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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
medium-paced
challenging
informative
medium-paced
read this for my history class earlier this year. was solid but it did get kinda boring in the middle part
informative
slow-paced
informative
reflective
fast-paced
The first half was going so well- it centered on Central Asia and was actually teaching me new things, while also bringing in European actions that are well known in the United States curriculum, at least. However, when the European Age of Exploration began in the book, we were no longer taking a close look at Central Asia and slowly stopped hearing what these various nations did or felt in response to the sudden expansion of European powers. It was annoying, but it made sense because this age did cause a complete change to global trade even though I already knew all this. Then, the events leading up to and surrounding WWI began. Nothing was new to me. Everything was about English and Russian bickering and backstabbing each other and everyone around them. What did India feel about what the English thought was a threat to their control of the subcontinent? What were Persian officials saying about this bickering going on in their eastern front? I don’t know; it was never shared. I stopped once it became clear that the rest of the book, while looking at events in Central Asia more closely than events in Europe, the Americas, Eastern Asia, or Africa, would just follow a European power POV. EXTREMELY disappointing.
Another major disappointment is that the book is called “The Silk Roads” and while it is a history of the world, for the first half of the book told history through the lens of trade. The entire chapters “The Road to Crisis” and “The Road to War” just focus on the bickering I mentioned above. The next chapter touts that it will be a history of the start of oil trade, as it’s called “The Road of Black Gold” but surprise! It’s more British paranoia with the start of the oil trade glazed over in a meager 29 page chapter with a half page dedicated to a map (the war chapters took up 40). If this book focused on the history of the world through trade in Central Asia to the rest of the Eurasia/ Africa landmass- that started before the Silk Road- it would actually be a book ‘that makes you question your assumptions about the world’ as the Wall Street Journal claimed.
Another major disappointment is that the book is called “The Silk Roads” and while it is a history of the world, for the first half of the book told history through the lens of trade. The entire chapters “The Road to Crisis” and “The Road to War” just focus on the bickering I mentioned above. The next chapter touts that it will be a history of the start of oil trade, as it’s called “The Road of Black Gold” but surprise! It’s more British paranoia with the start of the oil trade glazed over in a meager 29 page chapter with a half page dedicated to a map (the war chapters took up 40). If this book focused on the history of the world through trade in Central Asia to the rest of the Eurasia/ Africa landmass- that started before the Silk Road- it would actually be a book ‘that makes you question your assumptions about the world’ as the Wall Street Journal claimed.
A truly excellent take on world history with the Middle East and point east as the focal point. A fascinating look at history for a guy like me who has been coming from a Western European point of view all his life. It can bea little pedantic at times, but over all, I enjoyed it quite a bit. You all should read it!
Ok it took me an embarrassingly long time to read this book so bare with me.
For starters, I really appreciate the work Peter Frankopan put into this history - I've been longing to learn more about other non-western-centric regions and cultures and boy did he deliver. Overall I was very impressed and appreciative of the overview he provided of the "Silk Road," as I have very little knowledge and background about the region. I am truly thankful that historians like him have the talent and patience to translate these histories into a language I understand.
That being said, I also have some complaints. There was nearly nothing discussed about China, nearly no discussion of the far eastern states (now the -stan block of countries to the west of China's border), there was no discussion of the Ottoman empire nor real discussion of the 1600-1800s and for nearly half the book it felt like we completely focused on Europe and the US, which Peter explicitly said he would not do. I have read several other reviews that note similar (often stronger worded) ratings, and overall I agree with their complaints. Where I will defend Peter Frankopan is that his refocusing on the US and Europe did provide much appreciated context to why modern politics and people from the middle east tend to have incredibly negative views towards the west, and while I do not agree with the violence that has come as a result, I do see why these responses have taken place.
Overall I would rate this a good book to get your foot in the door on history for the regions between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean/Hindu Kush, but would caution readers that once you hit the 1600s, gears shift to focus on the impacts of western counties on those living in this region.
For starters, I really appreciate the work Peter Frankopan put into this history - I've been longing to learn more about other non-western-centric regions and cultures and boy did he deliver. Overall I was very impressed and appreciative of the overview he provided of the "Silk Road," as I have very little knowledge and background about the region. I am truly thankful that historians like him have the talent and patience to translate these histories into a language I understand.
That being said, I also have some complaints. There was nearly nothing discussed about China, nearly no discussion of the far eastern states (now the -stan block of countries to the west of China's border), there was no discussion of the Ottoman empire nor real discussion of the 1600-1800s and for nearly half the book it felt like we completely focused on Europe and the US, which Peter explicitly said he would not do. I have read several other reviews that note similar (often stronger worded) ratings, and overall I agree with their complaints. Where I will defend Peter Frankopan is that his refocusing on the US and Europe did provide much appreciated context to why modern politics and people from the middle east tend to have incredibly negative views towards the west, and while I do not agree with the violence that has come as a result, I do see why these responses have taken place.
Overall I would rate this a good book to get your foot in the door on history for the regions between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean/Hindu Kush, but would caution readers that once you hit the 1600s, gears shift to focus on the impacts of western counties on those living in this region.
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
sad
slow-paced