<DIV>Whether on water, land, or suspended in midair, many popular outdoor sports that encounter the elements require a knot for its reliability, strength, or ease of use. Geoffrey Budworth's book, <b>Useful Knots</b>, is an excellent resource for anglers, climbers, sailors, campers, and general projects done around the home. <br><br>Topics range from a brief history of rope materials, how to distinguish a knot from a hitch or a bend, tips and techniques for each knot's construction and how to avoid fraying, and many more. Specific knots featured include the double overhand knot, pole hitch, Albright knot, Zeppelin bend, buntline hitch, cow hitch variation, World's Fair knot, bowline, cat's paw, Jansik special, and the Alpine butterfly, among many others. <br><br>With easy-to-follow diagrams and clear guidelines as to which knot is best suited for a certain activity, <b>Useful Knots</b> is a very handy reference. <br></DIV>