Caravan to America: Living Arts of the Silk Road - Hardcover

Grade 5-8-In 1998, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and others started the Silk Road Project to promote the varied cultures and traditions of the countries that lie along the path of this ancient trade route. Though traders and explorers began to move along the famous route more than 2000 years ago, the arts, crafts, and music that have flourished along its length are very much alive today. Full of colorful and informative archival and contemporary photographs and drawings, this book profiles eight different artists whose cultural roots are in the countries of the Silk Road and who now live in the United States. They are: a performer of Peking opera, a Korean-American martial artist, a Tibetan artist-monk, a Turkmen rug restorer, a singer from Bukhara, an Iranian-American cook, a calligrapher of Armenian background, and a Greek American oud maker. Each person's story is told in an interesting manner, and information about their specialty and its history is woven throughout the text. Pertinent maps, a detailed glossary, a well-annotated list of further reading, and a thorough index add to the book's usefulness. Not only is the work informative, but it is handsome as well. Traditional motifs form borders on many of the pages, and appropriate designs and pieces of art accompany the photographs illustrating the work of each artist.
Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 5-8. Through the personal stories of eight Americans, the authors present an unusual and engaging account of how the peoples along the ancient roads linking Europe with Asia have enriched and continue to inform New World culture. The lively text is richly illustrated with photos. There are pictures of the handwork of a Turkoman rug restorer in New York and a Tibetan artist-monk in Los Angeles, of a martial artist whose family arrived from Korea just before he was born, and more. There are also recipes from a professional cook who grew up in a traditional Iranian home. The subjects are presented in a way that will invite curious children in for a good, long look; the book provides teachers with a few fresh ideas for examining social studies and art with their students. Francisca Goldsmith
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