Tim Queeney's narration about the history of rope and how the braided fibers have been an integral part of civilizations throughout the ages is documented poignantly in his book Rope. Most impressive is the amount of research that Queeney puts into his documentation, traveling back in time to BCE and canvassing the globe from Central Europe and China to the Pacific Islands and the western hemisphere to find evidence of societies making and using rope.

Like the invention of the wheel, Queeney shows how the invention of rope has served civilizations throughout time where humans resided, providing many uses from being a weapon to harm people to being a life saving tool for sailors and others. His narration jumps circas, which can be confusing for readers, moving from BCE to the 21st century and crisscrossing the globe. The stories are not in chronological order but rather organized in a manner that is personalized by Queeney, which may prove to be burdensome for readers.

Rope is an insightful read leaving the audience with the understanding that rope is entirely a human invention, serving multiple cultures and ethnic groups, across time and the globe, and even used for space exploration purposes. It is a book that readers need to devote a great deal time and concentration to fully comprehend and find relevant to their own lives.

I received a free copy of, Rope, Tim Queeney, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The author, Tim Queeney is a sailor, who knows a lot about ropes. This book tells you all you need to know about ropes.

There were some parts of the book I really enjoyed. It provided a good history of rope with some clever wording and humour. And I enjoyed the author’s journey parts. But I found that there was too much specialized vocabulary and some of the explanations were too complex for me, especially those surrounding sailing and knots. I feel that this could have been helped by illustrations. I find pacing is disrupted when I have to stop reading to look things up and this happened a lot in this book. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader copy.

A long, meandering journey into rope that didn’t hit the mark for me. What should have been a well researched history in the manufacturing of rope through the ages devolved into asides into nautical theory, cowboy rope tricks and the theoretical notions of a space-rope elevator. I wanted more on how rope manufacturing evolved instead of so much on how rope is used. I know rope was used for sailing and for nooses so didn’t need a deep dive into that. Just not for me.

I'm one of those people who love learning about most anything.....including rope. And who better to document the past, present and future of rope than a man whose interest includes all things marine related, where rope in all it's forms fills an important place in the everyday duties of a sailor. From the first examples of a braided or twisted cable to a metal filament to even the macrame rope I use in my plantings, rope has many uses and types. A fascinating look at an everyday item most people use without thought.

This is a well-written, well researched and engaging book about rope. The author’s voice is conversational and enthusiastic as they share not only a special interest, in detail, but their fascination at just how much of our lives revolve around rope through it’s many descendants. Shoelaces, hair ties, belts, horse tack, boats, search and rescue, construction, mountain climbing, fishing, and hunting … rope is everywhere in some form or incarnation.

Knots were used in Inkan writing, in Huichol calendars, various religions, and in so many ways in so many cultures. Honestly, I didn’t know there was so much to know about rope and how it shaped so many facets of human life because it’s so ubiquitous. I’ve never lived in a world where I couldn’t just go to a store and buy twine, rope, or yarn, so much so that I never gave it a thought. And now, having read this book, I know a little more about it — how long it’s been a part of human civilization and how much we still rely on it, whether it’s made of fiber, synthetic materials, or even metal.

This is an excellent book if you’re interested in non fiction trivia books with a focus on history and civilization. It’s easy to read, and quick, and is well worth the read. Thank you so very much to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC!

I saw an article--well, a piece of an article, didn't read the whole thing--about hiring practices in the railroad industry. The rule of thumb for recruiters was this: only hire people who do not express any interest in trains whatsoever. I do not know that this is true, but the rationale behind it is that there are people out there who like trains, and they tend to really like trains, to the point that they will not shut up about trains, ever, not even for a minute, and while you might tolerate one person like that in a workplace, if you get two of them they will be at each other's throat in nanoseconds, arguing about whatever it is that people who like trains argue about.

The point of this is that there is enthusiasm, and then there is, you know, enthusiasm. Tim Queeney is an enthusiast about rope, and he has written an excellent book that is about rope, and thank goodness this is in a book because one suspects that if you were sitting in the middle seat of a Boeing traveling from Seattle to Boston, and Tim Queeney had the window seat, you would hear more about rope than you would ever want to hear. Did you know that they used rope to build the Pyramids? Didja? Didja? Want to know what it was made out of? What the Vikings made their rope out of? This is all in Queeney's book, which is not only very well done, but something that you can put down when you want to.

I am teasing the poor author a bit here, which is not nice, but he does admit to being an enthusiast and it's palpable throughout the book, anyway. It is a very interesting read, over not only the whole history of rope (which we know less about than we should because rope decays) but the far future of ropes and cabling and space elevators and all that. This is the book you should read if you like this sort of thing, the sort of book that the mean people in the car insurance commercials tell you not to read because it will make you turn into your parents. Outstanding work of dad-core here.

I really enjoyed reading this book! The author uncovered the essence of rope; its uses in past and present. It's evident that Mr. Queeney did his research. Each chapter was a new and exciting venture! My favorite part was when the author reflected on why rope is special and memorable to him.

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tim Queeney starts the book describing his personal connection to rope, which is tied to his father. He goes through different points in history to provide a description and anecdote of how rope is used, including in the Egyptian pyramids, Stonehenge, sailing, fishing, building and construction, spiritual and ceremonial reasons, punishments, and others. His writing is engaging and the stories interesting. I enjoyed reading the book.

Rope by Tim Queeney offers an unexpected deep dive into a topic most of us take for granted. I'm not sure I would say that rope is "the backbone of civilization", but the author does explore how rope has literally and figuratively held the world together. From Ötzi's death from a flint arrowhead, to pyramid building in ancient Egypt, how rope was used in punishment, and how important rope was in landing Curiosity on Mars, the subject is more fascinating than it might seem at first glance. The book shines when it leans into quirky historical tidbits and surprising innovations.

That said, the tone can be a bit uneven—sometimes breezy and humorous, other times overly detailed or dry. It reads more like a collection of rope-related anecdotes than a cohesive narrative, which may work for some readers but felt slightly disjointed to me. This book is crying out for illustrations! I often wished for visuals and diagrams to complement the content, especially in the more technical sections. I found myself searching the internet often while I read so I could picture pyramid building, khipu, and ropewalks. Still, it’s a solid read if you enjoy niche histories or just enjoy learning how everyday things came to be. Not quite gripping from start to finish, but it was informative. Three and a half stars rounded down.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on August 12, 2025.

Rope, by Tim Queeney, is well-written, well-researched, and informative. I appreciated the droll humour and the interesting and anecdotal style. General readers as well as historical fiction researchers will find this book to be a good resource.

If you enjoyed the books Salt and Cod, this is right up your alley! Fact filled and immersive, Tim Queeney sails along from the earliest days to the space age. Being a sailor, Mr. Queeney recognizes the importance of all the lines of a sailing ship. He sails through the centuries and ends his book in the space age. What a remarkable ending to remind us that it was various lines that allowed the landing of the Rover on Mars. In between then and now, he takes us on a great journey through the adaptation of rope. Fact filled, who knew that the word lynch originated from two brothers? Who knew that the USS Constitution is held together with miles of rope that has to be changed out yearly. This is a great read, lots of fun and inspiring and thoughtfully written. Queeney has taken an everyday object and has turned it into something special! Highly recommended reading…brilliant!

Fascinating read of the history of rope and how it began, evolved, and continues to be used. A very detailed a count. Great for readers that enjoy digging deeply into this subject. The author definitely did his research & kept the reader engaged in such a unique subject matter. This book won't be for everyone but it was an enjoyable read.