Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. List of Illustrations xi
4. Acknowledgements xiii
5. Preface xvii
6. Introduction: Tarantula Territory 1
7. Part I Past and Present Spider Webs
8. Chapter 1 Seeking St Paul: Historical and Contemporary Enactments 29
9. Chapter 2 Webs through Time: Origins and History of Tarantism 55
10. Part II The Spider’s Cult Today
11. Chapter 3 Curing Myths and Fictive Cures: Views of Believers and Sceptics 77
12. Chapter 4 Ads and Antidotes: Celebrity versus Conservation 101
13. Chapter 5 Sensing Identities and Well-being: Personal Motivations and Experiences 121
14. Part III From Ritual to Limelight
15. Chapter 6 Spider WoMen Transfixed: Negotiating Crisis and Cure 137
16. Chapter 7 Tarantula Threads and Showbiz Airs: Fine-tuning Performances 159
17. Chapter 8 SpiderWoMen Transformed: Celebrating Well-being 189
18. Part IV Conclusion
19. Chapter 9 Dancing Beyond Spiders 211
20. Epilogue 220
21. Bibliography 221
22. Filmography 239
23. Index 241