The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World

"All roads used to lead to Rome. Today, they lead to Beijing." So argues Peter Frankopan in this timely and visionary book about the dramatic and profound changes our world is undergoing right now - as seen from the perspective of the rising powers of the East. A revelatory vision of the world today, The New Silk Roads takes us on an eye-opening journey through the region, from China's breathtaking infrastructure investments to the flood of trade deals among Central Asian republics to the growing rapprochement between Turkey and Russia.

The Sequel to a Modern Classic

When The Silk Roads was published in 2015, it became an instant classic. A major reassessment of world history, it compelled us to look at the past from a different perspective. The New Silk Roads brings this story up to date, addressing the present and future of a world that is changing dramatically before our very eyes.

Following the Silk Roads eastwards - from Europe through to China, by way of Russia and the Middle East - this book provides a timely reminder that we live in a world that is profoundly interconnected. In an age of Brexit and Trump, the themes of isolation and fragmentation permeating the Western world stand in sharp contrast to events along the Silk Roads since 2015, where ties have been strengthened and mutual cooperation established.

What You Will Discover

• The new centre of gravity: Why the world's economic and geopolitical centre has shifted decisively towards Asia
• China's grand strategy: The breathtaking scale of China's infrastructure investments and the Belt and Road Initiative
• A new world order: How trade deals, alliances, and partnerships are reshaping global power dynamics
• East vs. West: The stark contrast between Western isolationism and Eastern optimism and cooperation
• The future of global politics: A hopeful perspective on the themes on which all our lives and livelihoods depend

Why This Book Matters

This important - and ultimately hopeful - book asks us to put aside our preconceptions and see the world from a new perspective. It illuminates the themes on which all our lives and livelihoods depend. With brilliant insight, Frankopan takes a fresh look at the network of relationships being formed along the length and breadth of the Silk Roads today, assessing the global reverberations of these continual shifts in the centre of power - all too often absent from headlines in the West.