MUSHROOM MANIA
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by Hilary E Bartlett

182 Pages
Softcover
Color Interior
​Mushrooms are fruit bodies of fungi that support plant and human health, as well as Maine’s economy. Consumption of fresh mushrooms has boomed in recent years — sales of medicinal mushroom supplements have soared. Enthusiasts are also scouring the woods to forage more mushrooms.

 Watercolors portray some of Maine’s wild species, tasty recipes spice up the pages, plus tips are provided on how to grow mushrooms at home.                                                                                                                                                                                                           
       A refreshing look at mushrooms and why they fascinate so many people, from foodies to nature enthusiasts. Bartlett brings the enchanting and diverse world of fungi to life with literary finesse and infectious curiosity. The book is a delightful blend of history, science and wonder. As a nature enthusiast and lifelong Mainer, I deeply appreciate this book. It’s like reading about old friends — and learning things about them that I never knew.
        —-Aislinn Sarnacki
                       Freelance Outdoor Journalist
                                         Registered Maine Guide
 
 
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
     Hilary Bartlett was born and raised in postwar Liverpool, England, a predominantly Irish city where markets stocked a dozen varieties of potatoes, rarely mushrooms. Hilary studied fungi as part of her microbiology training and earned her doctorate from University College London.
     A summer science fellowship brought Hilary to Boothbay Harbor in 1975 to work at Bigelow Lab. She was supposed to return to London but Maine’s rocky coast bewitched her — she never left. Hilary first hunted for wild mushrooms when she came to live in rural Maine. She quit scientific research after her daughter was born and started a home-based art business. Hilary’s paintings have been exhibited at galleries in Maine and Santa Fe, New Mexico, some have won awards. She also taught microbiology for eleven years at the University of Maine Augusta.
     Her first book, The Thistle Inn: A Wee Bit of Scotland in Maine, was published in 2020 by North Country Press.
Photo by Bob Crink
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