Eight-Legged Friends by Grant Allen
Eight-Legged Friends is a novel written by Grant Allen that follows the story of a group of spiders living in an abandoned house. The book explores themes of survival, community, and the importance of friendship. It has been praised for its vivid descriptions of the natural world and its ability to capture the unique personalities of each character.
By Grant Allen · First published 1890 · Genre: Natural History, Science, Humor · 5,731 words
First lines
A singular opportunity was afforded me last summer for making myself thoroughly at home with the habits and manners of the common English geometrical spider. By the pure chance of circumstance, two ladies of that intelligent and interesting species were kind enough to select for their temporary residence a large pane of glass just outside my drawing-room window. Now, it so happened that this particular pane was constructed not to open, being, in fact, part of a big bow-window, the alternate sashes of which were alone intended for ventilation. Hence it came to pass that by diligent care I was enabled to preserve my two eight-legged acquaintances from the devouring broom of the British housemaid, and to keep them constantly under observation at all times and seasons during a whole summer.
What this Textopian page supports
Eight-Legged Friends is listed on Textopian as a short story by Grant Allen, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Grant Allen
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Natural History, Science, Humor, Philosophy, Essay
- Length: 5,731 words
- Structure: 1 section, 39 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Eight-Legged Friends by Grant Allen
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles
- Fish As Fathers by Grant Allen
- Nests And No Nests by Grant Allen
- Our Winged House Fellows by Grant Allen
- Big Animals by Grant Allen
- Go To The Ant by Grant Allen
- The Squirrels Harvest by Grant Allen
Genres
- Natural History — The book provides detailed observations and descriptions of the behavior and characteristics of spiders, focusing on their natural habits and ecological roles.
- Science — The narrative includes scientific observations and reflections on the biology and behavior of spiders, incorporating elements of zoology and entomology.
- Humor — The writing style includes humorous and anthropomorphic descriptions of the spiders, adding a light-hearted tone to the scientific observations.
- Philosophy — The text explores philosophical questions about nature, morality, and the human role in the natural world, reflecting on ethical considerations.
Tags
spiders · arachnids · nature · entomology · insects · wildlife · ecosystem · biology · science · education · environment · habitat