Spider

`A bold and fascinating series' The Independent

"This series...calls itself" a new kind of animal history". It is, splendidly, even brilliantly, so. I have nothing but praise for it' The Spectator

Both fascinating and frightening, the spider has a rich symbolic presence in the imagination. As a pitiless predator with poisoned fangs, the spider can represent death and horror, but it is also a symbol of life and creation, diligently weaving its intricate and delicate web. In Spider Katarzyna and Serguiusz Michalski investigate the natural history and cultural significance of this fascinating, ancient creature.

From ancient Greek myths to Dostoyevsky, the authors explore the appearance of spiders in literature. including horror stories, science fiction, folklore, urban myths and children's tales, and their depictions in art, such the sculptures of Louise Bourgeois and the drawings of Alfred Kubin. Spiders are associated with demons, hereties and women, and play a role as a metaphor in Freudian and jungian psychoanalysis. The common affliction of arachnophobia is explained. along with the procedures used to cure it. Spider concludes with a look at the unfavourable protrayal of the sinster spider in film, including many Hollywood B-movies. An engaging account of the natural and cultural history of the spider, this book will appeal to anybody who admires or fears this delicate, yet dangerous creature.

Katarzyna Michalska, a cultural historian, and Sergiusz Michalski, a professor of art history, both teach at the University of Tubingen, Germany.