The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Knots and splices; Crafts
Alpheus Hyatt Verrill, known as Hyatt Verrill, was an American zoologist, explorer, inventor, illustrator and author. He was the son of Addison Emery Verrill (1839–1926), the first professor of zoology at Yale University.
Hyatt Verrill wrote on a wide variety of topics, including natural history, travel, radio and whaling. He participated in a number of archaeological expeditions to the West Indies, South, and Central America. He travelled extensively throughout the West Indies, and all of the Americas, North, Central and South. Theodore Roosevelt stated: "It was my friend Verrill here, who really put the West Indies on the map.”
During 1896 he served as natural history editor of Webster's International Dictionary., and he illustrated many of his own writings as well. In 1902 Verrill invented the autochrome process of natural-color photography.
Among his writings are many science fiction works including twenty six published in Amazing Stories pulp magazines. Upon his death, P. Schuyler Miller noted that Verrill "was one of the most prolific and successful writers of our time," with 115 books to his credit as well as "articles in innumerable newspapers." Everett F. Bleiler described Verrill's "lost race" stories as "more literate than most of their competition, but stodgy."
When the Moon Ran Wild (1962) was published posthumously using the name Ray Ainsbury.
Radium-Age science fiction author A. Hyatt Verrill was editor of the popular science division of a boys' magazine when he penned and illustrated this little classic reference book. Verrill was quite the adventurer and explorer, and so he had first-hand knowledge and expertise with the practical arts of rope work needed in various applications. Now, to tie a knot has long been my Kryptonite. I remember my parents becoming exceedingly frustrated as they tried to help me practice tying my own shoelaces. Later, my choice of medical practice was influenced by my complete inability to tie surgical stitches. As this summer approaches, my wife has expressed wanting to do some boating and fishing. So I picked this book up hoping it would help me bone up on some badly needed skills.
Well, first of all, I was disappointed that there is no discussion on how to tie on a hook or lure to your fishing line. This book is entirely about the use of rope. It even teaches you how to weave your own rope from twine. If you want to learn the best way to secure a barrel for hoisting onto a cargo ship, this book is for you. If you want to make a citizen's arrest and all you have is a loop of rope, this book will teach you how to make a Tomfool knot which renders an effective pair of handcuffs that has foiled even the best escape artists. If you want to make a hangman's noose for your next Halloween costume, this book has got you covered. Need to lasso a raging bull or yolk a horse? Check out this book, pardner. But for everyday modern applications in the days of Home Depot and Menard's, it was a bit difficult to decipher.
The main problem was that Verrill gives very little explanation as to the purposes of each knot, nor does he compare and contrast the advantages of one knot over the other. He just bombards the reader with one knot after the other. The illustrations and descriptions of the execution of each knot are for the most part very clear, and you will have no problems practicing your rope skills with this book. But why you'd want to make such a knot in reality will require further research.
So overall, a great nostalgia piece and a fine book for learning almost any traditional knot for those of you into historical reenactments and Renaissance faires. But for a guy like me, Verrill would have me believe I am beyond help.
The material was okay. In most cases, the illustrations were helpful and clear. In a few cases, the illustrations were missing but the description was often clear enough to help one still tie the knot. In one case the description indicates that the missing illustration is so exemplary that no description on how to tie the knot is needed. (I laughed out loud and then kept going.)
This is a good resource for anyone wishing to work with ropes. A lot of information on the use of strand ropes versus the more modern woven/braided ropes. Will have to one day play around with the old style ropes and then this book will really be helpful in tackling splices and such.
If, like me, you love tying knots and reading about tying knots, then you will enjoy this one. A good portion is standard Ashley Book Of Knots repetition, but there are several gems buried in these pages, like the elusive Horse Bridal and Halter.
Little explanation of why specific knots are useful, making the tying excercise rather academic. The illustrations are very poor in some cases, kind of a non-starter in a handbook designed to illustrate.
The descriptions and illustrations were lacking, but the information on applications of various knots, splices, lashings, etc, was very helpful. Good for those who are already familiar with knots and lashings.