“There’s a crack in everything”: Richard Fidler on the art of absurdity

The Book of Roads and Kingdoms tells the story of the medieval travelers who ventured out to the edges of the known world during Islam's Golden Age. The book chronicles the rise and fall of the Abbasid Caliphate, which presided over an empire greater than the Roman Empire at its peak, stretching from North Africa to India. Fidler weaves together accounts from Arab and Persian travelers, including tales of wonder, horror, and delight, to paint a vivid picture of a lost world. The narrative spans over 500 years, from the early days of Muhammad to the capture of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258, and includes stories from travelers who witnessed events such as a Viking funeral near the Volga and life in the Mongol Empire's capital at Karakorum.