by Paul Hillyard

I realize that not everybody likes spiders. I understand. I don’t panic around them, but I really don’t want to hang out with them, either. However, unless spiders really freak you out, you might want to give this book a try.

The Book of the Spider covers a wide range of spider-related topics. It is not a textbook or a field guide; it’s pretty fun, casual, and sometimes funny. It starts with a chapter on arachnophobia and then moves to spiders in folklore, myth, and literature. There are chapters on particular categories of spiders, such as social spiders, spiders that fly (with silk), and aquatic spiders. Hillyard also discusses spider silk, the history of the study of spiders, and various other topics.

This is not a book designed to scare anyone. The author genuinely loves spiders, so he would much rather convince you enjoy (or at least respect) spiders than shock or horrify you. This is meant to be a fun book, and I think it works well. I still panic when I walk into a spiderweb, but as long as I’m eat least two or three feet from any spider, I do appreciate them.

Also, I have to mention one specific fact I learned. Back in the 1920s, people didn’t know whether black widow spiders were poisonous. William J. Baerg, who was teaching at the very same college I would later attend, was challenged to prove that their poison could affect a human. Baerg’s plane went something like this:

1. Get a spider to bite him.
2. Describe the really awful pain he suffered over the next few days.
3. Get his notes published.
4. Let anyone who wanted to argue with him do the same thing.

Where to Find It

You can get it from the school library.

School	Location	Call Number	Status
Diablo Valley College	Stacks	QL451 .H55 1994	AVAILABLE

You can get it from the public library.

Library	Location	Call Number	Status
Lafayette	.	595.44 HILLYARD	In library
Moraga	.	595.44 HILLYARD	In library
Oakley	.	595.44 HILLYARD	In library
Richmond	Main Adult Books	595.44 Hillyard	DUE 12-20-01

This list was last updated February 6, 2012 at 9:48 pm UTC.