Description
Book SynopsisGary Fine explores how Americans attempt to give meaning to the natural world that surrounds them. Fine suggests that the meanings we assign to the natural environment are culturally grounded and he supports this claim by examining the fascinating world of mushrooming.
Trade ReviewAs with the best of good sociology, we are quickly persuaded [in
Morel Tales] that by studying seemingly esoteric behavior, mushroom hunting, we can learn about basic social processes. Examining the odd can lead to confrontation with what is central to human experience...Fine argues and illustrates with rich data that there is no nature without culture and no culture without particular social groups acting within concrete situations...A well-crafted sociological study,
Morel Tales weaves together a well-developed grounded theory with interesting ethnographic description. .. Next time someone asks me 'What's so special about the way sociologists approach the world? What do sociologists have to offer?' I will recommend
Morel Tales. -- Robert Bogdan * Contemporary Sociology *
A delightful ethnographic analysis of the culture of field mycologists (mushroomers) as a paradigm of the customs of naturalists in general (birdwatchers, ramblers, botany clubs, etc.)...This book is strongly recommended to all introspective naturalists, particularly field mycologists and their professional colleagues, and should be a priority acquisition for any library...with a natural history collection. -- Royall T. Moore * Society for General Microbiology Quarterly [UK] *
This book is first and foremost an eminently readable ethnography about the everyday lives of hobbyist mushroomers, the social world framing these lives, and the mentality of these enthusiasts as it springs from their leisure passion...[T]his study constitutes a rare contribution to the sociology of science, a field where ethnographic research is rare and the role of amateurs consistently ignored. -- Robert A. Stebbins * Canadian Journal of Sociology *
If traipsing about in the woods looking for fungi is your idea of a great time, then Gary Alan Fine's
Morel Tales: The Culture of Mushrooming is the book for you...Dr. Fine presents the experiences and perspectives of several mycolophiles in their own words. From encounters with wild animals to tales of valuable mushroom findings along with some blunders, these pages provide insights into the popularity of the mushrooming pastime...I thoroughly enjoyed
Morel Tales and can recommend it to both amateur and professional mycologists. -- Stephen S. Daggett * American Biology Teacher *
Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Being in Nature Meaningful Mushrooms Sharing the Woods Talking Wild Organizing Naturalists Fungus and Its Publics Naturework and the Taming of the Wild Notes Index
