Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins

“Provocative. . . . Beginning with an account of the matsutake mushroom, Tsing follows the threads of this organism to tease out an astonishing number of insights about life in the Anthropocene.”—Year’s Work in Critical and Cultural Theory

“An unusually rewarding meditation on how a wild mushroom can help us see the world’s ruined condition after the advent of modern capitalism. . . . Bursting with ideas and observations, Tsing’s highly original ethnographic study follows this spicy-smelling mushroom’s global commodity chain, from the forests of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains and elsewhere to Tokyo auction markets. She recounts her interviews with mushroom pickers, scientists, and entrepreneurs in the United States, Asia, and elsewhere to explore the matsutake’s commerce and ecology. . . . Consistently fascinating, her story of the picking and selling of this wild mushroom becomes a wonderful window on contemporary life.”—Kirkus, starred review

“Tsing weaves an adventurous tale about the diverse forms of ‘˜collaborative survival’ that living beings–both human and non-human–negotiate despite the ‘˜capitalist damage’ of our times. . . . Her engrossing account of intersecting cultures and nature’s resilience offers a fresh perspective on modernity and progress.”—Publishers Weekly

“A well-researched and thought-provoking meditation on capitalism, resilience, and survival.”–E. CE Miller, Bustle.com

“[Tsing] has written a beautiful, humble book about the human interface with the Northern Hemisphere’s forest ecosystems, delving into everything from produce auction markets to guerilla warfare. . . . [The] Mushroom at the End of the World is an example of anthropology at its best: highly accessible, yet challenging to our sense of self.”–Darwin Bond Graham, East Bay Express