The following books are recommended for learning more about the Silk Roads. These are aimed at the general public rather than specialist researchers. For just one book that will change your perception of history then it must be Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads.
| Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads. The book for the history of the world as shaped by the historic Silk Roads. |
| Peter Frankopan’s book The New Silk Roads. 21st C. Silk Roads |
| Susan Whitfield: Silk, Slaves, and Stupas: Material Culture of the Silk Road. Explore the Silk Road stories in much greater depth through 10 physical objects. |
| Silk Roads, People, Cultures, Landscapes. Edited by Susan Whitfield. A coffee table style book with great pictures and covering over 50 different topics from Camels to Christianity, from Lapis Lazuli to Lutes and Spices to Slavery. |
| Christopher Alexander: A carpet Ride to Khiva: Seven Years on the Silk Road. Get insight as to the challenges of the medieval silk road craftsmen as Chris sets up a carpet factory in 21st C. Uzbekistan. |
| The Anarchy by William Dalrymple. The book on the East India Company and its impact on India. |
| Roger Crowley: Conquerors. How Portugal Seized the Indian Ocean …. |
| Roger Crowley: City of Fortune. How Venice Won & Lost a Naval Empire. |
| The Travels of Marco Polo – multiple editions. |
| The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk. The classic book on the conflict between Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia for dominance in Central Asia. |
| The Travels of Ibn Battuta – editor Tim Mackintosh-Smith. |
| Louise Levathes: When China Ruled the Seas. The travels of Zheng He. |
| Raoul McLaughlin: The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean. |
| The History of Central Asia volumes 1 to 4 by Christopher Baumer. More in depth than many of the books above but still accessible. |