Entangled Life

Synopsis

The smash-hit Sunday Times bestseller that will transform your understanding of our planet and life itself.

'Astonishing ... it seems somehow to tip the natural world upside down' Observer

'Completely mind-blowing ... reads like an adventure story' Sunday Times

*WINNER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY BOOK PRIZE 2021*
*WINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR CONSERVATION WRITING 2021*

The more we learn about fungi, the less makes sense without them. They can change our minds, heal our bodies and even help us avoid environmental disaster; they are metabolic masters, earth-makers and key players in most of nature's processes. In Entangled Life, Merlin Sheldrake takes us on a mind-altering journey into their spectacular world, and reveals how these extraordinary organisms transform our understanding of our planet and life itself.

'Dazzling, vibrant, vision-changing' Robert Macfarlane
'Urgent, astounding and necessary' Helen Macdonald
'Gorgeous!' Margaret Atwood (on Twitter)
'Wonderful' Nigella Lawson
'This book is like one surprise after another' David Byrne
'Uplifting' Jeanette Winterson

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE 2021*
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021*

* A Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, New Statesman, The Times, Evening Standard, Mail on Sunday, BBC Science Focus and Time Book of the Year *

About the Publisher

Vintage

Vintage is a highly respected paperback publisher of contemporary fiction and non-fiction, publishing writers like Philip Roth, Martin Amis and Toni Morrison. There are many Booker and Nobel Prize-winning authors on the Vintage list such as Kingsley Amis, A S Byatt, J M Coetzee, Ismail Kadare, Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Anne Enright, Iris Murdoch, Roddy Doyle and Ben Okri, to name a few.

Summary

Chapter 1: Mycelium Running

* Summary: Discusses the interconnectedness of plants and fungi through mycelial networks, which facilitate nutrient exchange, communication, and protection.
* Real Example: In a forest, mycorrhizal fungi form associations with tree roots, enhancing nutrient uptake and promoting tree growth.

Chapter 2: Intelligence in the Soil

* Summary: Explores the complexity and intelligence of soil organisms, emphasizing their role in soil health, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.
* Real Example: Earthworms ingest organic matter, leaving behind nutrient-rich castings that improve soil fertility.

Chapter 3: The Wood Wide Web

* Summary: Describes the vast network of underground mycelia that connect individual trees, forming a social web that allows for communication, nutrient sharing, and defense.
* Real Example: In the Pacific Northwest, Douglas fir trees form interconnected mycorrhizal networks that facilitate the transfer of water and nutrients among trees.

Chapter 4: Photosynthesis

* Summary: Discusses the essential process of photosynthesis, in which plants convert sunlight into energy, releasing oxygen as a byproduct.
* Real Example: Algae and coral reefs are vital photosynthesizers in marine ecosystems, producing food and oxygen for a diverse array of marine life.

Chapter 5: The Ocean's Forests

* Summary: Explores the interconnectedness of marine organisms, highlighting the importance of kelp forests as nutrient-rich habitats and carbon sinks.
* Real Example: Sea otters play a critical role in maintaining kelp forests by preying on sea urchins, which graze on kelp.

Chapter 6: The Great Transformation

* Summary: Describes the evolutionary shift from single-celled organisms to multicellular forms, highlighting the role of symbiosis in the emergence of complex life.
* Real Example: Mitochondria, once free-living bacteria, became symbiotic with eukaryotic cells, providing them with energy.

Chapter 7: The Symbiotic Planet

* Summary: Emphasizes the interdependence of all life on Earth, arguing that the planet is best understood as a symbiotic superorganism.
* Real Example: The human microbiome, composed of trillions of microorganisms, plays a crucial role in human health and well-being.

Chapter 8: Forays into the Future

* Summary: Explores potential applications of our understanding of interconnectedness, including the development of sustainable farming practices and the restoration of degraded ecosystems.
* Real Example: Mycoremediation involves using fungi to break down pollutants in soil and water, restoring degraded environments.