The Adlard Coles Book of Knots

Publisher: Adlard Coles

Publication Date: 2007, 3rd ed.,

It was drawn to our attention in a review of a knot book last month that there were already 37 books on this topic in the library.  Here is number 39.  It would be easy to think that here was a market in glut.  But there are sometimes significant differences between many – so we seek the unique aspect here. It certainly has greater clarity in its diagrams and drawings than most and this is, of course, imperative in a practical book.  The careful use of distinctive colour and appropriate arrows make the diagrams straight forward to follow.  There is emphasis in the text on which ones are easier to tie in a crisis and the uses to which are best put are described.  The focus is on knots, bends, splices, hitches that have a real practical purpose on a boat.  A few decorative applications are also covered but that is but six or so of fifty in total. The clarity of the diagrams and of the words make this a good text for reminding old hands of some useful ideas and, above all, an engaging display for a newcomer wanting to learn.  It is 25cm x 15cm and 4mm thick in its soft binding so it doesn’t take up much space either. – PDD