The Silk Roads : a new history of the world / Peter Frankopan

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface -- 1: The Creation of the Silk Road -- 2: The Road of Faiths -- 3: The Road to a Christian East -- 4: The Road to Revolution -- 5: The Road to Concord -- 6: The Road of Furs -- 7: The Slave Road -- 8: The Road to Heaven -- 9: The Road to Hell -- 10: The Road of Death and Destruction -- 11: The Road of Gold -- 12: The Road of Silver -- 13: The Road to Northern Europe -- 14: The Road to Empire -- 15: The Road to Crisis -- 16: The Road to War -- 17: The Road of Black Gold -- 18: The Road to Compromise -- 19: The Wheat Road -- 20: The Road to Genocide -- 21: The Road of Cold Warfare -- 22: The American Silk Road -- 23: The Road of Superpower Rivalry -- 24: The Road to Catastrophe -- 25: The Road to Tragedy -- Conclusion: The New Silk Road -- Acknowledgements -- Notes -- Index.

"Frankopan realigns our understanding of the world, pointing us eastward. 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 twentieth century—this book shows how the fate of the West has always been inextricably linked to the East. Also available: The New Silk Roads, a timely exploration of the dramatic and profound changes our world is undergoing right now—as seen from the perspective of the rising powers of the East." -- Back cover