The Ashley Book of Knots

The definitive book on knots--including approximately 3,900 different kinds of knots, from simple hitches to ＂Marlingspike Seamanship,＂ this book and a piece of cord will open a new and challenging world of practical adventure to readers of all ages.

＂The Bible of knot-tyers.... Like the best cookbooks or collections of movie reviews, it’s a great dip-in read: Sit down at the breakfast table, flip the book open to any page, and you’ll find an appetizing morsel to gnaw on.＂ --The New York Times

The Ashley Book of Knots includes almost everything there is to know about knots, each precisely named and classified (with some new knots officially listed for the first time in the original 1944 publication). Mr. Ashley describes when each knot initially appeared, something about their history, and what each knot is best used for.

Including an easy-to-use index of knots, Mr. Ashley gives explicit directions on how to tie each knot. Devoting eleven years to writing his masterpiece, he describes each step simply and clearly and penned some 7,000 illustrative drawings alongside the text. This classic resource is based on forty years of looking for, trying out, and thinking up new knots. Mr. Ashley’s drawings abound in humor and the text is full of colorful anecdotes. The Ashley Book of Knots will make a unique and permanent addition to any library.

CLIFFORD W. ASHLEY had two ruling passions all his life: marine painting and knot tying. A student of Howard Pyle’s, he is represented in the permanent collections of museums and libraries all along the East Coast. At the time of his death he was one of the world’s leading authorities on knot tying. Both these interests kept him close to the open sea, and when he wasn’t trading knot knowledge with sailors, his easel was set up on wharves, decks, or shorelines.