Thank you to the authors Dr. Christopher Balakrishnan and Matt Wasowski, publishers St. Martin's Press, for an advance hardback copy of HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE FUNGI. Thank you also to NetGalley for a widget. All views are mine.Opening Quote: Please let us get this out of the way. The contributions in this chapter are not about zombies. We’re sorry. Loc.454Three (or more) things I loved:1. I adore that the endeavor, Nerd Nite, seeks out professionals who are still earning their bona-fides, so that the careers of these professionals are served while the audience is being entertained and educated.2. This collection of essays starts with two of my favorite animals-- first spiders (or in this case, a spider myth-mimic, the camel spider, which is even more amazing) and then cephalopods. Yes I'm aware that word describes a class and not a single animal. I'm kind of in love with this book.3. Very useful topics covered: Misophonia (the experience of finding certain sounds heating on the nerves or emotions); synesthesia (tasting colors or feeling songs); wildlife preservation;4. The section introductions are hilarious! From one of them, I was reminded of the terrible and titillating diarrhea ditty of my childhood, which was both a joy and a gross out 💩😆5. The chapter on worms is wonderfully disgusting!6. I love that Dr. Ali Mattu, in the essay "How Not to Destroy Ourselves," reminds me that [there] was a treaty signed by the entire world to fix the hole in our ozone. And... it worked! Loc.2364 I was in elementary school when this happened, but I remember the sense of urgency gripping everyone. That was before the environment became a politicized issue. But it gives me hope that people not only can come together on the issue of the environment, but they can accomplish great things when they do.Three (or less) things I didn't love:This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.1. I disagree that microdosing is the best option science has given us to treat psychiatric illness.2. This book is unquestionably liberal in tone. Regardless of my personal politics, I'm not a fan of this sort of didactics, especially when couched in popular science. "If you care about teens, don't ever vote for a Republican." Loc.16363. These essays are very short. Which can be good. But a page or two about a scientific topic is nothing and often I wished the author's had given me just a little bit more.Rating: 🧲⚗️🔬🧬 / 5 nerdy essaysRecommend? Yes!Finished: Feb 20 '24Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalleyRead this book if you like:🪳 stories about insects🐕 stories about animals🗿 stories about history📃 very short essays