Arachnomania: Spiders and the Cultural Work They Do for Us

In praise of spiders in all their inspirational glory

Spiders are often found lurking in dusty corners, where we can observe them with interest or brush them away with disgust—or make a run for it, as the agitated Miss Muffet does. They are just as prevalent in our cultural landscapes, starring in horror films, inspiring works by famous artists and writers, and featured in myths and folktales. In Arachnomania, Maria Tatar explores how these creatures became our totem animals, our significant...