Welcome to Litsy!

Ended up near a bookstore while running errands. Did I stop in? Of course! Did I buy books? Is there any doubt? 😆

I really enjoyed this. A world history using trade routes as the thread pulling it together (so to speak 😉). It put a lot of events into context for me (eg the birth of various religions ; WW1; 9/11). While still Anglo and UK centred he also draws on non-white sources to give a wider perspective on many issues. It shows the effects of imperialism eg re oil. Engaging & well written, he has a good sense of narrative so it reads like a story.

Extremely ambitious. Frankopan retells the world‘s history, from antiquity to the 21st century, w/ Central Asia as the focal point. Part of me wishes he split the book into 2, a la Charles Mann‘s 1491 & 1493. Still, the whole thing was incredibly well-researched & enjoyable to read. He did reveal some credulity re: US imperialism (& Israel), but such is probably the price from writing from the perspective of imperial powers. Overall, recommend!

#NextUp #nonfiction
I‘m starting this for this months book club. I was intimidated by the size (#doorstopper) but I‘m now a couple of chapters in and i am enjoying this.
#ILoveThisCover
#LiteraryLadiesBookClub

A history of the world focused on the area stretching west from the Mediterranean to the Himalayas and across Central Asia to China.

It was interesting and enjoyable seeing the history told from a different perspective. However, it was not that different a perspective; the timescale slowed right down for the greater European and American involvement in the region in the 19th/20th centuries, with decades given more space than earlier centuries.

"From the beginning of time, the centre of Asia was where empires were made. "

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

"The most important item that was given was silk, a fabric that was treasured by the nomads for its texture and its lightness as a lining for bedding and clothing."

I‘m starting off my #12Booksof2020 with this excellent history that takes a different perspective. I‘ve read very little nonfiction this year, I think because I‘ve spent so much time reading the news that I‘ve wanted to escape into fiction. This was a book that was definitely worth the investment of time and energy.

Not enough citations & in the middle of the book, when I imagine the primary sources finally get super rich, the author flips the prescriptive from the countries on the Silk Road to Europe and stays there-very irritating. The beginning of the book was really interestingly and while not well cited worth the read. 2/5 stars, read with the understanding that this is a classic euro-centric take on history, regardless of the promise of the author.

Yes, I‘ve finally finished this😄 Excellent look at history from a different perspective. There‘s a lot here, and I‘m glad I didn‘t try to race through, because there‘s so much to digest. And, frankly, the last couple chapters, covering recent interactions between the Middle East and the West, are disturbing in how much we‘ve gotten wrong. Still, if you‘re a history nerd, it‘s a must read.

This book tries to do a lot--almost too much. It's primarily about how the Silk Road region's been intertwined with the Western world for centuries, so it's not really a history of that region. I did learn a lot, that said, there was a number of sections where I felt my head was spinning trying to keep it all straight--not sure if that's a criticism of the book or of my lack of understanding!

#TBRPile Day 14 - one of many aspirational non-fiction books that I mean to read... 📚 The Silk Roads linked together continents and oceans. Among them flowed ideas, goods, diseases, and death. This is where empires were won and lost. As a new era emerges, new patterns of exchange are mirroring these ancient networks. The Silk Roads are rising again.

#dailycheckin There really is a tie in between the tagged book and this picture. Yes, I‘m still reading this, because I haven‘t felt like nonfiction the past few months. But when I pick this up, as I did today, I find a different take on history I thought I knew each time. This morning‘s walk was the same way. We ended up on a road we‘ve walked plenty of time, but never noticed the rainbow eucalyptus until today. Keep your eyes and mind open!

Some great maps in this book, and this is the first one. The importance of knowing what happened in the past, what came before, to understand how we got where we are today is the gist of the note.

Make Germany Great Again

(And sure enough, later on the page it says Germany became great again)

Let‘s learn from history, shall we?

My copy is the juvenile, illustrated adaptation of Frankopan‘s history. Very interesting, though not what I expected. Frankopan begins with the ancient world (Persian Empire, Alexander the Great, Rome) and the trading that emerged and shaped the world, then traces those routes and relationships right up to today. Not sure what age this is good for, but I found it informative. And will probably skip the adult version now.

“Tolerance was a staple feature of a society that was self-assured and confident of its own identity—which was more than could be said for the Christian world where bigotry and religious fundamentalism were rapidly becoming defining features.”

“From the beginning of time, the centre of Asia was where empires were made.”
#FirstLineFridays

Friday is not usually when hubby and I do our #coffeeandbooks outing, but our schedule has been thrown off this week. It was nice to get out and get back to this fascinating book.

I have a feeling I‘m going to need to read this more frequently than just at our weekly #booksandcoffee.

It feels strange to be bringing this for our weekly #booksandcoffee. After reading European history for the past few months, it‘s like shifting gears. But it‘s already fascinating.

#nextup This book belongs to @Alisnazzy , and it‘s been calling to me for a couple months. Since I finished my nonfiction read, I‘m ready to start this #chunkster.

Needed something new to listen to while I taught myself how to reupholster some chairs
(I'm not very good at being crafty so I'm quite chuffed with how these have turned out)

Great book that covers a vast portion of time, from Mesopotamia to today, along the silk road. It is a thorough and unbiased account of history and I found it eye opening. It was written in a manner that I felt educated, but I could still read it aloud to my 8 year old son and he could comprehend most of the information as well.

😂😂😂😂

Finished this really interesting look at world history! #24in48

We are all directly affected by the power politics going on thousands of miles away. #24in48

I found this interesting.
Well I did terrible in the #24in48 due to work, the theatre and then waking up sick which meant all I did was nap on and off so I only managed about 6hours overall.
I will try again next time but well done to everyone who read loads!

Finally off to bed, satisfied at the dent I‘ve made in The Silk Roads. #24in48

Doing better than I thought I would, considering I had to work this afternoon. #24in48

Book “stack” for #24in48! Heavy on short, light audio books to balance out my chunkster non-fiction.

I really enjoyed this analysis both of the obvious importance in the distant past but showing its current relevance. For a history of this vital trade route, this book cannot be beat. It‘s also very well written.

Homeschool history time. I love read aloud time with my son.

I‘m trying to picture this, and I have so many questions. How was he able to articulate this with all of his fingers in his mouth? Even if he could say it, how did he make it sound angry and serious, rather than ridiculous?

It is easy to mould the past into a shape that we find convenient and accessible.

The Silk Roads is something I‘ve been interested in for quite some time but never took the time to do some real research into it. It‘s great to have time now to get more reading done!

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This was a very informative read. It didn‘t always keep my attention but I still got a lot out of it.

"But while the Crusade is chiefly remembered as a war of religion, its most important implications were worldly. The first great struggle between the powers of Europe for position, riches and prestige in faraway lands was about to begin, triggered by the realisation of the prizes on offer. Things had shifted in such a way that, suddenly, the west was about to drag itself closer to the heart of the.world."

Sharp and scholarly!

#history #world

My morning read/listen for #deweys24hourreadathon. How is your reading going.

Sort of overselling itself as it constantly claims that what is happening in the Middle East and South Asia is more important than the “old” history of just Europe. It‘s awesome in the time periods it is true, and even better in showing how the European Age of Discovery devastated South Asia. But other parts need to be taken with a grain of salt.

I fell asleep last night with my book open and my timer going, so it ran all night and is 6 or 7 hours more than I actually read. #24in48 #AGoodNightsSleepIsImportantTooThough

I‘m going to leave it, though.

A quarter of the way into the #24in48 Readathon, and i am 4 hours behind, but as I see it, I‘m over a third of the way to my benchmark, with only a quarter of the time gone, so I‘m on track for catching up.

Also, Rome and Persia beat each other up through the middle of the 600s, opening the door for the new Arab Muslims to outflank both Empires.

I managed to get two thirds of the way through this book, not because I didn't like the book, but because it was not what I thought it would be. I wanted a history of the Silk Road, this book is more a world history with a focus somewhere between Europe and Central Asia. I know world history, I recognise the Eurocentric view of most such books, I know about the importance of Asia, I was looking for a synthesis that this did not quite deliver.

My latest challenge- the subject fascinates me, but the length is daunting

Fascinating historical nuggets in the first half. The aecond half focuses mostly on the politics of oil. Will make you think about how certain actions are seen differently in different parts of the world. Well worth a read.

"A glorious read. . . . Frankopan is an exhilarating companion for the journey along the routes which conveyed silk, slaves, ideas, religion, and disease, and around which today may hang the destiny of the world." - Vanity Fair

So excited to find this book. The Silk Road has been a lifelong fascination of mine.

"Christians and Jews who argued with each other about religion were crazy, records another verse in the Qur'an; [...] Division was the work of Satan, Muhammad's text warned; never allow disagreement to take hold --- instead, cling together to God, and never be divided."