Entangled Life

One of those rare books that can truly change the way you see the world around you, Entangled Life is a mercurial, revelatory, impassioned, urgent, astounding, and necessary read. It's fearless in scope, analytically astute, and brimming with infectious joy. --Helen Macdonald, author of H Is for Hawk 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 Entangled Life is a revelation. It is a radical, hopeful, and important book. I couldn't put it down. With elegance, wit, and clarity, Sheldrake engages us in the hidden world of fungi, a miraculous web of connections, interactions, and communication that changes the way we need to look at life, the planet, and ourselves. --Isabella Tree, author of Wilding Sheldrake awakens the reader to a shapeshifting, mind-altering, animate world that not only surrounds us but intimately involves us as well. A joyful exploration of the most overlooked and enigmatic kingdom of life, and one that expanded my appreciation of what it means to be alive. --Peter Brannen, author of The Ends of the World It is impossible to put this book down. Entangled Life provides a window into the mind-boggling biology and fascinating cultures surrounding fungal life. Sheldrake asks us to consider a life-form that is radically alien to ours, yet vibrant and lively underfoot. --Hans Ulrich Obrist, author of The Interview Project Sheldrake's charm and curiosity make for a book that is delightful to read, but also grand and dizzying in how thoroughly it recalibrates our understanding of the natural world, and the often-overlooked organisms within it. --Ed Yong, author of I Contain Multitudes This engaging book shines light on the hidden fungal connections that link plants, trees, and us. I thought I knew a lot about fungi, but I found much that was new to me, and exciting. Sheldrake is a rare scientist who is not afraid to speculate about the truly profound implications of his work. A very good read. --Andrew Weil, author of Spontaneous Healing and Healthy Aging True to his name, Merlin takes us on a magical journey deep into the roots of Nature--the mycelial universe that exists under every footstep we take in life. Merlin is an expert storyteller, weaving the tale of our co-evolution with fungi into a scientific adventure. Entangled Life is a must-read for citizen scientists hoping to make a positive difference on this sacred planet we share. --Paul Stamets, author of Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World [A] delightfully granular debut . . . From bread to booze to the very fiber of life, the world turns on fungus, and Sheldrake provides a top-notch portrait. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)