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Tajemnica Prezbitera. Śladami papieskiego emisariusza z Wenecji do Etiopii
W XII w. w Europie Zachodniej pojawił się list adresowany do cesarza Bizancjum. Autor epistoły - Prezbiter Jan, "najwyższy władca" - opisywał swoje wspaniałe chrześcijańskie królestwo, które utożsamiono z rajem. Papież Aleksander III, zaintrygowany mityczną krainą, napisał list do Jana. Posłańcem uczynił swojego medyka - Mistrza Filipa. Choć nikt tak naprawdę nie wiedział, gdzie znajdowało się królestwo tajemniczego monarchy ani czy w ogóle istniało, Mistrz Filip nie dał się zniechęcić. Wyruszył z Wenecji i ślad po nim zaginął.
Kilkaset lat później Nicholas Jubber znajduje kopię listu Aleksandra III, a potem - zafascynowany średniowieczną historią - po-stanawia dokończyć misję Mistrza Filipa i po ponad ośmiuset latach dostarczyć papieski list do adresata. Zaczyna swą podróż w Wenecji, a kończy w Etiopii. Po drodze w zabawny, oryginalny, a czasami nawet ekscentryczny sposób opisuje obyczaje, ludzi, zagmatwaną historię miejsc, jakie odwiedza, oraz próbuje zrozumieć sens dawnej legendy.
Kilkaset lat później Nicholas Jubber znajduje kopię listu Aleksandra III, a potem - zafascynowany średniowieczną historią - po-stanawia dokończyć misję Mistrza Filipa i po ponad ośmiuset latach dostarczyć papieski list do adresata. Zaczyna swą podróż w Wenecji, a kończy w Etiopii. Po drodze w zabawny, oryginalny, a czasami nawet ekscentryczny sposób opisuje obyczaje, ludzi, zagmatwaną historię miejsc, jakie odwiedza, oraz próbuje zrozumieć sens dawnej legendy.
584 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2005
11 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Jubber
9 books47 followersI'm a writer and traveller, with a passion for history and a pair of itchy feet. I'm fascinated by storytelling, nomadism, exploration and the connections (or misconnections!) between past and present.
I've written four books so far. My latest is Epic Continent, about some of Europe's iconic tales and my adventures amongst them.
Before that was The Timbuktu School for Nomads, about my experiences amongst nomads in North Africa.
The Prester Quest, my first book, sets out from the canals of Venice to the highlands of Ethiopia, following the mission of a medieval physician sent in search of a mythical priest-king. It won the Dolman Travel Book Award.
My second book, Drinking Arak off an Ayatollah's Beard, explores the Persian-speaking world through the lens of an 11th century epic poem, travelling from Tehran to the tomb of a medieval Sultan in Afghanistan.
I have written for The Guardian, The Observer, the TLS, the Globe and Mail and BBC Online, amongst other publications; spoken on BBC Radio 4 and NPR in the US; and have written plays performed at the Edinburgh Festival, the Finborough Theatre and the Actors' Centre.
I've written four books so far. My latest is Epic Continent, about some of Europe's iconic tales and my adventures amongst them.
Before that was The Timbuktu School for Nomads, about my experiences amongst nomads in North Africa.
The Prester Quest, my first book, sets out from the canals of Venice to the highlands of Ethiopia, following the mission of a medieval physician sent in search of a mythical priest-king. It won the Dolman Travel Book Award.
My second book, Drinking Arak off an Ayatollah's Beard, explores the Persian-speaking world through the lens of an 11th century epic poem, travelling from Tehran to the tomb of a medieval Sultan in Afghanistan.
I have written for The Guardian, The Observer, the TLS, the Globe and Mail and BBC Online, amongst other publications; spoken on BBC Radio 4 and NPR in the US; and have written plays performed at the Edinburgh Festival, the Finborough Theatre and the Actors' Centre.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 20, 2024
Nicholas Jubber and companion Mike set out to "deliver Pope Alexander III's letter to Prester John, the Priest-King of the three Indies", as was originally dispatched with Master Philip in 1177.
Of Prester John, legends abound, contradict and confuse. It is likely he was not a real person, and his supposed letter to Pope Alexander is almost certainly been created by a European. That the Pope wrote a letter of response and dispatched his physician to deliver it is odd enough, without knowing where it was he was heading.
At over 500 pages long, this book was in serious need of an editor. Not only to cut out the insignificant and reduce page count, but also to keep it on track. To some degree this is a case of fitting a concept around a travel experience the author wanted to make, rather than a specific historical investigation or recreation of a journey.
The book looks to follow the route of Philip, despite him leaving Venice and "not being heard from since" Jubber constructs a number of letters supposedly written by Philip en route and dispatched to 'good friend' Roger of Solerno. Roger of Solerno was likely a real person (Rogerius Salernitanus, who wrote a prominent book on surgery).
This was a pretty hard book to review, as on the face of it the potential was high. For me it didn't measure up, as it got bogged down hugely in (modern) Israel and Palestine. Not only did the book commence there as the origin of the quest, but during the travel they return there and spend over a hundred pages treading water there. For much of the journey the travel feels superficial, by which I mean there is perhaps a description of what the author sees in a town or city, but it gets distracted into a description of modern culture or people. Too often, Jubber and Mike discuss the inane with uninteresting people, and we are reading about it.
There were sections where it became interesting, where interesting places were visited and interesting people spoken to, but they were really too few and too far between. The journey takes them from Italy and Vatican City to Rhodes, on to Turkey, then Syria. Into Lebanon, then Jordan, where they take the above mentioned diversion in to Israel and Palestine. They then cross into Sinai and to Egypt, following the Nile south through Sudan and finally into Ethiopia.
Despite the complaints above, it was an interesting enough modern travelogue (it took place in 2001, forever stamped by 9/11 which occurred in the final days of their travels, and which seemed to have little effect on Mike, and practically no effect on Jubber). There was plenty of the usual - bad roads, over-filled buses, breakdowns and unreliable vehicles, passport issues and border crossings - none of it in any way unique, but all part of travelogues I guess. Somehow it did stand out as a first time novel - hallmarks like wedging in every thought, relevant or not; and Jubber has gone on to write several other books.
At high risk of repeating myself even more, I will cut this off and award it 3 stars.
Of Prester John, legends abound, contradict and confuse. It is likely he was not a real person, and his supposed letter to Pope Alexander is almost certainly been created by a European. That the Pope wrote a letter of response and dispatched his physician to deliver it is odd enough, without knowing where it was he was heading.
At over 500 pages long, this book was in serious need of an editor. Not only to cut out the insignificant and reduce page count, but also to keep it on track. To some degree this is a case of fitting a concept around a travel experience the author wanted to make, rather than a specific historical investigation or recreation of a journey.
The book looks to follow the route of Philip, despite him leaving Venice and "not being heard from since" Jubber constructs a number of letters supposedly written by Philip en route and dispatched to 'good friend' Roger of Solerno. Roger of Solerno was likely a real person (Rogerius Salernitanus, who wrote a prominent book on surgery).
This was a pretty hard book to review, as on the face of it the potential was high. For me it didn't measure up, as it got bogged down hugely in (modern) Israel and Palestine. Not only did the book commence there as the origin of the quest, but during the travel they return there and spend over a hundred pages treading water there. For much of the journey the travel feels superficial, by which I mean there is perhaps a description of what the author sees in a town or city, but it gets distracted into a description of modern culture or people. Too often, Jubber and Mike discuss the inane with uninteresting people, and we are reading about it.
There were sections where it became interesting, where interesting places were visited and interesting people spoken to, but they were really too few and too far between. The journey takes them from Italy and Vatican City to Rhodes, on to Turkey, then Syria. Into Lebanon, then Jordan, where they take the above mentioned diversion in to Israel and Palestine. They then cross into Sinai and to Egypt, following the Nile south through Sudan and finally into Ethiopia.
Despite the complaints above, it was an interesting enough modern travelogue (it took place in 2001, forever stamped by 9/11 which occurred in the final days of their travels, and which seemed to have little effect on Mike, and practically no effect on Jubber). There was plenty of the usual - bad roads, over-filled buses, breakdowns and unreliable vehicles, passport issues and border crossings - none of it in any way unique, but all part of travelogues I guess. Somehow it did stand out as a first time novel - hallmarks like wedging in every thought, relevant or not; and Jubber has gone on to write several other books.
At high risk of repeating myself even more, I will cut this off and award it 3 stars.
November 15, 2023
I thought I'd read this book before but I didn't remember anything about it. It is a travelogue with a difference! Nicholas Jubber and his friend Mike decide to deliver Pope Alexander III's letter to Prester John 850 years after it was originally dispatched. The original courier, Philip, left Rome on this mission, never to be seen again, so it's unknown if he ever reached the land of Prester John. Nick is an historian and tries to follow in the steps of his erstwhile predecessor, so follows the route he assumes Philip would have taken: Italy, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Sudan and finally Ethiopia. At each locality, they concentrate on visiting the sites that would have been there in the 1100s, when Philip would have travelled.
The narrative is filled with colourful similes and metaphors, as Nick describes their many experiences, leaving out none of the filth, the disgusting food and the unreliable transport. The fact that they're in Israel during the 2nd Intifada adds to the tension and 9/11 manages to make it into the itinerary too.
Some poetic liberty is taken with several letters from Philip back to his Roman friend, Roger, interspersed in the text. An effective feature, which reminds you of the conditions Philip would have faced in his time.
An enjoyable romp through Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa, but if I had read it before, not very memorable.
The narrative is filled with colourful similes and metaphors, as Nick describes their many experiences, leaving out none of the filth, the disgusting food and the unreliable transport. The fact that they're in Israel during the 2nd Intifada adds to the tension and 9/11 manages to make it into the itinerary too.
Some poetic liberty is taken with several letters from Philip back to his Roman friend, Roger, interspersed in the text. An effective feature, which reminds you of the conditions Philip would have faced in his time.
An enjoyable romp through Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa, but if I had read it before, not very memorable.
October 11, 2024
This may have been my oldest book on the TBR pile going back 20 years, when it was new!
I hadn't heard of the legendary figure Prester John until now, but it was a rollicking adventure with the author (nicknamed Al-Jub by his travel mate). It's the story of even trying to find a trail for this mythical persona in the first place, let alone following an established one.
Jubber's ability with description awed me, after decades of travel narrative being my favorite genre. For one thing, he does a great job speculating what these areas may have been like a millennium ago, also rather clever in describing the reported infighting at the time. Also manages a great job in relating the modern reality on-the-scene culturally to the history. Can't wait to read more of him!
Why not five stars? I'm ashamed to admit that I skimmed the occasional medieval letters, sometimes taking several pages.
I hadn't heard of the legendary figure Prester John until now, but it was a rollicking adventure with the author (nicknamed Al-Jub by his travel mate). It's the story of even trying to find a trail for this mythical persona in the first place, let alone following an established one.
Jubber's ability with description awed me, after decades of travel narrative being my favorite genre. For one thing, he does a great job speculating what these areas may have been like a millennium ago, also rather clever in describing the reported infighting at the time. Also manages a great job in relating the modern reality on-the-scene culturally to the history. Can't wait to read more of him!
Why not five stars? I'm ashamed to admit that I skimmed the occasional medieval letters, sometimes taking several pages.
June 18, 2019
As much as I like reading travelogues filled with historical facts, the narrative of this book is completely scattered. I couldn't even get past Chapter 2 without losing interest.
July 4, 2019
If you want to write a travelogue, it helps to be an interesting person who does interesting things.
May 11, 2020
I wanted to like this but found the style hugely annoying.
June 17, 2013
It's been a while since I read a novel this long. It is drowned in adjectives and gerundives, certainly not an easy read. The detailed historical development doesn't help with readability, although it is decently presented. The author displays an insane obsession to complete the mission of a twelfth century physician and deliver a letter from the Pope to the fabled priest-king Prester John. Having identified this John with the historical Ethiopian king Lalibela, he ends his quest by desecrating the king's ancient tomb and inserting into it a copy of a conjured-up version of the original papal letter, now long lost.
The result of this idiotic quest is an interesting travel journal of the author's trip on foot and by bus and taxi from the Venice to the heartland of Ethiopia. The book is annoyingly long, annoyingly. The author fancies himself an orientalist, but he seems rather to be an Arabophile (if such a word be possible). He laments his bad knowledge of Arabic (understandable, but not of Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish, etc.) and seems surprised to find an excess of what he thought was *Arab* hospitality in the non-Arab Maronites. Later, he reveals that this is actually 'desert hospitality,' engendered by the mutual instinct of survival. Also, influenced by the geography of modern states which he transposes into the historical twelfth century, he anachronistically calls twelfth-century characters from different parts of modern Italy compatriots, just as he tends to call the whole region the 'Arab World' (the modern Arabic identity has been quite forced upon a multitude of nations in the region during the twentieth century). The author also has much love for the medieval warrior Salah al-Din, absorbed from the hero-worship of today's Arabs (who stand him up as a figure-head in the never-ending resentment of Western culture and society). This Salah al-Din is 'the most honourable figure of the twelfth century.' (p.235)
But then the whole book is a glorification of Arab strengths and a kind of sniff at boorish Europeans, who are blamed for everything that is wrong in the Holy Land and its surrounds. It is even the fault of the Europeans for ending the great intellectual golden age of the 'Arab' world by arriving with their Christianity and causing Islamic orthodoxy to be tightened up. The conclusion at the end of the book claims that Christianity had no ideal leadership (let's ignore the Pope and the Roman Emperor), as the Muslims had Salah al-Din, and sought to find one in the legendary Prester John is far-fetched. Modern secular Europe dislikes its own history and sees greatness everywhere else, if not in the noble Arab civilisations, in the Indian and Chinese and other civilisations. Three stars for holding my attention until the last page, although it was a struggle.
The result of this idiotic quest is an interesting travel journal of the author's trip on foot and by bus and taxi from the Venice to the heartland of Ethiopia. The book is annoyingly long, annoyingly. The author fancies himself an orientalist, but he seems rather to be an Arabophile (if such a word be possible). He laments his bad knowledge of Arabic (understandable, but not of Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish, etc.) and seems surprised to find an excess of what he thought was *Arab* hospitality in the non-Arab Maronites. Later, he reveals that this is actually 'desert hospitality,' engendered by the mutual instinct of survival. Also, influenced by the geography of modern states which he transposes into the historical twelfth century, he anachronistically calls twelfth-century characters from different parts of modern Italy compatriots, just as he tends to call the whole region the 'Arab World' (the modern Arabic identity has been quite forced upon a multitude of nations in the region during the twentieth century). The author also has much love for the medieval warrior Salah al-Din, absorbed from the hero-worship of today's Arabs (who stand him up as a figure-head in the never-ending resentment of Western culture and society). This Salah al-Din is 'the most honourable figure of the twelfth century.' (p.235)
But then the whole book is a glorification of Arab strengths and a kind of sniff at boorish Europeans, who are blamed for everything that is wrong in the Holy Land and its surrounds. It is even the fault of the Europeans for ending the great intellectual golden age of the 'Arab' world by arriving with their Christianity and causing Islamic orthodoxy to be tightened up. The conclusion at the end of the book claims that Christianity had no ideal leadership (let's ignore the Pope and the Roman Emperor), as the Muslims had Salah al-Din, and sought to find one in the legendary Prester John is far-fetched. Modern secular Europe dislikes its own history and sees greatness everywhere else, if not in the noble Arab civilisations, in the Indian and Chinese and other civilisations. Three stars for holding my attention until the last page, although it was a struggle.
February 28, 2014
I learned a lot from this book. There was a wealth of detail, from both Crusade and modern times. I felt I was getting some insight into the social and political history of the Middle East and beyond but it was hard going at times. I never really bought into the premise of the trip, that they were recreating an historic journey either.
I stopped reading this book more than once but kept coming back to it and would persevere after finding some other interesting fact only to stop again after feeling bogged down in detail. The author also likes to challenge your vocabulary - in just a few pages I came across "haruspex", "nictitating" and "thurifering" - all of which I had to look up:)
Ultimately I never did quite finish it having run out of time (very overdue at the library!) but I would read something else written by the same author.
I stopped reading this book more than once but kept coming back to it and would persevere after finding some other interesting fact only to stop again after feeling bogged down in detail. The author also likes to challenge your vocabulary - in just a few pages I came across "haruspex", "nictitating" and "thurifering" - all of which I had to look up:)
Ultimately I never did quite finish it having run out of time (very overdue at the library!) but I would read something else written by the same author.
April 10, 2020
I'm giving this two, although some of the writing bordered on 2 & 1/2. The whole thing was a bit undergrad - I didn't find Jubber as annoying as other reviewers, but his travelling companion certainly came across as a complete twat.
I thought the book fell between the two stools of history and travel writing, not succeeding as either; the ending in Ethiopia was a particularly damp squib. A shame, because it's certainly an interesting story, still waiting to be well-writeen.
Anyone interested in the religious terrain of the Eastern Mediterranean should avoid this and read William Dalrymple's masterful "From the Holy Mountain" instead.
I thought the book fell between the two stools of history and travel writing, not succeeding as either; the ending in Ethiopia was a particularly damp squib. A shame, because it's certainly an interesting story, still waiting to be well-writeen.
Anyone interested in the religious terrain of the Eastern Mediterranean should avoid this and read William Dalrymple's masterful "From the Holy Mountain" instead.
December 10, 2016
The old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover" is certainly true. On the cover of this book were the words "gloriously entertaining...suspense...high adventure". This led me to believe that I was going to read a book along the lines of a Clive Cussler novel. I was so wrong! Had I looked inside I might have noticed the presence of a glossary, an index, and 2 appendices. This was certainly not fiction. It was a travelogue suffused with history. The author followed in the footsteps of a man who lived 828 years before. The book actually told me more than I wanted to know. For me, it was a hard read.
June 4, 2014
I was really looking forward to this book and I'm suffering the pangs of disappointment. The idea for the author's journey is great - a search for the elusive Prester John, fabled Priest King of the Indies - but the execution was scattered and ultimatley boring.
I think it's his writing style. My mother had an expression, "too clever by half" that comes into play here. He's so busy being smart and cool that his story suffers. It's also overlong. He needs a good editor and some maturity.
I think it's his writing style. My mother had an expression, "too clever by half" that comes into play here. He's so busy being smart and cool that his story suffers. It's also overlong. He needs a good editor and some maturity.
June 17, 2009
Really beautiful descriptions of the Middle East and Africa - I loved the Lebanese nightclub description, the Ethiopian churches, the refugees in the West Bank, the castle in the Sudanese desert. It's an epic trip and it's described in a really colourful way. It may be too expressive for some people's taste, but it made me laugh so much and I really, really love the wierd charts - probably best for people who like their travel writing to be a bit bonkers!
November 18, 2012
A travelogue; two Englishmen set off from Rome to Ethiopia following a medieval traveller, Master Philip, who went in search of Prester John. Jubber's writing style palls after a while.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews