Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures

Research one or more of the experiments covered in Entangled Life. How did researchers attempt to avoid human- and plant-centric biases in their work?

Research one or more of the products discussed in “Radical Mycology.” How could these products be used to improve the world? Are there any drawbacks?

How do Sheldrake’s personal anecdotes help paint an effective picture of fungal life? Why does he insert himself and his experiences into this otherwise scientific book?

Explore Sheldrake’s relationship to anthropomorphism. Why does he sometimes use it in his writing? Why is he skeptical of its uses by other scientists?

How is metaphor used in Entangled Life? Select at least three passages that use metaphors and close-read them. What do the comparisons they use tell us about the natural world and our ability to understand it or explain it to others?

Explore the concepts of mycophilia and mycophobia. Where do cultural ideas about mushrooms come from, and how do they shape our relationship to nature as a whole?

Do the illustrations and pictures aid in understanding Entangled Life? Why or why not?

Research one or more mycologists whose work appears in the book. How does their research fit into the picture that Sheldrake paints?