Angelica Nelson answers “Thinking about reading this book. Have...”

Steve Sermersheim asked this question about The Silk Roads: A New History of the World:

Thinking about reading this book. Have you found it to be biased to western civilization?

Angelica Nelson I think he reflects the biases of his sources. It's just that he's including more sources than most historians, and presenting alternative theories to…moreI think he reflects the biases of his sources. It's just that he's including more sources than most historians, and presenting alternative theories to some events, instead of regurgitating the same old story over and over. In my review I point out one place where he is overly focused on the west of Europe, but if you dig deeper, it might be because the records of goods bought and sold were sometimes written in a runic alphabet, and many rulers of Hungary systematically destroyed those just because of the alphabet. So maybe it's just that the history is better preserved in other places. Thought I"m not convinced. It's a good overview and a great place to start from, and dig deeper. (less)

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