The Golden Road Audiobook By William Dalrymple cover art

The Golden Road

How Ancient India Transformed the World

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The Golden Road

By: William Dalrymple
Narrated by: William Dalrymple
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Bloomsbury presents The Golden Road written and read by William Dalrymple.

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
A Waterstones and TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR
A SPECTATOR and History Today BOOK OF THE YEAR

A revolutionary new history of the diffusion of Indian ideas, from the award-winning, bestselling author and co-host of the chart-topping Empire podcast

‘Richly woven, highly readable ... Written with passion and verve’ Spectator
‘Dazzling ... Not just a historical study but also a love letter’ Guardian
‘An outstanding new account ... The most compelling retelling we have had for generations’ Financial Times

India is the forgotten heart of the ancient world.

In the millennium and a half from c. 250 BC to 1200 AD, Indian art, religion, technology, astronomy, music, dance, literature, mathematics and mythology blazed a trail across the world – a Golden Road that stretched from the Red Sea to the Pacific.

Here, William Dalrymple draws from a lifetime of scholarship to highlight India’s oft-forgotten position as the heart of ancient Eurasia. For the first time, he gives a name to this spread of Indian ideas that transformed the culture and technology of not only its ancient world, but of the world as we know it today.

©2024 William Dalrymple (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Ancient Asia India South Asia Southeast Asia Middle Ages Middle East Imperialism Ancient History China Africa
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A complex story with multiple threads told with huge skill and love for all the beauty and mystery that human civilization has created. Read by the author, the story is presented with great passion, and while some of the more lyrical flights can be a bit much, the narrator's gusto and clear excitement about the material presented holds it together.

shifting the paradigm

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The spread of Buddhism to China, Hindu culture to SE Asia and trade with Middle East and SE Asia highlight India’s strategic geography. The flux of migration and exchange shaped the subcontinent and enriched its culture. This is true with any country which is open to trade and new ideas, historically and currently.

An interesting review of cultural influence of India throughout the history

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