The Life of the Spider

by Jean-Henri Fabre

Fabre had many scholarly achievements. He was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist, and botanist. However, he is probably best known for his findings in the field of entomology, the study of insects, and is considered by many to be the father of modern entomology.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Nature, School, Science Nature, Animals

187 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 4, 2013

About the author

Fabre was born in Saint-Léons in Aveyron, France. Fabre was largely an autodidact, owing to the poverty of his family. Nevertheless, he acquired a primary teaching certificate at the young age of 19 and began teaching at the college of Ajaccio, Corsica, called Carpentras. In 1852, he taught at the lycée in Avignon.

Fabre went on to accomplish many scholarly achievements. He was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist and botanist. However, he is probably best known for his findings in the field of entomology, the study of insects, and is considered by many to be the father of modern entomology. Much of his enduring popularity is due to his marvelous teaching ability and his manner of writing about the lives of insects in biographical form, which he preferred to a clinically detached, journalistic mode of recording. In doing so he combined what he called "my passion for scientific truth" with keen observations and an engaging, colloquial style of writing. Fabre noted: Others again have reproached me with my style, which has not the solemnity, nay, better, the dryness of the schools. They fear lest a page that is read without fatigue should not always be the expression of the truth. Were I to take their word for it, we are profound only on condition of being obscure.

Over the years he wrote a series of texts on insects and arachnids that are collectively known as the Souvenirs Entomologiques. Fabre's influence is felt in the later works of fellow naturalist Charles Darwin, who called Fabre "an inimitable observer". Fabre, however, rejected Darwin's theory of evolution; on the other hand he was not a Biblical creationist either but assumed a saltationist origin of biodiversity.

In one of Fabre's most famous experiments, he arranged processionary caterpillars to form a continuous loop around the edge of a pot. As each caterpillar instinctively followed the silken trail of the caterpillars in front of it, the group moved around in a circle for seven days.

Jean-Henri Fabre's last home and office, the Harmas de Fabre in Provence stands today as a museum devoted to his life and works.

The site of his birth, at St Léons, near Millau is now the site of Micropolis, a tourist attraction dedicated to popularising entomology and a museum on his life.

Reviews

[Horia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has mild arachnophobia, I enjoyed reading this book.

It presents spiders from an objective perspective: they're not scary, they're wild animals (predators, to be more precise; and they're very good at it). Their instincts are geared towards about eating, mating and staying alive. Despite their size, they should be respected and treated with care, as you would any predator.
What I like enormously is that the author proposes and does experiments (fueled by curiosity on spider behaviour). I found them insightful and they stimulated my imagination to ask Google more questions about spiders.

A bit too detailed at certain moments (I skipped some sections), this is definitely a great read if you want to understand this scary insect.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabre is a fascinating man, and he writes in a beautiful way about the spiders he's observed. My daughter and I were amazed at the things he came up with to try regarding the spiders and their lifestyles: changing their webs, switching egg sacs, etc. It seemed rather cruel in the name of 'science'! He has an interesting regard for the creatures, admitting their lack of intelligence while admiring other traits. I read this book on the iPad, and wished there were photos of the spiders he described, because it would have added a lot to the text.

[Becky Hintz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, this was a big favorite with the kids--archaic language and all. Rather than fearing spiders, they are now plotting to capture some of our more impressive neighbors for closer observation. The author's descriptions of his close, patient study helped turn my children into little naturalists. Very glad we tackled this one!

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabre was France's preeminent 19th century naturalist, and this compendium of his writings on spiders is unsurpassed. His description of the solar-powered flights of fledgling spiderlets is some of the most fantastic nature writing on earth.

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

a bit repetitive/long winded - but the ‘gentleman scientist’ voice is charming and I learned some interesting Spider Facts.

[Autumn Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely interesting experiments and insight into the lives and minds of our favorite backyard bugs.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Details, not dry facts but observations gathered so carefully and then presented as a beautiful web, get the reader up and close to a few types of spiders native to the author’s neighborhood. Through these types, we learn how they build their homes, how they catch their food, how they mate, and how they raise their young. The scientist compares and contrasts his specimens, whether out in the field or in his spider zoo. Although we may have never considered filling our days with seeking out the haunts of our local spiders to say nothing of filling countless notebooks with our careful notes; this book will help us to marvel when we consider the way spiders utilize their resources, and the matter-of-fact geometrical presentation of their traps.

[SofiaTorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

”The Spider that showed me the exodus in all its magnificence is known officially as Thomisus onustus, WALCK. Though the name suggest nothing to the reader's mind, it has the advantage, at any rate, of hurting neither the throat nor the ear, as is too often the case with scientific nomenclature, which sounds more like sneezing than articulate speech. Since it is the rule to dignify plants and animals with a Latin label, let us at least respect the euphony of the classics and refrain from harsh splutters which spit out a name instead of pronouncing it.”

Lmao this quote is golden.

Beatifully written book though some experiments conducted by the author felt a bit cruel.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. I enjoyed this book about spiders, and I learned a lot.

“[The] Spider is well worth studying, apart from any scientific reasons; but she is said to be poisonous and that is her crime and the primary cause of the repugnance wherewith she inspires us. Poisonous, I agree, if by that we understand that the animal is armed with two fangs which cause the immediate death of the little victims which it catches; but there is a wide difference between killing a Midge and harming a man.”

[Will Grogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quaint, superbly old fashioned, yet insightful and full of wonder and curiosity for the natural world. Something that mixes the childlike wonder and fascination of the world with the probing and knowledge hungry essence of science.
Jean-Henri Fabre is the naturalist we all want to be when imagining a life in the field, studying and exploring the world.

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing piece of art! J. Henri Fabre is a master of the written word. His prose is like poetry! He presents many interesting experiments with a diverse group of local spiders and manages to keep your interest even if you have an arachnophobia! Great little read! Highly recommended!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not like spiders, but Fabre did, and therefore this book is fascinating. He describes several different spiders found commonly around his home, questions he wondered about them, and observations/experiments that answered his questions.

[Michelle Fournier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read parts of it with my kids for school. It was pretty interesting and well written…just not enough to continue reading about All the spiders with so many other things to read as well. But a great read all the same.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was something else. It focused on Europeaan spiders and the experiments Fabre did on them to study them, which gave me the weirds and sads. The illustrations are magnificent and definitely the reason to check out the book. Very flowery Victorian prose as well.

[Roopa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best impulse purchase I've ever made at a used bookstore. Currently my favorite book to open to a random page and read for a few pages before bedtime. also lovely to read out loud, it has a really soothing, lilting rhythm to it. Everyone should love something as much as JH Fabre loves spiders.

[Julie Mabus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was far more interesting than I anticipated. I’m not a spider lover but they are amazing in how they function. At times Fabre was a bit long-winded but in general I was fascinated by his insights. I will remember many things from this book.

[Ines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired from Gerald Durrell

[David Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful I really enjoyed this. I strongly recommend it, a description about the life of spiders in France. Fabre was an amazing man.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and well worth reading. Fabre’s language and humor enliven an already intriguing subject. Parents and educators doing nature study with children should not miss this book.

[Courtney Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't imagine any author making me care more about these "wee little beasties". Grade A.

[Ashleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read about spiders. Archaic language but still readable, interesting observations.

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew a book about spiders could be this fascinating?

I'm so glad this is on the AO list! What an inspiration to observe, study, and report findings. Fabre was a genius.

[Sharon Zink · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent description of the lives of various species of spider. Very interesting and readable. I wonder if some of this information--the book was issued in 1912--is out of date; e.g., Are the little spiders on the back of one species (I think tarantula) really nourished by the sun for seven months? They have no chlorophyll.

[Aoghdan Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was educational and awesome at the same time. So much i didnt know about spiders........AANNNDDD it mentioned the crab spider in it!!!!Jean-Henri Fabre is a very good writer by the way. You should read it its a very good book and i loved and You will to I SWEAR IT!!!!! :D

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have any interest in spiders this is an amaziing volume given when it was written. You will look at these arachnids differently. They are an important piece of the natural mosaic and need to be understood and treated with reverence.

[Elena Druță · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am citit cu mare plăcere această ”broșurică”, pe care o recomand cu mare plăcere cititorilor care nu văd păianjenii ca pe niște monstruleți; chiar și așa, stilul de a scrie a lui Fabre poate modifica ușor acest lucru.

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have a pet tarantula. I also happen to enjoy Fabre's stories for kids. Great read.

[Rick Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about spiders. Full review here: http://oldeship.blogspot.com/2014/08/...

[Chip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly cool book.