The Book of the Spider

Paul Hillyard is a well-known arachnologist from the London Natural History Museum. In "The Book of the Spider" he has given us all an appetizer, which will serve to wet our appetites for more on this fascinating subject (often viewed with horror by arachnophobes). I could say that he has left a lot out (many worthy arachnologists were not included in his mini biographies), but for the size of the book he covers a lot! I also think that his style will get young people interested, as well as fascinate older people who have little acquaintance with the subject. Not just a dry compilation of facts (which it might easily have been, if made longer), but a great piece of advocacy for the less loved of the natural world. This book includes tidbits on the tarantella craze, Anansi the spider trickster, Spider Woman, spider venoms, webs, spider behavior, and of course short biographies on arachnologists, including the French biologist, Eugene Simon, who wrote his first book on spiders at the age of 16! As a professional arachnologist who has spent much of my life studying these amazing arachnids I find this work a delightful introduction to the subject and recommend it highly.

If you love spiders, if you know a good deal about them, if you're new to the arachnid section of the invertibrate world, or even if you're afraid of spiders, this book is for you. Everything you could want to know about spiders is in here- from basic anatomy to behaviour to the history of Arachnology. Hillyard covers every spider myth from around the world- including variations on each one! I have to say, the references are one of the best features. I found several books and spider-oriented people I didn't know were out there and can now broaden my spider knowledge even further.

About the only point of contention is that the author feels as many people love spiders as hate them! (Does he really belive that?) Outside of that small complaint , this is among the best creepy crawly books out there! Starting out with the mythological birth of spiders in Lucretius's "Metamorphosis", you'll learn all about the truly weird creatures we have labelled "Arachnids". From the Tarantula dance to Darwin's comment on some very strange specimens, to gossamer skies, and various poisons, you can't miss with this one! Includes some nifty drawings, too! So if you have any interest in the huges Spider species, check this book out!

Only 3% of the human population enjoys spiders! If you are one of those rare folks or a lay scientist this little gem of a book will charm and educate you with hundreds of fascinating facts. The prodigious talents and feats of many different types of spiders are described accurately and precisely.Written in a conversational style the varied topics of facts, history, myth, are explored with an often whimsical and affectionate eye. Astound your friends with little known spider facts, recite lengthy, descriptive spider poems to your loved one. Includes an extensive biography for further research. It's a keeper for me, I look forward to impressing my grandchildren, having already amazed my 14-y/o for years with my spider facts and stories...

This is not what you would call an information book, although there is plenty of excellent information in it, from a guy who really knows his spiders. It's more of a casual stroll through the sometimes unpleasant but never boring world of spiders, plucking the juiciest tidbits of information as it goes. If you need a systematic overview, this isn't the book for you. But as a good read that takes you through the highs (web-building) and the lows (how they eat) of the spider world, it's unbeatable. One more thing: the design of the book (inside) is a delight. Unfortunately this edition does not have the original cover, which was excellent.