The Future is Fungi: How Fungi Can Feed Us, Heal Us, Free Us and Save Our World
Michael Lim and Yun Shu
Who were the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome? What did they mean to the people who worshipped them? Although their time of widespread worship has long passed, the Greek and Roman gods have fascinated and inspired writers and artists for millennia. From Aphrodite to Apollo, Poseidon to Zeus, these are some of the most recognizable characters in Western culture, yet there is a much richer past behind famous paintings of the birth of Aphrodite or the bold iconography of Zeus and his thunderbolts.
The Greek and Roman gods are enthralling characters in the enduringly powerful Iliad, Odyssey and Metamorphoses. They are immortal and powerful yet also vain, vindictive and vulnerable. Moreover, as manifestations of death, fertility, love and war, the gods are also our key to understanding how the Greeks and Romans saw their world. Philip Matyszak presents this pantheon in all their complexity, guiding us from Mount Olympus to the depths of Hades. Each chapter focuses on an individual god or goddess, beginning with their ‘biography’ as understood by the Greeks and Romans and exploring the origins of the legends. Matyszak mixes history with vivid retellings of the myths in which the gods have a starring role, from stories of cosmic creation and universal war to disastrous weddings and freak discus accidents. This sumptuously illustrated guide to the gods of Greece and Rome is a must-have for anyone interested in mythology and classical civilization.
Beginning his career building technology and consumer startups, Sydney-born Michael Lim co-founded an online eyewear brand at the age of twenty-one, which is now one of Australia's largest eyewear chains. However, early transformational experiences with psychedelics inspired his fascination with the fungi kingdom and prompted a career change. He now dedicates his time to researching fungi, psychedelics, ecology and anthropology. His exploration of the psyche and how nature gives rise to altered states of consciousness has led him on a path of self enquiry and integration of his shift in worldviews. Through his writing, Michael seeks to empower a deeper understanding of the human experience through art and science. A gifted researcher, Yun Shu is dedicated to the study of consciousness and uses language and culture as tools for connection and healing. Born in Shanghai, she was exposed to the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine and fungi from a young age. After a successful career in corporate strategy in the banking sector in both Sydney and London, she turned to spiritual enquiries through Vinyasa yoga teacher training. Concurrently, her early psychedelic experiences shaped her holistic inquiry into the human experience. Now, Yun seeks to share the wisdom and knowledge she has acquired through years of practical research.