Marco Polo: A Photographer's Journey

by Michael Yamashita

This volume brings to life Marco Polo's 13th-century legendary expedition from Italy to China and his homeward sea journey via Sumatra and India. During a three-year assignment for National Geographic Michael Yamashita, one of the most famous and brilliant travel photographers, has followed in Marco Polo's footsteps capturing spectacular images throughout two continents, from Venice to the famous Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing. This beautifully illustrated book is a sort of visual journey that, thanks to the evocative texts by the historian Gianni Guadalupi and a selection of maps, recreates the incredible experiences of Marco Polo, who crossed the deserts of Asia and ventured into distant Cathay.

Genres: Nonfiction, Photography, Travel, History

504 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Какво свързва млад затворник с нереализирани писателски заложби от 13-ти век, откриването на Америка от Колумб през 15-ти век и фотограф на Нешънъл Джиографик от 20-ти век? Отговорът е: Марко Поло.

Ако Марко Поло не беше попаднал в генуезки плен през 1298 г., нямаше да срещне в затвора своя писател в сянка, който да опише невероятните му приключения в Азия. Ако книгата на свой ред не беше се превърнала в бестселър за времето си, с точните си и ясни детайли (без разните грифони, дракони и русалки, населяващи географски въображението тогавашния европеец), Колумб нямаше да се сдобие с екземпляр от нея. Нямаше прилежно да подчертава пасажите за Китай и Япония, и нямаше да поеме на дълго плаване. А - 700 години след Марко - Майкъл Ямашита нямаше да тръгне по стъпките му, и в рамките само на 3 години в края на 20-ти век да пресъздаде в кадри 24 годишното пътешествие на Марко Поло от 13-ти век. Започнало във Венеция, пресякло Светите Земи, Афганистан, Иран, Ирак, Китай, Монголия, Виетнам, Филипините и куп други екзотични за стедновековна Европа земи.

Ямашита е създал въздействащ фотографски пътепис с ярки кадри, кратки цитати от разказите на Марко Поло и с подбрани моменти от собствените си фотографски перипетии. За щастие или за нещастие, много по-малко неща са се променили за тези 700 години, отколкото читателят/зрителят би предположил.

4,5 звезди - след втори преглед закръглям на 5.

[Tasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Brian Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this along with Marco Polo’s book, which worked extremely well.

[Lukas König · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super spannend mit Wechseln zwischen Gegenwart und Vergangenheit sowohl in Bildern als auch im Text.

[Douglas Summers-Stay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted more after I finished the last Marco Polo book, so I found this book of photos by a National Geographic photographer who retraced Marco Polo's journey. I realized partway through that the photographer was deliberately hiding evidence that the modern world had come to all these places along his route, but it was fascinating to see the same cultures and monuments that Marco Polo described still standing. I happened to see another couple references to Marco Polo this week. One is that a large percentage of boys from Venice are named Marco, because (of course) of the tomb of St. Mark, who is the symbol of the city (the winged lion.) The other reference was in the movie Ip Man, where hostilities between the Japanese and Chinese leading up to World War II really heated up after an incident on the Marco Polo bridge.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was one of the books that compelled me to embark on my own photographic pilgrimage which directed me to a trilogy of lifelong projects, namely, Advocacy Photography Series, The Philippines' Series and lastly, The Earth Series.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with Sterling Signature's 2012 edition of The Travels of Marco Polo, and this was the perfect complement to The Travels. The photography brought to life many of the stories, and the commentary on both The Travels and how the photos were taken enhanced the whole experience.

[Dayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. The photography is wonderful!

[Petra Hermans · Rating 5 out of 5]

The new female Marco Polo, I proudly present: Petra Cecilia Maria Hermans
Amen
(Well, someone has to do it)

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photographs with rich historical and contemporary context.