The Silk Roads

A New History of the World

By: Peter Frankopan

Narrated by: Laurence Kennedy

“This is history on a grand scale, with a sweep and ambition that is rare... A proper historical epic of dazzling range and achievement.” (William Dalrymple, The Guardian)

The epic history of the crossroads of the world - the meeting place of East and West and the birthplace of civilization

It was on the Silk Roads that East and West first encountered each other through trade and conquest, leading to the spread of ideas, cultures, and religions. From the rise and fall of empires to the spread of Buddhism and the advent of Christianity and Islam, right up to the great wars of the 20th century - this book shows how the fate of the West has always been inextricably linked to the East.

Peter Frankopan realigns our understanding of the world, pointing us eastward. He vividly re-creates the emergence of the first cities in Mesopotamia and the birth of empires in Persia, Rome, and Constantinople, as well as the depredations by the Mongols, the transmission of the Black Death, and the violent struggles over Western imperialism. Throughout the millennia, it was the appetite for foreign goods that brought East and West together, driving economies and the growth of nations.

From the Middle East and its political instability to China and its economic rise, the vast region stretching eastward from the Balkans across the steppe and South Asia has been thrust into the global spotlight in recent years. Frankopan teaches us that to understand what is at stake for the cities and nations built on these intricate trade routes, we must first understand their astounding pasts. Far more than a history of the Silk Roads, this book is truly a revelatory new history of the world, promising to destabilize notions of where we come from and where we are headed next.

©2016 Peter Frankopan (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This provocative history challenges the view of the West as heir to a pure Greco-Roman culture. For Frankopan, the brutish West owes its more enlightened traditions to the lands east of Italy and west of China, which were, for centuries, 'the centre of the world'… Frankopan marshals diverse examples to demonstrate the interconnectedness of cultures, showing in vivid detail the economic and social impact of the silk and the slave trades, the Black Death, and the Buddhist influence on Christianity.” (The New Yorker)

“In his new book, The Silk Roads, Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.” (Nishant Dahiya, NPR)

“This is deeply researched popular history at its most invigorating, primed to dislodge routine preconceptions and to pour in other light. The freshness of… Frankopan’s sources is stimulating, and their sheer range can provoke surprising connections. He likes to administer passing electric shocks… The sheer abundance of Frankopan’s information can become an omnivorous pleasure, and its details add color and particularity to his text… He plunders data magnificently... A brave, subtly personal project of inspiring ambition and epic scope.” (Colin Thubron, New York Review of Books)

West bad, east good

Author frequently accused western countries in seeing only what they wanted to see that I think he fall for the same issue. This looks like a cherry-picking of narratives, events, facts, and a lot of wishful thinking that support the story author wanted to tell.

Excellent

I read this 2ce in a row! Terrific
Understanding of the area. This is important

I compelling narrative history of the Middle East.

An engaging narrative history of the Middle East which places the Middle East and surrounding territories as the fulcrum of world history. A very compellingly told Tale with unexpected conclusions.

the story line, and how detailed the book is. perfect read

enjoyed it. needed to take a half a day break since it was way to many information lol.

Good review of history

Well done reminder that the world is not just America and Europe, we must remember, be curious and aware about these places that here in the western world not too many people talk about them.

Outstanding work!

I was surprised by the scope, detail and synthesis of this work. It puts the present in the context of the past and directs attention to the future - a consequence of choices we make.

4th listen

The best kind of book is one where I disagree with a lot of the authors stated political opinions but still cannot stop listening

Well researched and told deeply flawed analysis

I enjoyed this book. I particularly appreciated the variety and depth of detail. While not the best writer, more than passable. The biggest issue is with the sophomoric analysis. This is a writer’s conclusion in search of evidence. That being said, don’t let it put you off enjoying this informative walk through some of history. The tiresome ideological bias is easy enough to ignore and in some cases almost comical relief. An example of ignoring the tens of millions slaughter in Mao’s China, Stalin’s USSR and Pol Pot’s killing feilds to the obvious conclusion that the only real holocaust was by Wester Europeans for cultural reasons, somehow not noticing that that same holocaust was stopped by same Western culture. It goes on that way throughout the book. The Mongols were actual not responsible for the near annihilation a weaker cultures, they were positively erudite. The Islamic conquest of and usurpation and genocide was natural and understandable whereas the European response was barbaric and culturally inferior. While similar but more entertaining I could recommend a Little History of the World.

My lack of history knowledge

It was well written. It delivers essentially fact after fact information in a very consumable way.

how very ignorant I am!

Reing read like a documentary my mind sometimes wandered so i had to replay sometimes.

however, worth the listen. I'm 65 yrs old and well remember the Iran hostage thing, Kuwait invasion, etc. but I was ignorant of what it all meant - the deep history, cultural & international significance, etc. I had no idea how this all affects us in the USA and world! Holy cow!

I still don't quite understand it all, but I'm deeply disturbed with how self-serving the US really is.... much like our parentn Britain was back in the day.

it seems as a species we never seem to learn from history.

This book is an eye opener for me. it puts our current political situation in context. we'll worth the listen. I wish I'd known/understood more decades ago.