Narrated by the author, this is a marvellous audiobook detailing the historical importance of the Silk Roads. I cannot believe how much knowledge and information is packed into such a short space of time! I have just purchased the illustrated edition as a Christmas gift for a child, and I simply must listen to the extended audio version myself. Peter Frankopan's 'The Silk Roads' is an invaluable, and thoroughly engaging, overview of world history and politics. Completely captivating!

History presented in an accessible, story-telling manner, with engaging narration. Well-chosen, interesting histories.

Absolutely superb book for children (and adults). One of my all-time favourite books and now in a very accessible format for younger readers. Children interested (even only vaguely interested) will find this journey through history and geography fantastic. Brilliant KS2 and KS3 book.

I’ve recently started reading history books and this was a nice condensed explanation of the silk roads history.

I really liked the narration of the audio book.

Superb! If only something as interesting and succinct as this was around when I was growing up. Peter Frankopan clearly pieces our past together, historically and geographically.
Brilliant for all young readers but equally those not so young! It offers an unbiased view and gives the reader a sound understanding of events.
This was my first audiobook and I enjoyed the ease of listening, for this particular book I would have loved to see the maps and illustrations, fortunately Google leapt to my rescue!

#TheSilkRoads written and read by #PeterFrankopan was a very interesting audiobook. I have not read or listened to the adult version however for someone who has no idea of the importance of the The Silk Roads in #history this was an easy to follow, balanced and informative listen. I am sure the intended audience (children and young people) will find the information well presented. Such a wealth of information covering trade, but delving into the connections of ‘the East’ and western countries covering Medieval times, slave trade, religion and Ghengis Khan. The author manages to weave all of this into a very engaging listen.
Many thanks to #Netgalley for gifting me an #arc in exchange for an honest review.
#BloomsburyUKAudio #ChildrensNonFiction #TeachersWhoRead

As one would expect from Peter Frankopan, this is a well-written and thoroughly researched overview of the history of the Silk Road trades and of East=West relations, aimed at younger readers but with wider appeal to a much broader age-range.

The original "Silk Roads" is a whopper of a book, which I am told is excellent and fully intend to read one day, but in the meantime this served a superb and engaging introduction to the subject. It is a small fraction of the length and has nowhere near the amount of content of the "adult" version, but goes into enough enough depth to warrant a re-read in due course, without overwhelming the reader/listener with minutiae.

Peter Frankopan is not a professional narrator, but makes up for this with his relatable and engaging manner, and the book works well in audio format. For readers at the younger end of the age-range (i.e. 8-10 or so), I would perhaps prefer the illustrated text version to share or read aloud from, not just for the illustrations (which are beautiful), but also because a lot of the facts and issues covered could benefit from taking some more time to explain and discuss with an adult. However, for anyone aged 11ish and over - including teenagers, parents and other adults (such as myself) with limited knowledge of the subject, the audio version is an excellent and engaging introduction, with plenty of food for thought, and great to listen to whilst on the go.

I have a hardback version of this book but as yet have not read it. When I saw there was an audio version I thought this might be the ideal time to listen instead. I was aware that this is a version that is abridged and aimed at t teen audience and so shorter in length than the actual book.

This narration is excellent to listen to, my only issue was that it finished far too quickly! I was really enjoying the book and I could have listened for a lot longer.

This is the story of the Silk Road, from the first recognition and use of this route to modern-day use. Not only does the author deal with important events on the Silk Road, but he also uses these events to mention other events in the world. This works really well as there are various reference points so you are aware of what else was going on at the time.

So while this is primarily about the Silk Road it is also a world history book. Cross-referencing like this means you get glimpses of social events, cultures, histories. The author explores how political decisions, trade decisions are all part of how we see different countries and their rulers in the world. How money and politics are more important than the people.

Condensing world history down into this version is excellent. It makes this a fascinating listen for those who like history but want a more manageable version. After listening to this I do think I will be picking up my physical copy of the book and also the follow-on book.

A fabulous listen and one I would definitely recommend.

A concise but informative retelling of historical events. I would've liked more focus on the Eastern sides of the Silk Roads, but this is a great start point to anyone learning about the Silk Roads for the first time.

I must admit that I was not expecting much from this book after reading the negative feedback but I was wrong and in a short book I learned so much from ancient times to the modern day in an engaging way which is highly recommended and enjoyable
Thank you for netgalley for a review copy of the book for an honest review
#TheSilkRoads #NetGalley

What a wonderful listen this was! I've immediately recommended and sold the book to three different people after having listened to this audiobook. I was worried the content would be too washed down because it was aimed at children, but he never talks down to them. It's simply a more coincise version of his seminal work and I enjoyed it immensely.

It's perfect for children and young adults who are interested in history and don't quite know where to start. It allowed me to brush up on things I'd studied at school and forgotten about, and left me wanting to know more. The audiobook was a joy to listen to, and the illustrated edition is gorgeous.

Every shop should stock it in bulk. It's a must have.

Spanning centuries, and continents, this book does an incredible job of packing a lot into a small space!

I haven't read the full adults' version, but I understand that this is a potted version of the adult book by the same author. I don't know how well the adult version gets the information across, but this version is an extremely well-judged, balanced account of how the history of the Silk Roads and the countries, cultures, and societies that emerged along the famous trade route, shaped and impacted upon the rest of the world, and not at all, just for children.

The tone is very well judged, it's an easy read, but doesn't ever patronise or over-simplify, as an adult reader, I never felt talked down to at all, as I find with many historical documentaries.

Don't let the title fool you, this isn't just about The Silk Road, it is a fascinating condensed history of the whole world! Here, you learn about the connections between 'the East' and the Americas, Medieval Britain, the Slave Trade, Fascist Germany etc., and it is made startlingly clear how no country on earth has developed in isolation, and how western countries were once backwaters compared to the great cosmopolitan Eastern countries and cities. The author deftly moves from sweeping overviews of empires, to contemporary anecdotal titbits of information that draw you in to a particular place or moment in time, it's incredibly well done given the scope of the book.

I recommend it as a very accessible read for adults and young adults and children, and for any would-be explorers, I think you'd enjoy listening to the audiobook while poring over maps of the area.

This would be a great addition to any school curriculum, it's such a great overview, and would be really beneficial for students to hear about cities like Baghdad and Damascus without the taint of their conflict-scarred recent history and present states. It would be a really easy way for educators to introduce a broader perspective into their social and historical teaching.

Note on the format: the audiobook is read incredibly well, the author has such a strong clear voice and is obviously interested in the stories he's telling, I really enjoyed listening to him, and it would be a great audiobook to listen to on a road trip!

I already have the adult version of the Silk Road history and must admit I gave up reading it. However this book written for young adults/older children is a perfect book to give you a potted history of the Silk Road and all the politics that influenced today’s world. Really easy to read and got through it in one sitting, now I feel like tackling the adult version. Narration was good and flowed really well. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

This is an excellent audiobook to accompany a superb book. The young person’s version of The Silk Roads has been a major success with learners for opening up and developing discussion about global history away a western-centric empire /colonial,viewpoint. The audiobook is beautifully read and will be accessible to all learners but especially those who sometimes do not have the stamina for longer texts but are intrigued by history. Perfectly pitched ; this will be a invaluable aid for teachers too to support learners.

Such a gripping read. A book with super descriptions and stories about the Silk Road. A journey through so many different places could cause problems. However this story helps to explain the history behind the stories and the journeys. I never knew a lot about the Silk Road, I’ve been on a steep learning curve. This book is very detailed.

The Silk Road seems too simple a title for what it actually was, which is an ancient and important trade route that linked the Western world with the Middle East and Asia. Here, Peter Frankopan both takes his readers on a journey across this route and explores pivotal moments in history that altered the concertation of power, both surrounding and beyond it.

I was pleased to find how engaging a tone this non-fiction book took. Never did I find the contents drily narrated and never did a series of dates and facts overtake the telling of the stories this contained. Peter Frankopan is obviously a well-researched individual and a well-respected historian, but also proved himself a great storyteller here. This is just as important a quality for me, when looking for a non-fiction book to immerse myself in, and I found his style of writing exactly what I was looking for.

Most people have heard of the legendary Silk Road, the trade route along which goods, knowledge, war, disease, technology and all kinds of life travelled from the West to the East and back again. Peter Frankopan’s book “The Silk Roads”, first published in 2016, is probably the definitive work on the subject. Now he has published a children’s version, and I’m grateful to be able to listen to the audiobook version.
Even though this is being marketed as a book for children, it isn’t by any means a dumbed-down version. It is pitched perfectly towards the younger listener/reader with an interest in this exciting period of history. Weighty subjects such as war and religion are covered but handled carefully without gratuitousness.
Peter Frankopan’s narration is a joy to listen to and never sounds condescending. His voice is clear and easy to listen to, and it’s obvious when he’s coming to the end of a chapter, something I always like in audiobook narrators. The book is interesting, exciting and inspiring for young minds, and just the right length at a little over two hours. Each chapter is around 6-8 minutes in length.
Of course this book isn’t just for children; people of all ages will learn a lot from listening to this audiobook, not only about the past of the Silk Road but also about its continued effect on our daily and future lives. It is the story of how our world became connected through warfare, religion and the spread of knowledge.

I am immensely grateful to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK Audio for allowing me to sample this audio ARC.