'A writer of genius' - William Dalrymple

'Remarkable' - Kwame Anthony Appiah

'Utterly captivating' - Anthony Doerr

Can anyone really own a culture? This magnificent account argues that the story of global civilisations is one of mixing, sharing, and borrowing.

It shows how art forms have crisscrossed continents over centuries to produce masterpieces. From Nefertiti's lost city and the Islamic Golden Age to twentieth century Nigerian theatre and Modernist poetry, ...