<DIV>While European civilization stagnated in the &#8220;Dark Ages,&#8221; Asia flourished as the wellspring of science, philosophy, and religion. Linked together by a web of spiritual, commercial, and intellectual connections, the distant regions of Asia&#8217;s vast civilization, from Arabia to China, hummed with trade, international diplomacy, and the exchange of ideas. Stewart Gordon has fashioned a compelling and unique look at Asia from AD 700 to 1500&#8212;a time when Asia was the world&#8212;by relating the personal journeys of Asia&#8217;s many travelers.</DIV>