The Silk Road: A Living History

"A vivid reminder of the shared history that connects us all."--Jasmine Bager, Arab News

The Silk Road: A Living History is a vibrant visual journey from renowned travel photographer and writer Christopher Wilton-Steer, allowing readers to explore the cities, landscapes, and communities along the storied Silk Road with the turn of a page.

In 2019, Christopher embarked on an ambitious 40,000 kilometer overland expedition. Camera in hand, he followed the historic trade route from one end of Eurasia to the other. As he traveled across 15 different countries via car, bus, train, ferry, horse, and camel, his lens captured the essence of the Silk Road, from the Renaissance masterpieces of Venice to the bustling bazaars of Iran and the serene landscapes of Kyrgyzstan.

The resulting collection of 160 photographs offers an intimate glimpse into the richness of cultures and the enduring legacy of connectivity that define the legendary trade network. Featuring thoughtful essays by the photographer and a preface by Oxford historian and bestselling author Peter Frankopan, The Silk Road: A Living History tells the story of one journey across Eurasia. It is a celebration of diversity, the traditional practices and customs that live on today, and the flourishing connections that endure along this historical, human network.

Christopher Wilton-Steer is a renowned travel photographer whose work takes him to remote and off-the-beaten-track locations across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. His photography explores less well documented and often misunderstood parts of the world to cultivate cross-cultural understanding and bring attention to diminishing cultures. His work has been featured in the likes of National Geographic, The Guardian, China Daily, the Financial Times, and CNN, as well as in exhibitions around the world since 2016. Wilton-Steer also serves as Global Lead for Communications at the Aga Khan Foundation. The Silk Road: A Living History is his first book. Wilton-Steer lives with his family in Nairobi, Kenya.

Peter Frankopan is a Professor of Global History at Oxford University and the UNESCO Professor of Silk Roads Studies and a Bye-Fellow at King's College, Cambridge. he works on the history and politics of the Mediterranean, Russia, the Middle East, Persia/Iran, Central Asia, China and beyond. A bestselling author, Frankopan lives in Oxford with his wife and four children.