When a book has been out of print for ten years and still commands high prices at auction sites and antiquarian bookstores, there is a reason. In this case, it is because the book in question is quite simply unparalleled as a comprehensive guide to its subject.

Thankfully, the hunt for those precious old copies is no longer necessary. Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America (Firefly Books, $39.95) reprints the old volume&8217;s irreplaceable content, adding a hard cover that makes the new edition even more attractive than its predecessor.

Arranged alphabetically, the book offers more than 1,000 photographs of the most common mushrooms in North America. Unlike other texts that tend to show only the mature plant, this book depicts the mushroom through all its stages, an immeasurable aid to the (not always easy) process of identification. Because the photos were shot in the studio rather than in the wild, one is able to see each mushroom from various angles, and to study cross sections and root systems as well.

Mushrooms, which are split into spore droppers (Basidiomycetes) and spore shooters (Ascomycetes), are amazingly prolific. A walk in the woods will reveal dozens of species, along the path, on dead wood, or even clinging to living trees. They will be varied in size, shape, aroma, texture and color, presenting an arresting display to those who take time to look, and perhaps collect. Whether one is an armchair naturalist, and interested amateur, or an expert &8220;mycologist,&8221; this book will prove the perfect reference for identifying specific finds or learning more about mushrooms in general.

Rather than following the common practice of writing to a list of mushrooms, author Roger Phillips notes that his books presents mushrooms that he has found or that have been lent by other collectors. The result is that Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America more closely represents the actual incidence of mushrooms in the wild than other volumes.

Though largely devoted to depicting and describing the mushrooms themselves, this volume also touches on collecting techniques, and on the use of chemicals and spore prints in identification. In addition, Phillips talks about &8220;Collecting for the Pot,&8221; including the &8220;rule&8221; that one mushroom should be left in the refrigerator uncooked, so that &8220;if you should develop any nasty symptoms, you can give the evidence to a hospital.&8221;

Major poisonous species are listed, as is the first rule of collecting for the pot: &8220;Never eat any mushroom that you are not certain is edible!&8221;

As noted, identifying mushrooms is a tricky, challenging, absorbing business, even for experts. (One has postulated that at least one-third of North American species are as yet undescribed.) To make the process easier for the novice, Phillips offers a &8220;Beginners Key,&8221; that shows the most common groups or genera of mushrooms and fungi with descriptions of major characteristics. He then offers a &8220;Generic Key&8221; that lists mushroom features such as tall stem, sticky cap, or crumbly texture, with possible identification and page number attached. Notably, the glossary is at the beginning of the book, since a common understanding of language is key to successful identification.

Not content to rely on his own prolific knowledge, Phillips has called on an academic consultant for each of the major genera. The result is a book that is clear, precise, and an unexcelled reference for anyone with an interest in this fascinating and most accessible subject.