suspected in the torture and killing of several people, and Lasse Karvonnen, the Finnish assassin who delights in killing.  Karvonnen does not hesitate to kill Renata, a drug addicted photographer he has been working with as a cover.

Rachel and Powell are on Ilya’s trail as they suspect him in some recent murders.  Rachel becomes intrigued when Vasylenko calls Ilya a righteous man and states that he wouldn’t kill anyone unless he were deeply confused.  Rachel feels a strange connection with Ilya in her quest to decipher the deadly plot which may threaten thousands if not millions of people.  Ilya is alienated from the Russian spy network because he was betrayed by them.  Rachel feels alienated from her church, family and from the local authorities whom she feels don’t recognize her value.

Rachel has to balance her need for support in the foreign environment with caution because there is a traitor leaking information from somewhere in the organization.  Critical information leaks have allowed the enemy to be one jump ahead of her at crucial moments.  Key witnesses and pieces of evidence have been removed or destroyed.   The quick action, combined with the interesting characters meld together to make an excellent spy thriller.

Although part of a series, City of Exiles stands alone on its merits.  This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to more from Alec Nevala-Lee. 

Reviewer for Bookpleasures.com