Mushrooms of British Columbia by Andy MacKinnon & Kem Luther is the most recent publication on this list, with the up-to-date entries on around 350 mushroom species and information on another 500 more. 

While thorough and accurate, the book is clearly with beginner mycologists in mind. Mushroom descriptions focus on common names and easily recognisable features over esoteric scientific names and features that require a microscope to identify. 

To aid with identification and ease of use, the mushrooms in the book are grouped by apparent similarity with detailed accompanying photos. As such, the book provides opportunities for identifying difficult specimens by zeroing in on general characteristics and then flipping back and forth between the pages.

Interspersed among the pages are various odds and ends, including asides on various aspects of mushroom biology or ecology, mushroom folklore, poems, stories, and entertaining pictures. This provides something of a similar feel to the long-time favorite mushroom book All That The Rain Promises and More... (see below).

However, despite the enduring popularity of that title, I think Mushrooms of British Columbia has taken its place as the must-have book for mushroom enthusiasts and those eager to broaden their knowledge of nature in British Columbia and the northwestern United States.

Pages: 498

Recommendation: I believe this is the go-to guide for mushroom enthusiasts in and around British Columbia.

A Field Guide to Edible Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest by Daniel Winkler is a relatively unique entry on this list. 

At 40 grams (according to Amazon) it's easily the lightest mushroom guide here, and contains information on around 60 edible mushrooms and six deadly toxic ones.  You might wonder how this is possible, given that some sources list the page total as "two" and its category as "pamphlet". 

However, these latter numbers are a bit misleading and might give you the wrong impression. You see, this field guide folds out, a bit like a map, revealing many more pages within.  And these pages contain information on mushrooms presented in high-quality, full-colour photos complete with colour-coded symbols indicating their level of edibility and ease of identification. 

Weight: 40 grams (!)

Recommendation: If you want a guide that is straightforward, compact, and the easiest to pack into a bag, then you should check out this one. You can pick it up at Daniel Winkler's site here.