Preorder a signed copy. Ships January 2027. 
Custom inscription from the author is available. 
$10 for domestic shipping, sales tax, and packaging.
Paperback, 336 pages 

“Aaron Tupac’s Meeting the Mushrooms of Los Angeles is a tender exploration of the life force of fungi. With care and attention, Tupac invites us to deepen our knowledge of mycology—and by extension, place—by seeing fungi as our neighbors, friends, and teachers. If you have been searching for a sense of belonging within the natural world, let this book be a portal.”

— Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian, author of Forest Euphoria

"Meeting the Mushrooms of Los Angeles encompasses both the philosophy of fungi and mushroom identification in Southern California. Featuring deep dives into the ecological roles of fungi, the varied habitats they occur in, along with how to approach stewardship and conservation mindfully. It is well organized, scientifically accurate, and entertaining to read - this book is a must have for anyone interested in the mushrooms of SoCal.”

— Dr. Gordon Walker @FascinatedByFungi, author of Passport to Kingdom Fungi

“Aaron so beautifully reveals the wondrous world beneath our feet, reminding us that fungi have so much to teach us about reciprocity, connection, and belonging. A magical invitation to look closer, stay curious, and fall in love with the living world around us.”

— Leah Thomas, author of The Intersectional Environmentalist

"Meeting the Mushrooms of Los Angeles is so good, I hardly know where to start: Gorgeous photos, queer mating types, novel modes of curiosity, and a caring introduction to getting to know fungi. It’s time L.A. got its own mushroom book! This one will make you fall in love with fungi."

— Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, author of The Mushroom at the End of the World

In this wondrous guide to common local mushrooms, Aaron Tupac offers a beginner’s friendly invitation to get curious about hidden worlds of fungi. From the San Gabriel Mountains, across the sprawling metropolis, and clear out to the coast, Southern California is home to an astounding abundance of fungal life teeming beneath our very noses. Organized by habitat, and featuring full-color photos to aid in identification, this guide will help you learn how to spot and marvel at mushrooms burgeoning throughout the cityscapes, sand dunes, oak forests, and deserts that surround us. Meeting the Mushrooms of Los Angeles is a love letter to the thrilling variety and mysteries of fungi, exploring their vibrant fluidity and relational ways of living, with a mycelial message to renew our relationship with nature.

Paperback, 6×9, 336 pages

Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2027
Publisher: Heyday
ISBN: 9781597147293
BISACs: NATURE / Fungi & Mushrooms, Mycology, fungi, NATURE / Reference, NATURE / Foraging, COOKING / Regional & Cultural / American / Western States, NATURE / Regional, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Mycology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / LGBTQ+ Studies / Nonbinary & Genderqueer Studies, Edible wild plants and foraging, Sustainable food / cookery, Gender studies, gender groups, Gender studies: ‘trans’, transgender people and gender variance

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