Friday, November 10, 2023 @ 7:30 p.m.
Niles Historical and Cultural Center,
8970 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles, IL 60714

or via zoom. (Members receive the link via email.)

Once overlooked in the Anglosphere, fungi are finally having their moment. Mycologists and mushroom seekers have always known their worth but these exhilarating new poster organisms have captured the public imagination.

Alison’ third book, Meetings with Remarkable Mushrooms is a captivating journey into the sensory realms of fungi. It’s told through first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains – where we encounter glowing ghost fungi and the enigma of the lobster mushroom.

The book presents new questions and insights about fungi but is also an intimate celebration of their astonishing beauty and complexity. It melds science and personal reflection to explore overlooked themes, among them ­– fungi and fire, fungi and climate change, fungi and aesthetics, fungi in ecosystem restoration, and fungi and indigenous wisdom.

Join us to hear Alison share stories of her travels across hemispheres in search of fungi and their followers. We’ll dwell with fungal allies and aliens, discover how fungi hold forests together, and why humans are deeply entwined with these compelling organisms. What can we learn from the lives of fungi? Meetings with Remarkable Mushrooms brings us to our knees, magnifier in hand, to find out.

Alison will be available to sign copies of her book Meetings with Remarkable Mushrooms available for purchase at our meeting.

ALISON POULIOT is an ecologist, author and professional environmental photographer with a focus on fungi. Her work spans both northern and southern hemispheres ensuring two autumns and a double dose of fungi each year. Alison is actively involved in teaching, research and conservation, and has conducted over 800 fungus forays across many countries. Alison is author of The Allure of Fungi, Wild Mushrooming, and Meeting with Remarkable Mushrooms. www.alisonpouliot.com