Profiles of Northwest Fungi presents a composite of mushrooms previously described as 'Mushrooms of the Month' in the newsletter of the Northwest Mushroomers' Association, based in Bellingham, Washington. It is the only guide that has colored photos of look-alikes accompanying each featured mushroom. Near the end of the book there is an Index of the Fungi and an Index of the People. This latter feature mentions all those who either found the collections described or helped in other ways besides being mentioned from scientific journals. A plethora of ink sketches of fungi by local artist Dan Digerness fill in the empty spots between species descriptions.
For beginning mushroomers, this guide can be intimidating since so much information is packed into each description. However, a pleasing narrative style can ease you over the technical rough spots. And for easy referencing, each mushroom story has its own bibliography. The author also maintains a herbarium so most of the specimens can be sent forth for sequencing or morphological verification by experts upon request.
Following the descriptions of the featured mushrooms there is a section called 'The Fungi Less Known'. These are rare or seldom seen fungi the author has encountered over the years. Below each photo there is a small paragraph pertaining to each, some of which are almost certainly new species. This is followed by the April Fool's Mushrooms. These are a handful of fictionalized mushrooms that our newsletter published on April Fool's days.
Some of the names and places are real, but the stories are not.
With the inclusion of DNA sequencing results becoming required for each new species published, the field of mycology has become far more technical, separating itself from the Common Man even more. There is a different set of skills involved and a whole new language of terms. This guide offers a more populist approach without denigrating the academic contributions. There should be room for both the reportage of outstanding mycology and a pleasing writing style to accompany it.