'Spellbinding ... a pitch-perfect treasure' LoveReading4Kids

Set your sails east with this stunningly original new history of the world.

Peter Frankopan, number one bestselling author and historian, explores the connections made by people, trade, disease, war, religion, adventure, science and technology in this extraordinary book about how the east married the west with a remarkable voyage at its heart - the journey along the Silk Roads.

From ancient world laws laid down by King Hammurabi and the mighty Persian empire, to terrifying huns, the rise of Europe, two world wars and politics today, The Silk Roads illustrated edition moves through time and history sewing together the threads from different peoples, empires and continents into a phenomenal history of the globe.

With stories from each and every corner of society, Frankopan's magnificent brand new text based on his literary triumph The Silk Roads, sumptuously illustrated by Neil Packer, is a must-have world history.

'An extraordinarily vivid book on an often-neglected corner of history'
Inis Reading Guide

'Not just children, but people of any age will find this book an absorbing read'
New York Journal of Books

'Peter Frankopan's text is pitched at exactly the right level for children to read and for adults to share with them. The illustrations of Neil Packer are completely captivating . this is a perfect marriage and a book to treasure'
Armadillo magazine

'Studded with stylish, evocative illustrations from Neil Packer . this is an ambitious account that nevertheless tackles big themes in a friendly, accessible way'
History Revealed magazine

Peter Frankopan is Professor of Global History at Oxford University where he is also Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College. He took a First in History and was Schiff Scholar at Jesus College, Cambridge, before completing his doctorate at Oxford, where he was Senior Scholar at Corpus Christi College. He has lectured all over the world, including at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai, Lahore, Astana, the UN and UNICEF. His revised translation of The Alexiad by Anna Komnene was published in 2009 and The First Crusade: The Call from the East was published in 2012. He is the author of The First Crusade: The Call from the East (2012), and the international bestsellers The Silk Roads: A New History of the World (2015) and The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World (2018).

Neil Packer has illustrated many adult and children's titles, including The Name of the Rose, One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Iliad and The Odyssey and has worked on numerous titles for the Folio Society. His work has been exhibited in the British Museum, the British Library and the Royal Academy. He has also been longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie medal.