The Ashley Book of Knots

Product Information

From Nobel Laureates Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter to theatre greats Tom Stoppard and Alan Bennett to rising stars Polly Stenham and Florian Zeller, Faber Drama presents the very best theatre has to offer. There is obviously nothing in the book about the synthetic ropes that have come out since it was written, or the knots that were developed to deal with the slipperiness of those ropes. The edition with the the cover illustration of the sailor on the pier is hilarious if you know what knot he's tying: a handcuff knot.

Knot tying is probably in no danger of disappearing, but certainly fewer people are learning to tie them.Even if you don't like knotcraft, you simply have to get ahold of this book for a few moments just to flip through. More knots then the internet, honestly in a decision between referencing the internet or this book, I would look in the book first! It also provides a sort of sociological insight into how people worked not so long ago, too, with knots specific to stevedores, teamsters, movers, bakers, fishermen and others who once depended on knots but to a great extent no longer do so. If you only have a casual or moderate interest in knots you may want to pick a less expensive and less voluminous book.

First published in 1944, and reprinted many times since then, the latest reissue of this magnificent book contains, for the first time, fully illustrated details of all minor amendments and corrections that have come to light over the years. As this book was first published in 1944, there are some more recently discovered knots missing from this huge volume, such as the Versatackle knot and the Zeppelin bend. Annie Proulx, with its descriptions and illustrations of various knots providing the chapter headings. Those skills are at the fore in this work, his illustrations of knots being among the clearest and most understandable in any work of the kind. He describes each step simply and clearly in the text and has penned right alongside some 7000 drawings to make it still more graphic.With classics such as Ted Hughes's The Iron Man and award-winners including Emma Carroll's Letters from the Lighthouse, Faber Children's Books brings you the best in picture books, young reads and classics. Featuring every practical knot, what it looks like, who uses it, where it comes from and how to tie it; with 7000 drawings representing over 3800 knots.

The Knotting Matters issues cited in the above Knot News article are: KM1, KM28, KM31, KM32, and KM33. Ashley has devoted eleven years to writing this book, and it is based on forty years of looking for, trying out, and thinking up new knots. This is probably the most important book on the subject, and has more knots listed than any other book. But it's so much more than just an enyclopedia of knots; it's also a glimpse into the history of their use and utility.Published in 1944, so there's a lot of interesting history in it as well as lots of fascinating information on useful and decorative knots. Faber Members get access to live and online author events and receive regular e-newsletters with book previews, promotional offers, articles and quizzes. Image shows bag lanyards, yoke rope, manrope and two Chinese priest cords on one page and blocks, deadeyes, bull's-eyes, hearts, thimbles, etc.

It is no longer the last word in knots, now that slippery, brittle materials with incredible tensile strength such as spectra (made of kevlar) exist. Due to its scope and wide availability, The Ashley Book of Knots has become a significant reference work in the field of knotting. Although the drawings are clean and simple, I am especially thick-headed when it comes to knots, which is why I am reading this book.This is the definitive reference on the subject and well worth adding to ANY library, public, private, or personal. Ashley's wonderful 1944 work, The Ashley Book of Knots, which I had the good fortune to find at a yard sale for a quarter, this book would have remained just a thread of an idea. If you are really into knots like I am and want to view one of the best source books on knots then I highly recommend this book. If you appreciate resourcefulness, art, sailing, camping, flying, needlecraft, knitting, crochet, history, physics, tenacity, dedication, collecting, music, carpentry, or anything really. I can't find it there now, but i remembered it and thought i would list it here for anyone interested.