[Fungi]

Not true, know the guy and he is very prolific, putting out a lot of books, not all recommended. You are in North Carolina, there are few good guides but few for your area. Bing "matchmaker for mushrooms" and you can get a guide for your phone. It is for the pacific northwest, but will do you well. Join a mycological society, clubs are listed here: http://www.namyco.org/clubs.php.

Lastly and FIRSTLY, before you ever pick wild mushrooms, know every species you want to eat and never eat anything without getting a second opinion. Start with a few easily identifiable ones: chanterelles, puffballs, horn of plenty, and a few others. Join a club, go on forays and make friends with a trusted expert. Hell of a lot of fun, but very risky. the beauty of God's creation will be before you....

[Tax-chick]

Thanks! I don’t plan to try eating them any time soon: I’d just like to have some idea what’s growing in the wood chips on the playground, for example.

My great-uncle in Missouri is a wild-mushroom gatherer.