Horseshoe Crab: Biography of a Survivor

This is a well written and entertaining book for anyone interested in learning more about Horseshoe crabs. I read it in one sitting and then donated it to our public library.

I started watching horseshoe crabs on Delaware Bay 40 years ago, and reading everything available about them- there wasn't much! Now Tony Fredricks has written THE book I've waited for- everything in one place about the crabs. The breadth of research and readability mixed with Tony's wry sense of humor keeps one engaged like a novel. I learned why the crabs do what they do and why. Their blood is among the most expensive fluids on the planet and some of our medical science is currently possible because the crabs are bled and then released. They are experiencing extreme habitat pressure and you can learn how to help them survive. The Spring mating season on the Bay beaches is one of the grand natural spectacles in the world. Tony has put all of this and more in one book, and you should read it before you go to the beaches of Delaware Bay and see it for yourself. (Total transparency- Tony gathered some of his material at our beach in southern NJ)J. Tibbetts

Who knew there was so much to know about such a simple creature? I would never have guessed the eggs were so important in the long-distance migration of birds, for example. It seems everything I thought I knew about this animal was based on other peoples' guesses. The book is a vote for the scientific method. I am glad this book was recommended to me, and if you are a non-biologist with interest in the creatures around you, I would highly recommend this to you.

I was pretty disappointed in this book. While you do learn plenty about horseshoe crabs, I really didn't like the author's writing style and I often got stuck on the attempted tie-ins to old movies. Halfway through I put it back on my shelf and read other books for a few weeks before finally finishing it. The book includes a number of black-and-white photos, a diagram of horseshoe crab external anatomy, a bibliography, an appendix with a timeline, and an index. "Key facts" are spread throughout the book, but most of them are pretty useless. The cover art is at least pretty nice.

Not quite done, but very informative and written in a easy, fun style that takes scientific material and makes it palatable and fun to read. I have liked Horseshoe Crabs since I was a few years old and knew of their medical uses. I however did not know how interesting they are overall. Great read if they are of interest to you. I will be on the net crab count in DE next Spring.