Rope: How a Bundle of Twisted Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization by Tim Queeney is a very highly recommended in-depth examination of rope and its impact on civilization. For a single topic book, it is amazing and fascinating how much we have depended upon rope over the ages. This is for everyone who enjoys history, sailing, and has spent an inordinate amount of time looking for and using rope in our daily lives.

This is a comprehensive look at how rope was made and used throughout history for tools, weapons, boats, construction, in culture/mythology, fishing, crime and punishment, for tricks and adventures, and in space. There is a special extensive focus on the use of rope for sailing and the significance of sailing for exploration, trade, fishing, etc.

The various materials used to make rope are discussed. Everything from bark, numerous plant fibers, animal hides and hair, etc. to the use of more current metal strands and synthetic fibers have been used to make rope. Queeney, who has knot tying videos available online, also has an interesting section on the importance and use of knots for the obvious, but also past use of knotted cords for messages, record keeping, and calendars.

Rope is very well researched. There is a note at the beginning that the book is AI Free - No AI was used in the research or writing of the book. I appreciated this after reading several cases where AI made up sources. The amount of researched involved in the book is impressive. This can be seen in the extensive Bibliography, which includes books, web articles, journals, and newspapers. There is also an Index and Notes.

Rope is a good choice for those who like history, sailing, and rope. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was an interesting read about the history and uses of rope. It was interesting to read how rope was made back long ago and the various uses for it.

I was not sure how I felt about reading this book before I started. I thoroughly enjoyed this. The history and all the uses of rope. I was blown away. I really enjoyed this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this advanced reader copy and this is my honest review.

The author grew up sailing and knows a great deal about rope in the past, present and future. This is one of those unique books that takes a commonplace thing and researches that thing for its intrinsic value and importance to our society. Much like my recent read How the Post Created America by Gallagher and an old favorite Lesser Beasts: A Snout-to-Tail History of the Common Pig by Essig.

Extreme microhistory book focused on rope. It had its interesting moments, but I think the focus was too narrow to catch my attention. The mix was a bit jarring as well with a bunch of science popping up. It was fine, but not for me.

I never gave rope much thought or wanted to learn more about rope until I read this book blurb! This was a surprisingly informative book about how rope came to be, the different types of ropes, and it’s amazing number of uses - some good, some bad - throughout the ages, in our everyday lives, and what might it be in the future. I was in awe of how people thousands of years ago invented rope and harnessed it throughout history in virtually every facet of life. I found some parts more interesting than others, to be expected given the immense range that rope is used for and applied to - for literally the world to operate effectively. I learned a lot reading this book so if you’re curious about how the world works, this book is for you. I loved how the author bookended his book - a lovely tribute to his dad, nicely done! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 12, 2025
Tim Queeney grew up around sailors and is very knowledgeable around boats, including how to operate and maintain them, which led to his fascination with ropes. Throughout the years, rope has had many uses, from tools that are used in building and boating, to instruments of torture, to being used on stage and screen and as part of the necessary implements for spelunkers and other adventure seekers (among many more).
Queeney’s “Ropes: How A Bundle of Twisted Fibres Became the Backbone of a Civilization” is broken down into parts, and each chapter discusses an important role rope played in a specific era of humanity. Starting from the earliest civilizations where some of the very first uses of rope were able to be traced, through to rope’s use to help construct the pyramids, to its use in circus acts and theatre productions, rope is versatile and one of the most useful, and overlooked, elements in society.
There are a few sections in this story that I thoroughly enjoyed, such as hearing about the historic uses of rope in Egyptian society and Roman times, as well as how rope was used as a torture and execution device for legal “punishment” in the past. On the other hand, there are many sections that I found myself skimming through, especially in more scientific sections where the chemical makeup or the construction process of rope is discussed.
I never thought of the importance of rope as it relates to civilization before, so if nothing else, Queeney’s book definitely had me looking at rope as a tool in different iterations throughout history. The book itself would be interesting for sailors, adventure seekers, or manufacturers where rope is an everyday part of life but it likely won’t be as engaging for most people. It was thought-provoking, and it definitely provided me with information I did not know before, so I definitely finished “Rope” with some interesting thoughts to share but overall, “Rope” was only moderately appealing in certain sections, while the rest left me bored.
Queeney writes well, the story is well-researched and well-constructed and I can say that I learned a few things. “Rope” is a book designed for a specific audience and it won’t appeal to everyone. However, if you fall into the group that enjoys learning about the historical importance of tools throughout humanity and the role of rope throughout civilization, I recommend Queeney’s “Rope”.

This was a pretty interesting book involving rope, its origins, and many uses. A lot of people probably don't think about rope very much unless they're at a job or have a hobby that involves its use. It's just not one of those items you really think about until you need it.

The book starts over 5,000 years in the past with a killing of one person by another with the use of a bow and arrow - a weapon highly dependent on rope to work. It then moves to how rope evolved, the different fibers used to make rope in different places, and its uses. Several chapters are dedicated to sailing. The author is a sailor and goes into depth on how rope was (and still is in some cases) used on ships for hundreds of years to sail the world. He then discusses how rope is used not only to sail the ships, but for netting to collect fish and such from the oceans, along with the myriad of knots used. We also see the transformation of rope, from basic plant fibers, to metal and synthetic fibers.

While there are a lot of applications for rope in sailing, it is used in many other instances as well, and some of these I was looking forward to more. As a rock climber, I was really happy to get to the chapter on mountaineering, but I was left rather disappointed. The chapter is pretty short and glosses over the use of rope. Rope is vital part of what we use so I was hoping to have a more in depth look at it.

Some of the chapter did feel rather disjointed. The author would be talking about one application of rope, then the next paragraph switch to something completely unrelated. Having a little better structure would have helped each chapter flow better, along with having more information on certain aspects of rope uses. I get that the author is a sailor, but it feels like that's really what he wanted to write about at times, which left some chapters lacking.

I did still enjoy the book and learned a lot, but I think this will appeal to a more specific group of readers.

I cannot give a complete review of this book as I was not able to finish it. It simply did not hold my attention.

Who thinks a lot about rope? Well, sailors do. So, it makes sense that this deep dive into the history of rope is written by a lifelong sailor. Tim Queeney has written for the magazine Ocean Navigator for years and has also taught celestial, coastal and radar navigation as an instructor for the Ocean Navigator School of Seamanship. Rope is a key tool for sailors, but it’s also a tool with many other uses, many of which Queeney explores in this book.

This book interested me because, as I’ve often said in my book reviews, I love books that cover the history of science, and this book is within the general ballpark. While not as scientific a topic as usually motivates me to read such a book, tools and tool use are also interests - one of the reasons I recently reviewed a book on axe murders.

Realistically though, rope is such a basic thing that just seems like it’s probably been around forever. So, it’s not something most people would think of as a subject for a book. But it’s that history and basic usefulness that make this book interesting. It took someone like Queeney who has spent a lot of time with this tool to really be motivated to do the research and put a book like this together.

If you are a casual user of rope, like me, you may find this book a bit uneven, as the chapters are arranged by the different uses rope has been put to. But McQueeney keeps his story pretty much in chronological order so that you get a sense not only of how rope has been used over time but also how the rope we use has itself changed. From sisal and “manila” (a plant fiber found only in the Philippines) to nylon and steel; technology has been applied to rope to further increase its usefulness. Today there are many types or rope suitable for many different purposes.

This book is the latest to take an everyday object and do a deep dive into its history. Part of the book trend called “microhistories”, these books have become a genre of their own. For the sailor in your life, for someone who tinkers with tools, and for folks who like to learn the history behind common everyday objects this book would be a good beach read for the long Labor Day weekend.

First of all, I want to express my appreciation for Queeney's opening disclaimer: "No AI was used in the research or writing of this book." It's kind of sad that the literary world has come to a point where such a disclaimer is needed, but it made me smile. (And for what it's worth, nothing in any of my reviews is ever written by AI either. Unless I unwittingly quote from a book, article, or blurb that was. Sigh.)

Before reading this book, I don't think I'd ever thought about the importance of rope to human development. It's just something that's... there. But some genius human ancestor thousands of years ago must have had an epiphany - this thin fibre won't do the job I need doing, but if I twist a few of them together... 

Queeney begins by linking the invention of rope to a time when (or before) Proto-Indo-European was spoken, and if you've read my review of Proto by Laura Spinney you might understand how hard I geeked out over that chapter. From there, he takes us on a journey through time and space. We visit ice age hunters, pyramid builders, early seafarers, tightrope walkers (I had to read that part through my fingers), fishermen, cowboys, Mars rovers, and more.

I have to admit to a bit of fatigue after a while with all the painstakingly detailed descriptions of different types and uses of rope, but the writing itself is far from dry. Queeney is clearly passionate about his subject, and he works in moments of humour that keep things interesting. (Wait, I should have made a rope pun there... he braids in moments of humour? Weaves? Whatever, you get the idea.)

Anyway, I really enjoyed this. It'll make a great resource for people who love to find out how things work. And it's also a fun and unique way to learn some history. I can see why Queeney made sure to take credit for his research, because he did a brilliant job with it. I highly recommend this book to any nonfiction lover.

From the Neolithic period and perhaps further back, to the pyramids, to clashes between Europeans and Native Americans, to the whaling industry, to landing Curiosity on Mars, and much more, good and bad, rope has been a vital part of it all.

An interesting world history that has something for everyone, although the whole is somewhat overwhelming as it covers so much ground.

A whole book about rope?!

I never thought about the importance of rope throughout history and continuing today until I saw this book! My first reaction was that the book could be boring as heck or fascinating, so I decided I had to check it out. It was both.

The average person uses rope in its many forms directly or indirectly many times a day, and humans have done so throughout history. Rope opens with a man being shot by a bow and arrow more than 5,100 years ago and explores the many uses of rope, cord, thread, etc., throughout history and throughout the world. It was fascinating to read not only how long rope has been used but also the many forms it has taken and the uses to which it has been put around the world. There are artifacts from Austronesian people as long ago as 3000 BCE. As we move forward in time readers learn about transatlantic cable cars, Native Americans’ use of decorated ropes to tie up prisoners, and a lot of other history. It was fun to read that Will Rogers was Cherokee and a master of rope tricks, but I was disappointed that my native city of Baltimore continued to use whipping as punishment for wife-beating until 1938.

On the downside, author Tim Queeney explored a truly impressive array of subjects in his research for this book, and he sometimes stayed on a topic a bit longer than I think the average reader would prefer. This was especially true on sea-related subjects, which no doubt reflected his personal background in sailing and experience as editor of Ocean Navigator magazine.

Pleasing readers with a book like Rope depends not just on the author's knowledge but also the style. Rope The writing has several elements that lightened the tone from time to time , like having Strands, instead of Chapters, with titles like “We All Pull Together”. The research for the book was mindboggling, and the book includes a number of relevant quotes from sources like Master ropemaker for the U.S. Navy David Himmelfarb !

If, like me, the idea of delving into rope appeals to you, I recommend you check this book out. To avoid getting “tied up”, though, if you find that you have heard as much as you wish to know about some topic, just skip a few paragraphs or pages and move on. Enjoying the next topic or era will not require that you have read the last. You will learn some science, some history, and have entertaining tidbits to share with friends, who will be caught up in the things you learned.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martins Press

Many of the main topics seemed pretty obvious but it got really interesting going into the details and finer points of how rope was used in many situations.

Factual historical storytelling centered on something many of us take for granted despite its rich history and lifesaving properties in any century.
There is an extensive bibliography at the end. Pub Date Aug 12, 2025 Buy one for your local library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
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Tim Queeney presents a fascinating micro-history of rope, and its role in advancing exploration, technology, recreation, and more. I particularly enjoyed his conversational tone--authoritative, but not dry--and the mix of anecdote and detail he provides. In Queeney's hands, rope becomes a metaphor for what binds our civilizations together and the way we solve problems. I also appreciated his personal recollections of rope, and the way it evoked a connection to his sailor father.

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this new book that seeks to untie the many lengths that cordage has had on humans and the world around them, from building monuments, sailing the seas and even to the stars.

My Dad loved two things in life, buying older cars and going to every tag sale in the area with my Mom, who he also loved. Many a bookcase, a couch, a bed, a bunk bed, curio cabinet and once a very large electric organ has come home strapped to the roof of my Dad's big junker at the time. A blanket and rope and my Dad could move a house. Dad learned about rope from my Grandfather, who was a commercial fisherman and lumberjack before moving South to America from Canada. Pop Pop knew rope and how to secure anything. To him it keep him safe and allowed him to do his job. To my dad it enabled him to furnish his house, and spoil his family. To others rope can mean something more, and something helpful to our development. Rope: How a Bundle of Twisted Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization by journalist and writer Tim Queeney is a look at how cordage made a difference in the way that early man dealt with the world, from food, to trade, to finding out what as beyond the horizon, the clouds, and even into the future of space exploration.

The book begins with Queeney finding some old rope that had been used by his father, who was a weekend sailor. The knots kept in the fibers, how Queeney's father taught him about sailing and the importance of the ropes to keeping the boat sailing and safe. Queeney looks at the making of rope a process that hasn't changed much since early man, as fibers are twisted in ways to make something stronger, and yet pliable. The book than moves to the beginning how early man might have developed rope, which is hard to find as most of it would have broken down. Queeney shows the early tools used to make rope, and the community that sprung from it, as twisting rope is not that easy. Queeney discusses how ancient mariners counted on rope to keep their boats together, and used to strap on new items, starting trade routes and more. Queeney discusses the changes in rope making and production and looks to the future at giant space elevators, and more that will need cordage to keep it together.

A very interesting book that is about much more than rope, but how our early ancestors were about to problem solve using rope and well man power. The book ranges from early days, to the building of the pyramids, and of Stonehenge. There is a lot about rope and the nautical life, which I enjoyed and found interesting, and something that might appeal to readers of nautical history. Queeney has done a lot of research, but writes in a very nice style, keeping everything easy to follow, and not seem like a lecture. A history that covers quite a lot of information, and does it quite well.

Recommended for people who like books that deal with the effects of one item on the world, like Mark Kurlansky or Simon Winchester. This is also a book that people who enjoy boats might enjoy, there is a lot of information, and much about the design of boats. A read that taught me much, and made me interested to learn more.

3 out of 5 stars

I went into this book knowing it would be hit or miss. Sometimes the niche histories are the most fascinating ones to read, and other times they are very much not. I really hoped that this book would surprise me. Rope is a simple object that we do not think of very often, but maybe it has an interesting history. One chapter in and I lost hope.

Rope: How a Bundle of Twister Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization is split up into three sections: Fibers from the earth, Beyond plants, and Roping in the future. These sections vary wildly in length and dryness. The first section is over half of the book and contains an excessive amount of rope jargon. It also has moments of interesting history, but not enough to make up for the technical talk. The second part is, to me, the most interesting and discusses the more modern uses of rope including the building of a suspension bridge, magic, acrobatics, rodeos, double Dutch jump rope, adventuring, and more. The third section is the shortest of the three and could arguably be included in the second part. It covers an interesting look into NASA's use of rope for the Mars Rover.

Even though the book is very dry, the interesting parts stood out and made me wish more of the book took that same approach. The sections that stood out to me the most included the examination of the significance of rope to sailors and ships around the world, and the exploration of rope and knots in ceremonial situations, which included handcuffing criminals. Along with those examples, I liked how rope around the world and throughout all history was examined in this work. Also, it is fun that “Strands” was used in place of “Chapters.” It is nice to see an author go all in with the theme of a book.

This book had so much potential. Rope has a rich history and the significance of the twister fibers around the world offers much to explore. However, the first section of the book dragged on for so long, the rest could not make up for that lag.

A short but interesting history of the rope from the dawn of history to the future. I was disappointed that the author left out several important ropes - thread for clothes, weaving,, and the Japanese art of Kumihimo (braid weaving). Ropes or cords have also been used for slings, and are twisted into patterns in South America. Silk is commonly used for ropes and thread.

I don't think I've ever thought about rope in any depth before, and this book really forced me to do that. I enjoyed it, I feel like it encompassed more than just rope, and really brought together the social impact of the things humanity does to make their lives just a little bit easier. It reminded me of this post I saw about how one of the first plants purposefully grown by humans was a bottle gourd in order to have a drinking vessel. Humans are so cool