‘the way through the woods: of mushrooms and mourning,’ with long litt woon

I HAVE ONLY in recent years tuned in to mushrooms really at all, despite much of a life spent engaged with the outdoors. So when I saw a review in late summer of a new book called “The Way Through the Woods: Of Mushrooms and Mourning”—part memoir, part primer on fungi—it caught my attention.

“The Way Through the Woods” (Amazon affiliate link) is by Long Litt Woon, an anthropologist originally from Malaysia who has spent her adult life living in Norway. It’s at once both an invitation to the astonishing world of fungi and also the personal story of a path of healing from great grief. I was treated to a conversation with Woon, about how she got started with mushrooming and where it has led her.

Read along as you listen to the November 18, 2019 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

Plus: Enter to win a copy of Woon’s book, in the comment box at the very bottom of the page.

talking mushrooms, with long litt woon

Margaret Roach: Welcome, Woon, and thank you so much for making time in your travels to talk today.

Long Litt Woon: Thank you very much, Margaret, for having me.

Margaret: I love watching your travel adventures on Instagram and wow, this book has been translated into how many languages and countries already?

Woon: [Laughter.] Well, at the moment, 14. Yes, so it was quite surprising for me, yes.

Margaret: It’s a wonderful thing. It’s amazing. You’ve resonated… it resonated, which is wonderful. But so the book begins on a sad note, with the revelation that your husband, who I believe was then just 54 years old, went to work one day and did not return. And I want you to set up the

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