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Marco Polo
HE LIVED THE ADVENTURE MOST MERELY DREAM...
He left Venice, fleeting a scandalous love affair. He was 17 - only a boy - but he would travel to China in a thrilling odyssey across the vast expanse of Asia, one of the first to witness the exotic splendors of the East. He would be a guest at Xanadu, the legendary palace whose sophisticated wonders would stun "civilized" Europe. And he would become a man - an ally of the fabled Kublai Khan - in a time filled with romance and breathtaking adventure.
He left Venice, fleeting a scandalous love affair. He was 17 - only a boy - but he would travel to China in a thrilling odyssey across the vast expanse of Asia, one of the first to witness the exotic splendors of the East. He would be a guest at Xanadu, the legendary palace whose sophisticated wonders would stun "civilized" Europe. And he would become a man - an ally of the fabled Kublai Khan - in a time filled with romance and breathtaking adventure.
427 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 19, 2019
I read in Dalrymple's "In Xanadu", that Polo's original manuscrip was as dry as a merchant's manual, mainly noting the trade posts, goods and prices..this book though is not. Though we may never know the historical veracity of the facts regarding Polo's romances..it does bring out a rather interesting journey..and somehow will be familar to those who saw the series on Netflix.
August 12, 2015
This was surprisingly enjoyable historical fiction.
It's a bit difficult for me to assess its historical parts, but the details provided are either evidence of good research or highly active imagination on the authors' part. It made me aware of how Euro-centric my historical education was. Even minoring in Japanese didn't sensitize me to the rich history of the rest of Asia. For example, movable type printing was used in China as early as the Song dynasty (before 1279).
As fiction, it was fairly sensitive and nuanced. Marco was a born voyager and did all he could to explore the world. Beyond that, he was a principled observer. although sometimes naive; he had a genuine interest in and respect for the people in all the places he went. He felt deeply when he saw them brutalized, and occasionally put himself in harm's way to stand up for them.
Kublai Khan was ruthless and human. The strong differences between the Mongolian and Venetian cultures were highlighted in the ways Marco was entranced by his charisma and shocked by his brutality and unforgivingness.
It's a bit difficult for me to assess its historical parts, but the details provided are either evidence of good research or highly active imagination on the authors' part. It made me aware of how Euro-centric my historical education was. Even minoring in Japanese didn't sensitize me to the rich history of the rest of Asia. For example, movable type printing was used in China as early as the Song dynasty (before 1279).
As fiction, it was fairly sensitive and nuanced. Marco was a born voyager and did all he could to explore the world. Beyond that, he was a principled observer. although sometimes naive; he had a genuine interest in and respect for the people in all the places he went. He felt deeply when he saw them brutalized, and occasionally put himself in harm's way to stand up for them.
Kublai Khan was ruthless and human. The strong differences between the Mongolian and Venetian cultures were highlighted in the ways Marco was entranced by his charisma and shocked by his brutality and unforgivingness.
November 24, 2020
Even though this novel of Keith Miles & David Butler is based on the miniseries by David Butler, Vincenzo Labella, and Giuliano Montaldo; I can say it is marvelous, a real work of art, and a page-turner. It's unfortunate that there isn't a reprint of this book from 1982 that I was lucky to find, it should be a best seller.
This book will stand out on my shelf.
This book will stand out on my shelf.
November 15, 2023
5/5 would read again
August 28, 2009
I have known about Marco Polo all of my life it seems. I have even read a different book of his adventures when I was in high school in 1941. However, I enjoyed this particular book because it seemed more complete than the other one. I can never resist getting a glimpse of life in China so long ago and the exotic adventures of this one man.
October 3, 2016
leuk boek, maar had er toch iets meer van verwacht, eerste helft is fantastisch en meeslepend, maar wanneer ze eindelijk bij de Khan aankomen, word alles precies serieus ingekort..jammer. Naar het einde toe betert het wel weer.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews