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scottjeffe 's review for:
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World
by Peter Frankopan
Among the most interesting and insightful books I have read. Although I haven’t finished it (it is rather a heavy read), this fresh approach to looking at the history of the world is an eye opening, thought provoking read
Essentially, the book is an attempt at a “re-do” on world history for people who learned it in the typical way in the “west.” What do I mean? Even I, as a student of history, largely learned my history as if civilization started in the West (well Greece and Rome). This book puts paid to that idea. The Middle East and Far East were advanced and sophisticated civilizations while the West - particularly Europe was shrouded in darkness.
In fact, much of how the West learned to be “civilized” came from imitation of how things were done in the middle and Far East. How did they learn these things? From their traders returning from the Silk Road trade routes. These advanced civilization brought us many of the best aspects of our history and moved us away from many of our boat barbaric acts.
I can smell a “politically correct” book a mile away, and this is NOT such a book. This is to books what a “market correction” is to stocks. It is a necessary read for those who want to be fully informed about our foundations. Oh, and a handful of things about the barbarity of the Portuguese, Spanish, Danes, English, and Dutch will blow your mind!!
Essentially, the book is an attempt at a “re-do” on world history for people who learned it in the typical way in the “west.” What do I mean? Even I, as a student of history, largely learned my history as if civilization started in the West (well Greece and Rome). This book puts paid to that idea. The Middle East and Far East were advanced and sophisticated civilizations while the West - particularly Europe was shrouded in darkness.
In fact, much of how the West learned to be “civilized” came from imitation of how things were done in the middle and Far East. How did they learn these things? From their traders returning from the Silk Road trade routes. These advanced civilization brought us many of the best aspects of our history and moved us away from many of our boat barbaric acts.
I can smell a “politically correct” book a mile away, and this is NOT such a book. This is to books what a “market correction” is to stocks. It is a necessary read for those who want to be fully informed about our foundations. Oh, and a handful of things about the barbarity of the Portuguese, Spanish, Danes, English, and Dutch will blow your mind!!