... fascinating ... Hansen draws upon nearly 30 years of research to make her case. She has examined contemporary records, travelogues, art, artifacts and more, and consulted with archaeologists, Arabic scholars and other experts around the world to paint the fullest cross-cultural picture possible ... At times, Hansen’s narrative bogs down in mind-numbing descriptions of dynasties and tribes. Occasionally, too, her use of the professorial 'we,' in phrases like 'as we’ll see in the next chapter,' is irksome, drawing the reader out of the world she has created and into the lecture hall. But these are minor disturbances in an otherwise highly impressive, deeply researched, lively and imaginative work.
... a gripping account of exploration and ingenuity, sweeping across the economic alliances and great networks of trade that connected disparate regions around the globe. By touching down in different parts of the world at that precise moment, Ms. Hansen reveals the social and economic changes that linked individuals and societies in astonishing ways ... Ms. Hansen effectively describes how the forces of globalization changed peoples’ lives ... The cliché about traveling the world from the comfort of one’s home has never seemed more appropriate—or indeed so enticing. The coronavirus pandemic has effectively shut down society and isolated countries, communities and individuals. Through this generous and accessible distillation of global history, Ms. Hansen opens our minds to a world where it was still possible to venture, fearlessly, into the unknown.
Hansen argues quite persuasively about the role of the Norse in creating new ways of trade and exploring different parts of the world ... Much of what is described here has only been fully understood in recent decades, as science has advanced to aid archaeology. Satellite mapping of terrain and DNA testing of remains have allowed narratives to be linked in ways scholars could only surmise in the past. I was fascinated to learn that the Norse made it to Madeira before the Portuguese — and that this was proved by the DNA of mice that came along for the trip. The Year 1000 is a tour-de-force and offers many new ways of thinking about the past.
... breezily written but intensively researched. Hansen, who draws on recent investigations by her own global network of colleagues, may not quite convince you that her first age of 'globalisation' ever matched the worldwide density of contact enjoyed today – or rather, in our pre-pandemic yesterday. She does show how goods, people and ideas from far away helped lay the foundations of the world we still inhabit.
... provocative ... clear, colourful chapters ... Of course this thesis has its limits and Hansen butts up against them, frequently finding herself undone by the narrowness of her book’s title. The patchiness of source material means that she is never able to give a snapshot of the world in AD1000 alone ... Also, the medieval globalisation Hansen describes is, she admits, a long way from our own, in which telecommunications, mass transit, brand marketing and international supply chains have created a world of 3.5 billion smartphone users and disease pandemics that can infect the planet in less than four months. Be that as it may, and even accounting for these and other objections, Hansen has written a smart, broad-ranging survey of the global Middle Ages that is learned, thought-provoking — and perfectly tuned to our times.
It was a massive challenge to cover almost a millennium of events. Hansen’s work is written in a workmanlike style much like a college textbook. Each chapter starts with a map to assist the reader. There are nuggets of facts that demonstrate the extent of Hansen’s expertise, data that will add to the knowledge base of even the most skilled professional ... Hansen’s narrative illuminates the Dark Ages in this masterwork on globalism.
... [a] meticulous portrayal of the explorers, traders, and rulers who built a complex network which linked a disparate world ... Hansen’s deeply engrossing work of scholarship builds a foundation for understanding our current iteration of globalization.
While intriguing, the argument proves insufficient: The presence of the Norse in North America and their potential trade—tenuous and brief—does not a global network make. Plus, trade routes in Afro-Eurasia were neither new nor unique ... When the author focuses on specific developments, particularly in China, the work is engrossing and informative ... Readers of medieval history and anyone interested in the achievements of non-Europeans will enjoy this work. However, readers wanting to get a better understanding of globalism may be disappointed.
... vivid and edifying ... [Hansen] displays a remarkable lightness of touch while stuffing the book full of fascinating details, and easily toggles between the big picture and local affairs. This astonishingly comprehensive account casts world history in a brilliant new light.
If any reader still believes that the year 1000 marked the Dark Ages, this insightful history will set them right ... The author covers a vast amount of territory in a concise, readable manner, making for a welcome contribution to the popular literature on early global trade and geopolitics ... A thoroughly satisfying history of a distant era and people.
