The new book by the famous mycologist and popularizer Mikhail Vishnevsky is dedicated to one of our most famous mushrooms - the red fly agaric. This mushroom is “noted” in myths and legends, in ancient, medieval and modern history, in medicine and cooking. The publication provides a variety of scientific and popular information, useful for mushroom pickers and simply fascinating. The historical (“shaman’s mushroom”) and modern (recreational) use of the red fly agaric, its relationship with the law, the use of the fly agaric as a medicinal mushroom, chemical and pharmacological aspects are considered. At the end of the book, an interesting question is raised about the co-evolution of hosts and parasites and a hypothesis is put forward that , how a number of living organisms, including some well-known mushrooms, control people. The book is intended for a wide range of readers.