There are over 50 000 species of spiders and they surround us in our daily lives, and contrary to popular belief, the vast majority are completely harmless to humans.

In Silk and Venom, James O’Hanlon takes us from his backyard in Armidale to all corners of the globe (and even outer space!) to explore these fascinating creatures and show us why they’re not so scary after all.

You’ll encounter everything from minuscule jumping spiders with super intelligence to giant tarantulas whose venom could one day save your life. Clearing up spider myths and misconceptions, James O’Hanlon introduces readers to the beauty of their lives, including remarkable hunting techniques, the fascinating engineering of spider silk and the spiders that live in extremes – from underwater to the slopes of Mount Everest.