What We Are Reading Today: ‘Arachnomania’

Author: MARIA TATAR 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. Spiders model engineering genius in the construction of webs that have become powerful metaphors for drawing us out of our social isolation and connecting us in a fragile ecosystem.