It ought to be common knowledge that Nature cradles us in a web of connection so dense and intricate we cannot leave. The more attentive already realise that the material from which that mesh is woven is partly fungal. But how easily we forget that those fungi, and the web they embody are themselves alive and therefore subject to the same motivations that move us.

To open the pages of Entangled Life is to tumble like Alice, into a wonderland both familiar and fantastical, with mycologist Merlin Sheldrake as your guiding white rabbit. I lost count of the times I exclaimed out loud, drew sharp intakes of breath, reread passages to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. More than once I got up and danced. A mesmerising, trippy, utterly exhilarating must-read.

Reviewed by Amy-Jane Beer, nature writer

The Secret Life of Fungi

By Aliya Whiteley. Published by Elliott & Thompson.

Fungi are familiar to us, eaten regularly in risottos or on top of pizzas, and spotted in woodlands. And yet at the same time, incredibly mysterious. As author Aliya Whitely says in her introduction, “There’s still so much to learn about these secretive forms of life, including the tantalising question of how much they communicate with each other, and with many other organisms. Perhaps they are even trying to communicate with us.”

Whiteley’s book is an exploration of these unusual life forms – neither plants nor animals. Her writing is very accessible, with lovely descriptions of the different species and processes, drawing the reader into this “hidden world”. It also helps that the book is also not a hefty volume, so not too daunting for those that are new to fungi.

Fungipedia

By Lawrence Millman. Published by Princeton University Press.

This pocket-sized compendium is a lively combination of clearly explained science, entertaining cultural references and potted biographies of leading personalities in the world of mycology. Fungi tend to grab our attention in autumn when they produce their spectacular fruiting bodies but, for most of their life-cycle, they are hidden from view, recycling nutrients in ecosystems and generally maintaining the health of the planet.

No other organisms illustrate so well the interconnectedness of the living world. If your fungal forays have been limited to identifying toadstools, this A-Z of the fungal kingdom, written with profound knowledge and wry good humour, will be a revelation.

Reviewed by Phil Gates, botanist