Alan Bessette (biology, Utica College) and mycologist and botanical photographer Arleen Bessette team up here to provide text and full-color illustrations. They begin with the basics of mushrooms, collecting them for the table, and making a spore print, then carefully explain how to identify mushrooms. Coverage includes edible species of new York, such as the boletes, chanterelles and their allies, coral fungi, gilled mushrooms, giant puffballs, hypomyces, morels, polypores and tooth fungi; and the inedible and poisonous species amongst the boletes, false morels and gilled. They provide some good culinary advice, including recipes, and offer a glossary, recommended reading, and indices to common and scientific names. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)