The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World

by William Dalrymple
The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World cover
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  • ID: 3064
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-10-16
  • Formats: 7
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
lrb.co.uk · Unknown · 2024-09-12
wonderful 4.50

The Golden Road by William Dalrymple is a delightful and erudite exploration of how ancient Indian culture, inventions, and ideas influenced the rest of the world. The book is praised for its fascinating insights into trade, mathematics, and religion, though the maps are criticized for being too faint.

William Dalrymple's The Golden Road is a wonderful book that outlines the many ways in which ancient Indian culture, inventions, and ideas influenced the rest of the world. The book is a delight to read, filled with fascinating insights into trade between India and the Roman Empire, the influence of Buddhism and Hinduism, and the contributions of Indian mathematics to medieval Europe. The reviewer particularly enjoyed the chapter on the Emperor of China's Fifth Concubine, who rose to power through conspiracy and murder, and the discussion of the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. The book is praised for its erudition and entertainment value, though the reviewer notes that the maps are too sketchy and faint for their ageing eyes.

Quick quotes

    Dalrymple is primarily a historian and an erudite and wonderfully entertaining one at that.

    This is a wonderful book. Read it through in delight, acquiring knowledge, perhaps even wisdom.

    My only complaint is that the maps are too sketchy and faint for my ageing eyes.

ft.com · Unknown · 2024-09-07
informative 3.50

The Golden Road offers a compelling exploration of India's historical influence on global trade and culture, though some may find the narrative dense and the arguments occasionally overstated.

The Golden Road by Sanjeev Sanyal is a fascinating journey through India's ancient trade routes and their profound impact on the world. The book is rich in detail and offers a fresh perspective on how India's cultural and economic exchanges shaped civilizations. However, the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, and some of the claims about India's influence might be seen as exaggerated. The writing style is engaging, but the book could benefit from a more streamlined narrative to make it more accessible to a broader audience. Overall, it's a valuable contribution to understanding India's historical significance, but readers should be prepared for a dense and sometimes challenging read.

Quick quotes

    The book is a treasure trove of historical insights

    Sanyal's arguments are compelling but occasionally overstated

    The narrative is engaging but can be overwhelming due to the sheer volume of information

scotsman.com · Unknown · 2024-08-30
compelling 4.50

The Golden Road by William Dalrymple is a compelling exploration of India's historical maritime trade routes, highlighting their transformative impact on global commerce and culture. The book challenges the traditional emphasis on the Silk Roads, presenting a well-illustrated and engaging narrative that places India at the heart of ancient trade networks.

William Dalrymple's The Golden Road offers a fresh perspective on ancient trade routes, focusing on the maritime networks that connected India with the rest of the world. The book is richly illustrated and filled with engaging anecdotes, making a strong case for the importance of sea-lanes in shaping global commerce and culture. Dalrymple argues that India, rather than China, was central to these trade networks, challenging the conventional emphasis on the Silk Roads. The narrative is compelling and well-supported, presenting a clear argument without being overly critical of other historians' work. This book is a valuable contribution to the understanding of ancient trade and its lasting impact.

Quick quotes

    The reproductions of St Martin-in-the-Fields that adorn many New England townships are only a modest parallel to the startling impact of Indian architecture on the whole of South-East Asia.

    Dalrymple’s own odyssey is equally laden to the gunwales with pages of astounding illustrations and arresting anecdotes, but its destination is always clear and its argument compelling.

    This is evidently an idea that still has traction. After Dalrymple, it looks unmistakably on the skids.

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