About this episode

The episode features a discussion with author Maria Pinto about her book 'Fearless, Sleepless, Deathless', exploring her unique perspective on fungi.

Alright good people, welcome to episode #19 where we are going to discuss the book “Fearless, Sleepless, Deathless” with the author Maria Pinto. This book is not a textbook about fungi.. It’s more of a mycozooistic memoir about things Maria has learned from her interactions and her personal relationship with fungi throughout the years. Maria starts her book with a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson so we’re gonna start this episode by reading that. “Nature, through all her kingdoms, ensures herself. Nobody cares for planting the poor fungus: so she shakes down from the gills of one of agaric countless spores. Any one of which, being preserved, transmits new billions of spores tomorrow or the next day... a fearless, sleepless, deathless progeny, which is not exposed to the accidents of the weary kingdom of time.” To say Maria Pinto is unique as a mycologist is an understatement. First of all she was born in Jamaica and grew up in Florida. The jacket of the book describes her as a black naturalist. Her growing up as a Caribbean Native has given here a different perspective on the world than your average mycologist. Her world view is unique or at least poorly documented, this has lead to…

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