The Great Trade Routes: A History of Cargoes and Commerce over Land and Sea Hardcover – November 15, 2012

This book took my breath away. The story of world trade in maps, pictures, and words. It covers every major trade connection, from antiquity to the jet age. Beautifully produced, a fine example of book arts.

Reference material for personal library.

Has manifests and routes of trade from recorded history. Nice

This is an excellent book on the subject of the historical development of international trade. The book contains approximately 80 articles on a variety of subjects. It begins with the Ancient World in Babylonia, Sumeria, Akkadia, the Persian Empire, Egypt and so forth, and proceeds to the Greek and Roman eras, China and India, the Medieval period, and the rise of capitalism and the Industrial Revolution.I think the story is particularly appropriate today what with the American tariff wars against everybody (September, 2018). My personal political / economic opinion is that I do not see why anybody would think that less trade is somehow going to result in more jobs and greater wealth. As stated on page 304 in the Epilogue of the book "...throughout history, trade flows like water where there are few barriers to block it."The photo of the container port Pasir Pajang in Singapore on pages 290-291 and the map of current international trade nodes on page 281 ought to give pause to American trade isolationists. Eight of the 15 largest container ports in the world are located in China. If the US won't trade, then the rest of the world will proceed without us.My only minor criticism of the book is that it is very large and heavy. It doesn't rest comfortably in your lap in order to read it.

I read and study many books and, although several of these are worthy of a 5 Star review, very few take my breath away in the manner in which this one did! Even before I opened the item for the first time I simply knew I was looking at a work of quality and, having now studied the content carefully, I was not disappointed. Au contraire!This is an excellent product by any standards and in order to understand its impact, the potential reader must first appreciate its size and scope. Larger than A4, the book measures 13¾ in x 10 in (345mm x 255mm) and includes 304 pages of information, 5½ pages of Bibliography, just over 9 pages of Index and a final page of picture credits. Of the 19 specialist contributors, 2 are Professors, 15 are Doctors and all are experts in their respective fields.The `Contents' page itself fills two whole pages in a book which explores, identifies and reveals every aspect of World Trade from the earliest times to the significant changes brought about by a modern world such as aviation. To that end, we find detailed information on coastal and ocean routes, inland waterways, overland and even aerial networks as the globe was slowly reduced in size by those who forged the first effective trading routes. In a thorough examination of those early pioneers and merchants who risked all by travelling to forbidding and foreboding territories we are treated to a wealth of information which simply makes you pause in sheer wonder.Why did half the silver from Spanish America end up in China? What was the weakness of Athens and the reason why that spectacular rock-cut façade exists at Petra? Which was the `only' five-masted sailing ship ever built? I could ask another hundred (thousand?) questions in a bid to whet the appetite of any potential reader but, suffice to say, all are answered here in a rich tapestry of information woven into the finest product. From the ancient Romans (and before) to the first conquests of the Americas (and afterwards), your history and mine is revealed right here.Lavishly illustrated with full colour pictures of the ancient and the modern on every page, this is a book to interest everyone and educate all. Quite frankly, I have not been as excited about any book in a very long time and I will return to this work again and again for both knowledge and inspiration as I continue with my own writing efforts which pall into insignificance by comparison.An excellent present for anyone you really care about, I would even suggest your coffee table might be empty without it!NM