The Handbook of Knots
by Des Pawson

DK Publishing (New York): 1998. ISBN-10: 0-7894-2395-2 Suggested retail price: $16.95 (US) Tags: hitches; Knots; lashing; rope; sennits Tactical strength: [8/10]

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Des Pawson, co-founder of the International Guild of Knot Tyers, provides clear instructions for tying the most popular practical and decorative knots. Clear photographs illustrate each step using brightly colored rope, often with contrasting colors that make knots involving two ropes especially easy to tie. The photographs provide more intermediate steps than most other knot books, and I found photographs much easier to follow than the drawings other books -- even Ashley's Book of Knots.

I would have liked Pawson to present some more information about the knots. For example, when discussing the Hunter's Bend, he says, "This publicity for a knot also led to the foundation of the International Guild of Knot Tyers" (68), but he doesn't elaborate. I would also have liked more information about the uses and alternate names of the knots.

Overall, The Handbook of Knots provides instructions for most of the knots you would ever need, except for some camping knots (like the tautline hitch) and knots for anglers. DK also made the book tall an narrow like a travel book and with convenient cover flaps that easily mark useful pages.