New British fungi foraging book in the pipeline

[Fraxinus]

Yes. Signed copies will be available at a book launch in Brighton on October 14th, and by post for contacts via this website.

Apart from the confirmed release date good news this is great to know, I was hoping you would make this offer like Ray Goodwin did on SOTP for his book. I think he spent a lot of time trying to get it right just as you have, judging by your posts, I hope the launch goes beyond your expectations and you enjoy every moment.

Rob.

 

[xavierdoc]

This is exciting news! I hope it's reasonably portable.

Congratulations.

 

[Geoff Dann]

Apart from the confirmed release date good news this is great to know, I was hoping you would make this offer like Ray Goodwin did on SOTP for his book. I think he spent a lot of time trying to get it right just as you have, judging by your posts, I hope the launch goes beyond your expectations and you enjoy every moment.

Rob.

What does SOTP mean? I google it but can only find "Sex Offender Treatment Program"!

Yes, a lot of effort is going into getting this right, both by myself and the publisher. 4 years of collecting photos and several iterations of improving the text. It is now in the design phase, and we're trying to get that spot on too. The intention is to make this book good enough to be the market leader for many years to come.

 

[Geoff Dann]

This is exciting news! I hope it's reasonably portable.

Not really a field guide. It is more of a reference book for building a "hit list" of species you're looking for, and confirming you've got the identification right when you've got your finds back home. A field guide serves a different function - it needs to have many more species in it (because so many are of no interest to a forager because they are not edible, not poisonous and not particularly common either). This book only includes edible, toxic, medicinal/useful and very common species.

The first edition will be hardback and quite a substantial book. There are better field guides out there.

The benefit of this book is that it is truly comprehensive in terms of edible and poisonous species - the first time anybody has even attempted a comprehensive book on British fungi foraging since 1878 - and up to date. That is, it contains the latest information regarding taxonomic changes and latin names, and about edibility/toxicity. You may be surprised how much has changed, both in terms of taxonomy and edibility/toxicity information, since the turn of the century. Did you know, for example, that common inkcaps don't just cause a nasty but temporary reaction with alcohol, but also long-term damage to testes and male infertility? That's just one example.

 

[Fraxinus]

What does SOTP mean? I google it but can only find "Sex Offender Treatment Program"!

Yes, a lot of effort is going into getting this right, both by myself and the publisher. 4 years of collecting photos and several iterations of improving the text. It is now in the design phase, and we're trying to get that spot on too. The intention is to make this book good enough to be the market leader for many years to come.

Song Of The Paddle ( a canoeing forum), Ray Goodwin is a brilliant instructor in canoeing, really nice bloke and was on a programme with Ray Mears.... [video]https://youtu.be/ut3KOabgdJ8[/video] worth a watch if you've not seen it, if only to watch him learn the bow drill.

Rob.

 

[dennydrewcook]

Can't wait for the release of this book! Got the drive down planned already! This book sounds amazing.


denny 😊

 

[xavierdoc]

Not really a field guide. It is more of a reference book for building a "hit list" of species you're looking for, and confirming you've got the identification right when you've got your finds back home. A field guide serves a different function - it needs to have many more species in it (because so many are of no interest to a forager because they are not edible, not poisonous and not particularly common either). This book only includes edible, toxic, medicinal/useful and very common species.

The first edition will be hardback and quite a substantial book. There are better field guides out there.

The benefit of this book is that it is truly comprehensive in terms of edible and poisonous species - the first time anybody has even attempted a comprehensive book on British fungi foraging since 1878 - and up to date. That is, it contains the latest information regarding taxonomic changes and latin names, and about edibility/toxicity. You may be surprised how much has changed, both in terms of taxonomy and edibility/toxicity information, since the turn of the century. Did you know, for example, that common inkcaps don't just cause a nasty but temporary reaction with alcohol, but also long-term damage to testes and male infertility? That's just one example.

Not to worry (not about the testicular damage, the portability!)

Still sounds like a fantastic work.

 

[Geoff Dann]

A bit of news on the book....

It is now going to be a 512 page paperback (instead of a 304 page hardback). Much bigger photos. It will also be delayed from the original release date - now available in mid-October.

And the first set of reviews are in, including from Fergus Drennan (forager), Tim Maddams (Hugh FW sidekick celebrity chef) and Rob Hopkins (founder of the transition town movement).

See tabs on this page if you are interested:

https://www.greenbooks.co.uk/edible-mushrooms

 

[Stew]

I bet you're keen for the release date to come round!

 

[Toddy]

He's not the only one

M

 

[Macaroon]

He's not the only one

M

Amen to that

 

[Geoff Dann]

I bet you're keen for the release date to come round!

Yep. I'm even keener for a few weeks to have passed after that and nobody has found a bad mistake!

I'm 99.9% certain there aren't any...

 

[Paulm]

Sounds great Geoff, looking forwards to it

 

[dennydrewcook]

Where is the book signing taking place?😊


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Leshy]

Looking forward to this...

I too have the Roger Phillips 's books and I love it! And love this one too...

Collins gem is also good, but your book will be very interesting indeed.
Its a great idea , to write this book from a foraging perspective, it will help immensely and I'm sure it will have tons of information that these older books had to keep short for practical reasons.

Thank you !


It will simplify and encourage the less able/adventurous forager like me.

It should make this autumn even more enjoyable.
I love the Autumn , love chanterelles and the smell of roasted chestnuts... The cold nip in the air and the beautiful colour around us.


Please let us know, how we can purchase a signed copy from you Sir?
Cheers

Kind regards

 

[Nice65]

Looking forward to this...

I too have the Roger Phillips 's books and I love it! And love this one too...

Collins gem is also good, but your book will be very interesting indeed.
Its a great idea , to write this book from a foraging perspective, it will help immensely and I'm sure it will have tons of information that these older books had to keep short for practical reasons.

Thank you !


It will simplify and encourage the less able/adventurous forager like me.

It should make this autumn even more enjoyable.
I love the Autumn , love chanterelles and the smell of roasted chestnuts... The cold nip in the air and the beautiful colour around us.


Please let us know, how we can purchase a signed copy from you Sir?
Cheers

Kind regards

With you all the way, but a few weeks of summer would be good, it's lashing it down here. Again.

 

[Leshy]

With you all the way, but a few weeks of summer would be good, it's lashing it down here. Again.

😂
Oh I agree!
Let's hope the weather holds out for the Moot and for the Wilderness gathering too...


It's still raining cats and dogs here too ...
The wonderful British summer wouldn't be the same without it, now would it?

I suppose we should be grateful.
California sure could do with some of this rain...

Anyways , saved me a job at the allotment...
😎

 

[Geoff Dann]

Sneak preview inside the book:

http://www.geoffdann.co.uk/?p=1680

 

[redneck]

Looks good dude!

 

[Geoff Dann]