Review of ‘The Silk Roads’

A journey into the Silk Roads & world history

‘The Silk Roads’ by Peter Frankopan was a timely read - especially with the assault on the White House by white suprematist Trump supporters on Wednesday.

The book discusses how today’s world was shaped.

The key insights I came across when reading the book include:

1)The Silk Road trade routes connected the world much more than we can imagine

2)Trade ruled the world - so everyone wanted to control these routes as it meant huge power and wealth

3)The rise of Islam in the 7th century was a thorn in the side of Christendom- from then until now

4)As more and more lands came under Muslim rule - so too did Muslim domination of the Silk Road

5)When it became difficult to reach the riches of the east and Jerusalem via the Silk Road - the west attempted an alternative route via the Atlantic

6)The colonisation of the Americas would lead to the rise of Europe and the birth of the Atlantic Slave Trade

7)Everything that is happening in the world today is a result of this history

8)Europe’s unsavoury past has had repercussions all over the globe.

A call for more diverse books!!!
I wish books like this were around when I was at university. Most of the books on our history reading lists were written by western historians with orientalist views. It was frowned upon to use other reading materials in our essays. It’s positive to now see a wider range of views and the truth of Empire being exposed.

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/iYFlwfZAYzw