Roll over image to zoom in
Unravelling the Silk Road: Travels and Textiles in Central Asia
£19.30£23.80 (-19%)
Three textile roads tangle their way through Central Asia. The famous Silk Road united east and west through trade. Older still was the Wool Road, of critical importance when houses made from wool enabled nomads to traverse the inhospitable winter steppes. Then there was the Cotton Road, marked by greed, colonialism and environmental disaster.
At this intersection of human history, fortunes were made and lost through shimmering silks, life-giving felts and gossamer cottons. Chris Aslan, who has spent fifteen years living and working in the region, expertly unravels the strands of this tangled history and embroiders them with his own experiences of life in the heart of Asia.
Read more
by Amazon Customer
Assuming you are interested in the story of Wool, Silk and Cotton, how their unique characteristics have shaped the world then this is an authoritative five star read from someone who has practical experience. Chris Aslan has lived and worked in Central Asia for many years and the personal stories he tells and the passion he has for sustainably creating wonderful craft products in a way that empowers women and creates societies makes you realise that there are good people in the world doing good things. The book is entertaining as well as educational. Chris also covers the legacy of the Soviet Union and i have no doubt that Putin’s attempt to create Soviet Union version 2 would have similar consequences for the future. If you are excited by the subject read Chris’s first book – A Carpet Ride to Khiva- first as this book will give an update to how Chris’s first book ends.
by stephenrichard
Having been fascinated and read many books about the Silk Road, anything new publication is always a pull… but many books feel like facts have just been regurgitated. However, Unravelling the Silk Road by Chris Aslan brings a fresh perspective and understanding to the Silk Road
The focus of the book explores the trading of three key products – wool, silk and cotton – digging into the history of each and the impact on the lives of individuals and the regions.
Using Chris Aslan’s personal knowledge and experiences of living and working in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, this book is as much a fascinating travelogue / personal autobiography as it is a fascinating historical and geographical read.
Digging into the past of these three textiles and their commercial routes between China and Europe over centuries , Chris takes us on a journey as to how these products carried so much commercial and cultural power and influence – in particular the impact of soviet occupation resulted in the decimation of many crafts associated with wool, silk and cotton.
This is a book about the past, the present and the future ( how new trade routes and lives are being affected by political and cultural changes) This is a book for historians, those with a deep appreciation of geography and cultures or readers who just want to broaden their knowledge of the wider world around them.
Written with warmth, compassion to save dying creative and art forms and deep knowledge of a fascinating part of the globe and its history, this is a wonderful read. Highly recommended
by RMW
I thoroughly enjoyed Chris Aslan’s A Carpet Ride to Khiva a number of years ago, and so was delighted to get my hands on this. This book sits at the crossroads of travelogue and popular history (popular in terms of presentation, at least- there was clearly heavy-duty research behind the scenes). The author has a deft enough touch that the more personal and more historical strands enrich one another, rather than grate: the autobiographical anecdotes keep the scholarly side grounded; the historical and cultural sections place the personal stuff in a wider and richer story. But through all different styles, the spotlight is always on the people and places that Aslan clearly holds so dear. It’s that genuine affection that gives the book its emotional core, and why I ultimately found it so transporting. Some sections are very funny, some are bleak and unsettling, and some – reader be warned – are very convicting, especially when the spotlight is turned to the effects of rampant textile consumption. But while there are a lot of different parts, they work together brilliantly, and there’s something in here to interest almost any reader. That’s the Christmas shopping sorted, then.
by Chris
I loved the blend (or weaving together – to use a textile metaphor) of history, culture, politics and personal experience, focussing in on forgotten fabrics and then focussing out at the ways in which textiles shaped the landscape and even the borders of Central Asia. Aslan manages to celebrate beautiful woven pieces of art, whilst challenging us on over-consumption and how polluting the industry is. I need to stop buying so many clothes and start saving up for a trip across this alluring part of the world.
by Mr. R. C. Gould
Aslan has written another fascinating book. Part academic treatise, part travelogue, part autobiography, he synergises all three to provide a book to be enjoyed by everyone. He uses his personal knowledge and experience of the ” Material” world of wool, silk and cotton to explain the awful things that have been done, or deliberately not done, to the Central Asia he so obviously loves. All too often greed and politics have operated against the interests of the people, and it is their voice he is so good at catching. The book is leavened and enlivened by these same people as we read their stories. With his language skills, and eye for detail and a deep curiosity for his subject he has been able to get into the culture of these lands and share them with the reader, an insight rarely shared.
A delightful, informative read carrying on from A Carpet Ride to Khiva. Told with humour, humility, honesty and respect it is a really good read for everyone.
by Mrs C Priest
I enjoyed reading this book from the start, the author took me on his journey through the Central Asian countries he lived in with humour, courage and lively personal anecdoates. He is not afraid to laugh at himself or challenge authorities who have made poor decisions for local people both of which make for a thought provoking and intesesting read. I am left wanting to visit Central Asia again, dig out my souvenirs from my last visit and think more carefully about the origins of all the clothes and other textiles I own. I look forward to hearing more from this author about his travels.
by lis
Loved this book and it was used as a social read
by Flying Walrus
This is a fascinating insight into an area, culture and crafts often not well understood in the west. The author combines a discussion of the frankly harrowing history with his experiences of the region. As he worked and actually looked to build a life there he has far more empathy for the region and its people than you get from the usual journalistic reportage based on a quick visit. Strongly recommended.