All The Knots You Need

R. S. Lee. 108 pages, 2004. The strength of this book lies not only in the clear illustrations of the knots, but in the practical information that accompanies them. As one example, you learn that a Lark's Head can be used for everything from quickly attaching luggage tags to cinching a saddle on a horse. It tells you which materials are best for different purposes, the strengths for various materials and sizes, which fibers have maximum resistance to chemical and ultra-violet exposure and which fibers best resist wear and rot. It tells you how much certain knots reduce the overall strength of a rope, and describes knots that can be used to isolate a weakened part of a rope without cutting and retying it. It excels not in showing you 15 different ways to do something, but in showing you the best way to do it, including how to make a workable rope ladder. A bibliography and a glossary of terms used by those who work with lines complete the picture.