Friday, December 3, 2021

The Friday 56 (210) & Book Beginnings: Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.


Synopsis from Goodreads...
When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave. In Entangled Life, the brilliant young biologist Merlin Sheldrake shows us the world from a fungal point of view, providing an exhilarating change of perspective. Sheldrake's vivid exploration takes us from yeast to psychedelics, to the fungi that range for miles underground and are the largest organisms on the planet, to those that link plants together in complex networks known as the "Wood Wide Web," to those that infiltrate and manipulate insect bodies with devastating precision. Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They are metabolic masters, earth makers, and key players in most of life's processes. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. By examining fungi on their own terms, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms--and our relationships with them--are changing our understanding of how life works.


Beginning: "I looked up toward the top of the tree. Ferns and orchids sprouted from its trunk, which vanished into a tangle of lianas in the canopy."

56: "Over short distances, substances can be transported through mycelial networks on a network of microtubules--dynamic filaments of protein that behave like a cross between scaffolding and elevators."


Comments: Entangled Life has been on my TBR since 2020. I finally got around to it, and it's one of my favorite nonfiction reads of the year. What are you reading this week?

16 comments:

  1. Ooh I've seen this one in bookstores and always been intrigued, but I never picked it up. I do like the sound of the quotes and I really don't know how much longer I can resist that cover! Thanks for sharing and have a lovely weekend :)
    Juli @ A Universe in Words

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    1. I get what you mean. I had my eye on Entangled Life for a long time. Eventually, I ended up buying a copy of it, and I'm so glad I did. Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. It's thought-provoking book. Thanks for stopping by! :-)

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  3. I'd probably try this just for the author's name to be honest.

    Lauren @ Always Me

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    1. I had the same thought when I first heard about the book. Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. Sounds fascinating! Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great weekend! :)

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  5. Interesting choice this week! Happy weekend!

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  6. Yay for knocking books off your TBR pile! I plan to be more intentional next year! Happy Friday! https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2021/12/first-line-friday-28-debutantes-code.html

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  7. Sounds like an interesting book. Have a great weekend!

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  8. I love it when a nonfiction book teaches me something and entertains me.

    Please use this hyperlink to view my blog post for Friday Quotes. I couldn't get the linky to accept my URl. Thanks. Friday Quotes

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    1. That's how I felt about Entangled Life. It was a very informative read, but it was entertaining as well. Thanks for stopping by!

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Comments are appreciated and always welcome. :)

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