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Travels in the Land of Serpents and Pearls
"You will hear it for yourselves, and it will surely fill you with wonder..."
In this selection from Marco Polo's famous travel book, the intrepid Venetian describes the customs of India, recounts the story of the king who died eighty-four times and explains how to retrieve diamonds from snake-infested caves...
Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions.
Marco Polo (1254-1324).
Polo's Travels are available in Penguin Classics.
In this selection from Marco Polo's famous travel book, the intrepid Venetian describes the customs of India, recounts the story of the king who died eighty-four times and explains how to retrieve diamonds from snake-infested caves...
Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions.
Marco Polo (1254-1324).
Polo's Travels are available in Penguin Classics.
57 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1298
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1392 people want to read
About the author
Marco Polo
271 books188 followersFrom 1271, Marco Polo of Venice explored Asia to 1295; the only available
Travels of Marco Polo
accounted China to Europeans until the 1500s.
Marco Polo spun a tale of how people gave a life of sensual pleasure and a potion to make young Assassins to yearn for paradise, their reward for dying in action, before their secret missions.
Stories and various documents also alternatively point to his ancestry, originating in Korčula, Croatia.
People well knew this trader. He recorded his adventures in a published book. People lost the original copies of his works.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo
Marco Polo spun a tale of how people gave a life of sensual pleasure and a potion to make young Assassins to yearn for paradise, their reward for dying in action, before their secret missions.
Stories and various documents also alternatively point to his ancestry, originating in Korčula, Croatia.
People well knew this trader. He recorded his adventures in a published book. People lost the original copies of his works.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
March 26, 2016
Marco Polo wrote this book for goldfish.
At the beginning of almost every paragraph he states “I will now tell you” and by the end he will then say “I have now told you.” I mean it’s truly helpful guidance. I never would have figured that out myself…..I’m so glad he took the time to reassure me as I went along. Who did he think would read his works, simpletons and those with memory impairments? That’s the only explanation for such a patronising way of writing. Here's a lovely quote just to show you what I mean:
"Now I have told you about this. So next I will tell you about some other wonderful things"
There are so many like this, so, so many. So let me tell you about them. They're bad. I have now told you about them. Let me tell you about some other things. Other things look good. I have now told you about other things. So lets talk about something else. Something else looks good like other things. I have now further told you about other things. I have now told you about something else. I will now go on to talk about horses.
Sure, there may be some great historical detail in here or so I’m told. But I just couldn’t get over the infuriating writing. It was terrible, dry and repetitive. He does this throughout the work. It’s almost like he is patting you on the back as you read and saying “go on, carry on. You get this fine. See, here’s another paragraph where I tell you the same thing again. See? It’s easy. Well done reader.” And then he starts talking about unicorns; yes, unicorns. So, that just gets rid of all credibility. How can anyone trust a word this man said? He probably knew at the time that nobody would bother to prove him wrong, so he just shoved it in there for the fun of it. Either that or he was so stupid that he couldn’t tell apart a rhino from mythical horse with a horn.
Penguin Little Black Classic- 16
The Little Black Classic Collection by penguin looks like it contains lots of hidden gems. I couldn’t help it; they looked so good that I went and bought them all. I shall post a short review after reading each one. No doubt it will take me several months to get through all of them! Hopefully I will find some classic authors, from across the ages, that I may not have come across had I not bought this collection.
At the beginning of almost every paragraph he states “I will now tell you” and by the end he will then say “I have now told you.” I mean it’s truly helpful guidance. I never would have figured that out myself…..I’m so glad he took the time to reassure me as I went along. Who did he think would read his works, simpletons and those with memory impairments? That’s the only explanation for such a patronising way of writing. Here's a lovely quote just to show you what I mean:
"Now I have told you about this. So next I will tell you about some other wonderful things"
There are so many like this, so, so many. So let me tell you about them. They're bad. I have now told you about them. Let me tell you about some other things. Other things look good. I have now told you about other things. So lets talk about something else. Something else looks good like other things. I have now further told you about other things. I have now told you about something else. I will now go on to talk about horses.
Sure, there may be some great historical detail in here or so I’m told. But I just couldn’t get over the infuriating writing. It was terrible, dry and repetitive. He does this throughout the work. It’s almost like he is patting you on the back as you read and saying “go on, carry on. You get this fine. See, here’s another paragraph where I tell you the same thing again. See? It’s easy. Well done reader.” And then he starts talking about unicorns; yes, unicorns. So, that just gets rid of all credibility. How can anyone trust a word this man said? He probably knew at the time that nobody would bother to prove him wrong, so he just shoved it in there for the fun of it. Either that or he was so stupid that he couldn’t tell apart a rhino from mythical horse with a horn.
Penguin Little Black Classic- 16
The Little Black Classic Collection by penguin looks like it contains lots of hidden gems. I couldn’t help it; they looked so good that I went and bought them all. I shall post a short review after reading each one. No doubt it will take me several months to get through all of them! Hopefully I will find some classic authors, from across the ages, that I may not have come across had I not bought this collection.
March 4, 2017
Let me tell you about this book. This book is badly written. I will now tell you why: I will tell you about this book in the same manner the book is written, so you can understand why I will later go on calling the prose the worst I have ever encountered. I have now told you about the prose and will move on and tell you about other things.
Actually, I'm going to stop right here, I think I have made my point clear enough. Travels in the Land of Serpents and Pearls is an excerpt of Marco Polo's travel accounts. Easily the most famous traveller of the thirteenth century, his voyage began with a visit to Asia in 1271, after which he served the Kubilai Khan on numerous diplomatic missions. On his return to the West he was made a prisoner of war and met Rustichello of Pisa, with whom he collaborated on this book. So it is the latter whom we have to blame for this extremely stiff writing.
If you are willing to overlook a bad writing style, however, this Little Black Classic is a fun taster of what the full travel accounts are like. Marco Polo focusses on the way the people in the visited places lived like, describing their customs and traditions, many of which are very unfamiliar (and because of that even more interesting) to somebody like me who grew up in a completely different cultural context.
An example would be choiach, an unlucky hour that every day of the week according to the habitants of Ceylon has. When that hour is can be told by measuring your shadow - when it reaches the length of seven feet you will be expected to stay clear of trading or making any business and wait until that hour is over.
I'm left a bit confused as to what I can believe. While Marco Polo makes the impression of an observant man with honest intentions, some things he tells simply can't be true. Like, there is no way there are people who reach 150 or 200 years of age while remaining fit and healthy solely because they "practice by earring small portions of healthy foods".
I'd recommend this particular book to anyone who is interested in Marco Polo's journeys but remains unsure whether it's worth going through 384 pages of his accounts.
In 2015 Penguin introduced the Little Black Classics series to celebrate Penguin's 80th birthday. Including little stories from "around the world and across many centuries" as the publisher describes, I have been intrigued to read those for a long time, before finally having started. I hope to sooner or later read and review all of them!
Actually, I'm going to stop right here, I think I have made my point clear enough. Travels in the Land of Serpents and Pearls is an excerpt of Marco Polo's travel accounts. Easily the most famous traveller of the thirteenth century, his voyage began with a visit to Asia in 1271, after which he served the Kubilai Khan on numerous diplomatic missions. On his return to the West he was made a prisoner of war and met Rustichello of Pisa, with whom he collaborated on this book. So it is the latter whom we have to blame for this extremely stiff writing.
If you are willing to overlook a bad writing style, however, this Little Black Classic is a fun taster of what the full travel accounts are like. Marco Polo focusses on the way the people in the visited places lived like, describing their customs and traditions, many of which are very unfamiliar (and because of that even more interesting) to somebody like me who grew up in a completely different cultural context.
An example would be choiach, an unlucky hour that every day of the week according to the habitants of Ceylon has. When that hour is can be told by measuring your shadow - when it reaches the length of seven feet you will be expected to stay clear of trading or making any business and wait until that hour is over.
I'm left a bit confused as to what I can believe. While Marco Polo makes the impression of an observant man with honest intentions, some things he tells simply can't be true. Like, there is no way there are people who reach 150 or 200 years of age while remaining fit and healthy solely because they "practice by earring small portions of healthy foods".
I'd recommend this particular book to anyone who is interested in Marco Polo's journeys but remains unsure whether it's worth going through 384 pages of his accounts.
In 2015 Penguin introduced the Little Black Classics series to celebrate Penguin's 80th birthday. Including little stories from "around the world and across many centuries" as the publisher describes, I have been intrigued to read those for a long time, before finally having started. I hope to sooner or later read and review all of them!
April 24, 2020
I'm sure Marco Polo was a great explorer. If only our eyes could have seen what he'd seen. But as a writer, at least going by this little book, he really is quite bad. The last time I checked the human race is classed as an intelligent species, and yet he writes like we are all fools, constantly reminding us of the obvious. If Travels in the Land of Serpents and Pearls is anything like his much longer book of travels then I needn't bother with that. This book could probably be of some use to primary school children, but for adults it's all rather laughable.
May 28, 2018
"You will hear it for yourselves, and it will surely fill you with wonder."
- Marco Polo, Travels in the Land of Serpents and Pearls
Vol 16 of my Penguin Little Black Classics Box Set. Contains the section of 'The Travels of Marco Polo' focused on Maabar (or greater India). I've had Travels on my "To-Read" shelf for awhile now, and this might be the kick I need to break it out and read it. Polo's observational skills are amazing. He seems to be an early anthropologist. He's got a bit of Western-bias, but still gives a pretty fair accouting of Hindu, Jainist, Buddhist, and Muslim ritual and rites. Somethings shock him a bit, and other things seem to roll off him fairly easily. Culturally, however, he sets the tone writing about the area for generations. So, love him or hate him, there is no ignoring Marco Polo.
- Marco Polo, Travels in the Land of Serpents and Pearls
Vol 16 of my Penguin Little Black Classics Box Set. Contains the section of 'The Travels of Marco Polo' focused on Maabar (or greater India). I've had Travels on my "To-Read" shelf for awhile now, and this might be the kick I need to break it out and read it. Polo's observational skills are amazing. He seems to be an early anthropologist. He's got a bit of Western-bias, but still gives a pretty fair accouting of Hindu, Jainist, Buddhist, and Muslim ritual and rites. Somethings shock him a bit, and other things seem to roll off him fairly easily. Culturally, however, he sets the tone writing about the area for generations. So, love him or hate him, there is no ignoring Marco Polo.
February 17, 2021
This book is at turns ridiculous and outrageous and pretty accurate.
There are only 55 pages, so it’s limited what they can contain, but as an introduction to his writing it's pretty good. What I love about the Little Black Classics is that they contain very little besides the primary text. There’s no introduction, no explanations. All you have to do is sit down and enjoy a good story.
Which this is, even if Marco is incredibly fond of repeating the same phrases over and over again, slightly disrupting the flow of the story, but it also makes it seem rather genuine. There’s no doubt some of this is either made up entirely or grossly exaggerated (if it isn’t I’ll wrestle one of those giant diamond protecting serpents myself), but some of it seems genuine and authentic. And in any case it captures an atmosphere, a sense of discovery of a new, different world that we cannot visit except through his eyes. And despite the outrageousness of some of the claims, there were still details I recognize from my own travels, a sliver of truth and authenticity.
It’s an odd blend of reality and fiction, of hearsay and witness account. He aims to fill you with wonder, and at that he succeeds.
A thing that impressed me is that, despite his slight flair for embellishment, he tells a tale free from personal judgement. Of course, I can’t discern how much he’s left out or how much he’s changed or made up, but he doesn’t cast a lot of moral judgement on incidents or foreign customs as he relates them back to us. That was excellent – it might also be the norm when it comes to travel journals or whatever this is, but I liked the seeming objectiveness of it. Again, I base this on a mere 55 pages, but still.
It made me want to read more from him, which I think is the point of these books (other than offering an opportunity to re-visit old favorites). I loved the collection of tales and had a great time reading it and imagining the places, the people and the wondrous things he tells of.
So by all means, more Marco Polo for me. More incredible and marvelous travels into the unknown. I’m ready.
There are only 55 pages, so it’s limited what they can contain, but as an introduction to his writing it's pretty good. What I love about the Little Black Classics is that they contain very little besides the primary text. There’s no introduction, no explanations. All you have to do is sit down and enjoy a good story.
Which this is, even if Marco is incredibly fond of repeating the same phrases over and over again, slightly disrupting the flow of the story, but it also makes it seem rather genuine. There’s no doubt some of this is either made up entirely or grossly exaggerated (if it isn’t I’ll wrestle one of those giant diamond protecting serpents myself), but some of it seems genuine and authentic. And in any case it captures an atmosphere, a sense of discovery of a new, different world that we cannot visit except through his eyes. And despite the outrageousness of some of the claims, there were still details I recognize from my own travels, a sliver of truth and authenticity.
It’s an odd blend of reality and fiction, of hearsay and witness account. He aims to fill you with wonder, and at that he succeeds.
A thing that impressed me is that, despite his slight flair for embellishment, he tells a tale free from personal judgement. Of course, I can’t discern how much he’s left out or how much he’s changed or made up, but he doesn’t cast a lot of moral judgement on incidents or foreign customs as he relates them back to us. That was excellent – it might also be the norm when it comes to travel journals or whatever this is, but I liked the seeming objectiveness of it. Again, I base this on a mere 55 pages, but still.
It made me want to read more from him, which I think is the point of these books (other than offering an opportunity to re-visit old favorites). I loved the collection of tales and had a great time reading it and imagining the places, the people and the wondrous things he tells of.
So by all means, more Marco Polo for me. More incredible and marvelous travels into the unknown. I’m ready.
July 26, 2020
This book has opened my eyes to the unique writing style of Marco Polo, or perhaps that era for that region. It's a fast read, not many pages at all, and covers nude Indian people, their customs and society as observed by Marco and the riches they possessed. Has inspired me to buy the full book one day. Overall, a VERY short read but worth it.
February 8, 2017
This book while historically important is tedious. Review, Marco Polo style:
I will tell you I read this. Further more I will tell you he repeats himself, frequently.
let me tell you it was hard going to read the repetitions. Furthermore I will tell you the book is finished.
I can tell you I really wanted to enjoy this but sadly become frustrated by the style of writing. Maybe it was because of the way it had been edited and in full the complete work might be more interesting..... Who knows.
I will tell you I read this. Further more I will tell you he repeats himself, frequently.
let me tell you it was hard going to read the repetitions. Furthermore I will tell you the book is finished.
I can tell you I really wanted to enjoy this but sadly become frustrated by the style of writing. Maybe it was because of the way it had been edited and in full the complete work might be more interesting..... Who knows.
January 1, 2016
Gujarat apparently has unicorns. Did anyone else know? :D
April 10, 2023
I too would comment on how badly written this is or how some of the stuff he writes about defy the laws of nature, but, I am pretty sure that this book wasn't written to be a work of fiction, only an account of Marco Polo 's travels, and those reality defying things he mentioned, are what he had been told by the locals.
January 12, 2020
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I hope Marco Polo was a better explorer than he was a writer, because this was not good. I'm now going to tell you what was bad. The writing. I've now told you what was bad. The booklet is filled with these completely unnecessary sentences where Polo explains what he is going to say in the next or has said in the last paragraph. Maybe the people of his time had a short attention span, but it really annoyed me. Also, unicorns in this supposedly non-fiction report.
~Little Black Classics #16~
I hope Marco Polo was a better explorer than he was a writer, because this was not good. I'm now going to tell you what was bad. The writing. I've now told you what was bad. The booklet is filled with these completely unnecessary sentences where Polo explains what he is going to say in the next or has said in the last paragraph. Maybe the people of his time had a short attention span, but it really annoyed me. Also, unicorns in this supposedly non-fiction report.
~Little Black Classics #16~
July 5, 2017
Interesting book with a lot of description. Sounds like a travel journal written by an social anthropologist and their travel through the different kingdoms. Kinda cool but not that entertaining in the end.
November 4, 2017
Interesting for both its accuracies and inaccuracies. Unfortunately, he seems unable to make any substantial distinction between the cultures he encounters, oversimplifying them to the point where all non-Christians and non-Muslims are called idolaters and perceived as following the same religion.
The writing style is incredibly repetitive, and although it is endearing for the first two pages, it is plainly annoying for the rest, and can easily be summarised as "This is what I'm going to tell you... You can take my word for it that... This is what I just told you...."
While short, the book cannot be read in one sitting. It took me three days to read out of pure frustration.
The writing style is incredibly repetitive, and although it is endearing for the first two pages, it is plainly annoying for the rest, and can easily be summarised as "This is what I'm going to tell you... You can take my word for it that... This is what I just told you...."
While short, the book cannot be read in one sitting. It took me three days to read out of pure frustration.
March 13, 2021
I was grossed out most of the time while reading this.. I just don't want to think of this book ever again lol
March 15, 2016
This excerpt from Travels by Marco Polo was just whacky! Weird tales of kings, brothers and their bizarre superstitions.
And what was with the repetitive usage of "let me tell you.. Let me assure you.."?? It sounded annoying at first, but later on it just became oddly hilarious. No matter how grave the tale was, it was told with a rather tongue-in-cheek tone. I'm not sure what audience it was originally aimed at, because he was trying really hard to convince them of his veracity.
Now I'm highly curious to check out his other bizarre sightings from his various travels!
And what was with the repetitive usage of "let me tell you.. Let me assure you.."?? It sounded annoying at first, but later on it just became oddly hilarious. No matter how grave the tale was, it was told with a rather tongue-in-cheek tone. I'm not sure what audience it was originally aimed at, because he was trying really hard to convince them of his veracity.
Now I'm highly curious to check out his other bizarre sightings from his various travels!
August 19, 2016
I've alway wanted to read The Travels of Marco Polo and I enjoyed this excerpt very much. It also made it clear, however, that I would not be able to read the whole work or if so, then in small increments only. Polo repeats himself constantly and prefaces every paragraph with 'now I will tell you' or something similar. In a full length book, this would probably drive me crazy, but I can handle 56 small pages that are otherwise fascinating - at least if you are interested in he history of the world.
May 8, 2017
This reads like a 3rd grader's summer report.
"Let me tell you about one thing, and then I will tell you about another thing. Now I've told you about this one thing, and there is also some other wonderful thing about the people here!" This writing style is so bad. I'm glad it was so short.
"Let me tell you about one thing, and then I will tell you about another thing. Now I've told you about this one thing, and there is also some other wonderful thing about the people here!" This writing style is so bad. I'm glad it was so short.
August 26, 2019
As an Indian familiar with most details that this book revolved around, I found this interesting in some respects and laughable in the others. Not a bad way to spend half an hour, but it's not laudable.
June 5, 2024
I’ve seen bare drillers hate on the prose, but what do you expect of a driller that lived 800 years ago and didn’t have access to poets such as Ice Spice and Chet Hanks?
March 8, 2017
**Review to be posted shortly**
all I shall say is that it's a rather interesting read...
**Later...**
The chain of events within this extraordinary journey, explore different cultures and barbaric customs of a varied people. One encounters and learns many things, such as for instance;
* Unbalanced compatibility and harmony
* The boundaries of reason [adhering to natural law] and limitations
* What’s known and that which remains elusive, especially in ‘what’s seen at first glance’
* The foreign traveller shining a light on the atypical
‘This bird unmistakably resembles ours, but all the rest are very strange and different.’
This meandering tale gives clarity to those readers who’ve perhaps never thought about such things in another way, thus highlighting the right [or better] course of action to take / viewpoint. All kinds of belief systems are examined, including the pious and devout to the inhumane and selfishly absorbed. One can consequentially form an opinion, based upon one’s personal ideas and thus [hopefully] it may direct them to an alternative conclusion.
‘He was quite horrified, as if someone would be if they had never encountered one before.
At this the young man fell silent and rode on in deep thought.’
all I shall say is that it's a rather interesting read...
**Later...**
The chain of events within this extraordinary journey, explore different cultures and barbaric customs of a varied people. One encounters and learns many things, such as for instance;
* Unbalanced compatibility and harmony
* The boundaries of reason [adhering to natural law] and limitations
* What’s known and that which remains elusive, especially in ‘what’s seen at first glance’
* The foreign traveller shining a light on the atypical
‘This bird unmistakably resembles ours, but all the rest are very strange and different.’
This meandering tale gives clarity to those readers who’ve perhaps never thought about such things in another way, thus highlighting the right [or better] course of action to take / viewpoint. All kinds of belief systems are examined, including the pious and devout to the inhumane and selfishly absorbed. One can consequentially form an opinion, based upon one’s personal ideas and thus [hopefully] it may direct them to an alternative conclusion.
‘He was quite horrified, as if someone would be if they had never encountered one before.
At this the young man fell silent and rode on in deep thought.’
November 7, 2016
This Penguin Little Black Classic is a selection of excerpts from Marco Polo's The Travels.
A very quick read - even for a LBC - this is a quite well selected collection.
There are some issues around the terrible repetition of certain phrases, and the two strange mentioning of himself in the third person - it is unclear to me whether this is a translation issue or just the painful way Polo presented his tales.
Once you can separate your self from that, the content is really quite interesting. Polo describes the great province of Maabar, and the five Kings (who are also brothers) of this province; the Kingdom to the north - Motupalli - ruled by a Queen. The province of Lar, west of Maabar, from which all Brahmins are 'sprung', then we sidetrack to Sri Lanka for a tale Polo forgot to mention earlier in the book, and finally a few pages about the Kingdom of Gujarat.
Even in 55 pages, there is some repetition - situation the same or very similar in two different locations, and he unfortunately explains them in full a second time.
There are interesting parts - the methods of collecting the diamonds and gems, the religious beliefs and customs around various animals.
Four stars rounded down to three for the unnecessary repetition - something I seem to have brought through to my review - quite accidentally.
A very quick read - even for a LBC - this is a quite well selected collection.
There are some issues around the terrible repetition of certain phrases, and the two strange mentioning of himself in the third person - it is unclear to me whether this is a translation issue or just the painful way Polo presented his tales.
Once you can separate your self from that, the content is really quite interesting. Polo describes the great province of Maabar, and the five Kings (who are also brothers) of this province; the Kingdom to the north - Motupalli - ruled by a Queen. The province of Lar, west of Maabar, from which all Brahmins are 'sprung', then we sidetrack to Sri Lanka for a tale Polo forgot to mention earlier in the book, and finally a few pages about the Kingdom of Gujarat.
Even in 55 pages, there is some repetition - situation the same or very similar in two different locations, and he unfortunately explains them in full a second time.
There are interesting parts - the methods of collecting the diamonds and gems, the religious beliefs and customs around various animals.
Four stars rounded down to three for the unnecessary repetition - something I seem to have brought through to my review - quite accidentally.
July 25, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
First experience with Marco Polo and it’s great. You read this thinking that Marco himself is talking to you. I love what I study, but it’s impossible not to feel good when history is not an overwhelming analysis but just… History - a guy casually talking about Indian kingdoms.
All in all, this is really accessible and easy to read. It does not give you a full picture of anything in particular, but you clearly leave this experience with more that what you had.
«When some bystanders saw this they exclaimed in astonishment, ‘See how the king obeys the law’. And the king replied, ‘Should I, who established this just law, break it because it goes against me? No, i more than anyone am obliged to observe it’.»
First experience with Marco Polo and it’s great. You read this thinking that Marco himself is talking to you. I love what I study, but it’s impossible not to feel good when history is not an overwhelming analysis but just… History - a guy casually talking about Indian kingdoms.
All in all, this is really accessible and easy to read. It does not give you a full picture of anything in particular, but you clearly leave this experience with more that what you had.
«When some bystanders saw this they exclaimed in astonishment, ‘See how the king obeys the law’. And the king replied, ‘Should I, who established this just law, break it because it goes against me? No, i more than anyone am obliged to observe it’.»
April 2, 2023
A combination of wonder, surprisingly accurate facts and descriptions, and myth/wild exaggeration. Amazing to be able to read the words of explorers from over 700 years ago.
March 27, 2020
This is an excerpt from a legendary book, describing a tale which is more regarded for the journey the narrator undertook and is a first-hand account of a world far away at a time when communication and travel were extremely difficult to establish. It opened windows of the west to a completely different world of the east.
The first thing which I think everyone mentions about this book is the narration style. "Let me tell you ...", "you have my word that ..." and so on and so forth. It is funny, a bit ridiculous at first, and then either tad annoying with scoffing noises being made by the reader or even funnier. The good thing, for me, in this style of narration was that it seemed that the author wass talking directly to the reader as your grandfather will do to you when telling you stories, except the fact that the stories mentioned here are claimed to be, and mostly perhaps are too, true.
For a person from the west, it will be extremely new. For a person on the east and an Indian, as I am, it is quite astonishing too. It talks about many customs still being followed in the subcontinent albeit in a completely different incarnation from some 750-800 years ago. The Brahmins being regarded as holy or 'charmers' tells you how old the caste system is which still has the Indian society in its grips. In extremely rural areas of countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, there are 'tantriks' or 'ojhas' or some-other-name-for-this-profession who claim to have magical powers. They may or may not be brahmins, but this sad fact of modern Indian subcontinent reminds me how deep the reach of history is. 'Sati pratha' (where a woman jumps in fire on the pyre of her dead husband) or a variation of it when the King's esteemed followers followed him on his pyre after his death, and those who did these were revered for it, and these practices being ‘marvelled' at makes me wonder if something was lost in translation? There is relatively more extensive literature on Sati pratha in modern times (~1800-1900) but what about before then? Anyone with any suggestions please?
I found the voice mostly impartial and only reporting what he saw except a few instances where religion and religious practices of 'idolaters' were concerned. It tells one how open-minded was the traveller for his time and still how strong was the influence of religion back then. With the way the society would have worked by then, I found most reporting must be accurate except a LOT of claims which were clearly wrong. Like how yogis live till 150-200 years, some claims regarding Sakyamuni (Buddha) which I think was thought to be a part of Hinduism, how Brahmins can charm fish to not attack the divers and many more. The book is can also be, rudely if so, called an anthology of superstitions in Indian subcontinent at around 1290s, and this makes me even more interested in reading Marco Polo's full travel accounts which I think was the main aim if this excerpt being published as a little black classic. Good idea and well implemented especially for this one Penguin.
Have you read it, or want to? Tell me what you think.
Happy reading! :)
Be safe, and quarantined. :)
The first thing which I think everyone mentions about this book is the narration style. "Let me tell you ...", "you have my word that ..." and so on and so forth. It is funny, a bit ridiculous at first, and then either tad annoying with scoffing noises being made by the reader or even funnier. The good thing, for me, in this style of narration was that it seemed that the author wass talking directly to the reader as your grandfather will do to you when telling you stories, except the fact that the stories mentioned here are claimed to be, and mostly perhaps are too, true.
For a person from the west, it will be extremely new. For a person on the east and an Indian, as I am, it is quite astonishing too. It talks about many customs still being followed in the subcontinent albeit in a completely different incarnation from some 750-800 years ago. The Brahmins being regarded as holy or 'charmers' tells you how old the caste system is which still has the Indian society in its grips. In extremely rural areas of countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, there are 'tantriks' or 'ojhas' or some-other-name-for-this-profession who claim to have magical powers. They may or may not be brahmins, but this sad fact of modern Indian subcontinent reminds me how deep the reach of history is. 'Sati pratha' (where a woman jumps in fire on the pyre of her dead husband) or a variation of it when the King's esteemed followers followed him on his pyre after his death, and those who did these were revered for it, and these practices being ‘marvelled' at makes me wonder if something was lost in translation? There is relatively more extensive literature on Sati pratha in modern times (~1800-1900) but what about before then? Anyone with any suggestions please?
I found the voice mostly impartial and only reporting what he saw except a few instances where religion and religious practices of 'idolaters' were concerned. It tells one how open-minded was the traveller for his time and still how strong was the influence of religion back then. With the way the society would have worked by then, I found most reporting must be accurate except a LOT of claims which were clearly wrong. Like how yogis live till 150-200 years, some claims regarding Sakyamuni (Buddha) which I think was thought to be a part of Hinduism, how Brahmins can charm fish to not attack the divers and many more. The book is can also be, rudely if so, called an anthology of superstitions in Indian subcontinent at around 1290s, and this makes me even more interested in reading Marco Polo's full travel accounts which I think was the main aim if this excerpt being published as a little black classic. Good idea and well implemented especially for this one Penguin.
Have you read it, or want to? Tell me what you think.
Happy reading! :)
Be safe, and quarantined. :)
January 14, 2024
Nooooo Marco you’ve been lied to so many times!!! Marco nooooo they’re not drinking “quick silver” and loving 150-200 years, Marco!!!
But, in all seriousness, the book was very interesting and I am truly envious of someone who was able to be and explorer. I really wish I grew up in Italy in the 1200s and was able to experience a world and different cultures that I had never even thought existed. So envious, I want to only have a vague idea of what an elephant looks like from a crude drawing, then be amazed when I see it in person.
And yes, his writing style is meh, but it’s also translated from 1200 Italian and he was writing this passage from jail-he gets a pass.
But, in all seriousness, the book was very interesting and I am truly envious of someone who was able to be and explorer. I really wish I grew up in Italy in the 1200s and was able to experience a world and different cultures that I had never even thought existed. So envious, I want to only have a vague idea of what an elephant looks like from a crude drawing, then be amazed when I see it in person.
And yes, his writing style is meh, but it’s also translated from 1200 Italian and he was writing this passage from jail-he gets a pass.
February 10, 2017
Marco Polo's descriptions of India are utter madness; serpents guarding diamonds, kings with 30,000 wives, a prince taking to isolation after seeing an infirm old man, and everyone an idolater. They read like tales of fantasy, but with each of them comes a shred of realism, something we know to be true, and this lends an element of trust to his words, despite his constant exaggerations.
My favourite claim of his was that the people he encountered skinned beasts to make leather. He lists the animals, including our favourite common mammal: the unicorn. This really hammered home for me how naive we were in those days, and how Polo's interpretations of India seem ridiculous now that we live in such an educated world. Could it be, perhaps, that Polo had simply never seen a rhinoceros?
He gives no personal opinion on the customs he experiences, no praise or vilification for the way these people live their lives. Although his prose is repetitive and stark with facts, all that shines through is his wonder at this new world.
A wee bit bland, and undoubtedly forgettable, it's a worthwhile read on Polo's experience in India in the 13th century.
My favourite claim of his was that the people he encountered skinned beasts to make leather. He lists the animals, including our favourite common mammal: the unicorn. This really hammered home for me how naive we were in those days, and how Polo's interpretations of India seem ridiculous now that we live in such an educated world. Could it be, perhaps, that Polo had simply never seen a rhinoceros?
He gives no personal opinion on the customs he experiences, no praise or vilification for the way these people live their lives. Although his prose is repetitive and stark with facts, all that shines through is his wonder at this new world.
A wee bit bland, and undoubtedly forgettable, it's a worthwhile read on Polo's experience in India in the 13th century.
February 16, 2019
This tiny sample of the " Travels " of Marco Polo was so enjoyable !
Marco Polo guides the reader to the great province of Maabar, which is called Greater India and is governed by five kings, all brothers in birth. He assures us that this province is the richest and most splendid in the world because of its fine pearls of great size and beauty that are found there.
Marco Polo is a great traveler, not an author and sometimes the way of his writing becomes repetitive and tiring, but his impressions and experiences are wondrous and worth the time of any reader....so i purchased his " Travels ", the whole edition, with all the details of his travels, by luck when i visited a local books' bazaar, just before paying for the other books i chose, i saw it, one copy, in a pile of other books, couldn't resist not to adopt it and have it in my library ❤😊❤
Marco Polo guides the reader to the great province of Maabar, which is called Greater India and is governed by five kings, all brothers in birth. He assures us that this province is the richest and most splendid in the world because of its fine pearls of great size and beauty that are found there.
Marco Polo is a great traveler, not an author and sometimes the way of his writing becomes repetitive and tiring, but his impressions and experiences are wondrous and worth the time of any reader....so i purchased his " Travels ", the whole edition, with all the details of his travels, by luck when i visited a local books' bazaar, just before paying for the other books i chose, i saw it, one copy, in a pile of other books, couldn't resist not to adopt it and have it in my library ❤😊❤
May 21, 2016
4/5
άλλο ένα πολύ καλό "μαύρο μικρό" από την penguin! με αποσπάσματα -σε αυτήν την περίπτωση- από τα ταξίδια του marco polo στις ινδίες.
είναι ένα από τα πιο "ευκολο-διάβαστα" βιβλία (στα αγγλικά) που έχω ρίξει τα μάτια μου. οι περιγραφές είναι ζωντανές, η γλώσσα απλή/κατανοητή/άμεση και θα παρακαλούσα κάπως έτσι να είναι γραμμένα πολλά από τα πανεπιστημιακά μου συγγράμματα, καθώς επαναλαμβάνει κάποια ονόματα (προσώπων/ομάδων/περιοχών) χωρίς να κουράζει, αλλά να βοηθά στην εμπέδωση.
έχω μια αγάπη απέναντι σ' αυτού του "είδους" τις κοινωνίες κι αν κ μέχρι τώρα είχα περιοριστεί στη "λατινική αμερική", τοποθετώ ψηλά στη λίστα μου την ολοκληρωμένη έκδοση αυτού του βιβλίου.
άλλο ένα πολύ καλό "μαύρο μικρό" από την penguin! με αποσπάσματα -σε αυτήν την περίπτωση- από τα ταξίδια του marco polo στις ινδίες.
είναι ένα από τα πιο "ευκολο-διάβαστα" βιβλία (στα αγγλικά) που έχω ρίξει τα μάτια μου. οι περιγραφές είναι ζωντανές, η γλώσσα απλή/κατανοητή/άμεση και θα παρακαλούσα κάπως έτσι να είναι γραμμένα πολλά από τα πανεπιστημιακά μου συγγράμματα, καθώς επαναλαμβάνει κάποια ονόματα (προσώπων/ομάδων/περιοχών) χωρίς να κουράζει, αλλά να βοηθά στην εμπέδωση.
έχω μια αγάπη απέναντι σ' αυτού του "είδους" τις κοινωνίες κι αν κ μέχρι τώρα είχα περιοριστεί στη "λατινική αμερική", τοποθετώ ψηλά στη λίστα μου την ολοκληρωμένη έκδοση αυτού του βιβλίου.
February 8, 2017
I can't decide whether Marco's repetitive phrases e.g. "and I will tell you how/why..." were annoying or endearing. Pick this up if you're a fan of the TV show, I mean it's 80p, where can you go wrong? But my only criticism is that, whilst I learnt little snippits about historic Indian culture, and I very much enjoyed some of the recounts and anecdotes, I don't think any of it will stick with me. It's a little bit forgettable, but strangely not disappointing, as I'm a fan and it was a comfort to read anyway.
October 19, 2023
This was just really badly written I couldn't get past it. I'm sure what he wrote about was interesting but I just couldn't get involved
November 29, 2017
You will hear it for yourselves, and it will surely fill you with wonder.
As I open my first book by Marco Polo, a 13th-14th Century merchant, explorer and writer – I look at the opening quote and blink for a moment. Truly, this can speak for the wonder of a book. Opening a book, beginning to read it and to be filled with wonder. It made me think about this story before I even began to read it, and I had to put it down for a moment. Frankly, I didn’t even know Marco Polo was an actual person; I believed it to just be a children’s game to play – according to Wikipedia - legend had it that the famed explorer didn’t really have a clue as to where he was going. No one really knows if it’s true that Marco Polo, the game, was named after this Marco Polo, but here’s a potential unproven false history lesson.
One thing that did annoy me about Travels in the Land of Serpents and Pearls was the large amount of “Let me tell you” and “I will tell you why”. It made me feel rather ignorant, as if I didn’t know this stuff before, and it was a bit deflating to read this. However, once you have read enough of this story, you eventually – and thankfully – become immune to this almost insult to the reader.
One thing I did notice was the story of a valley of diamonds, and I noticed a serious amount of similarity with the story The Valley of Diamonds the work of Sinbad the Sailor. I was a little surprised to see this, and it was hard not to draw a comparison to the two works, especially when Polo seems to have taken the idea of the story for himself.
I didn’t really enjoy this one. As entertaining as it was, there was just too many vibes of a prudent teacher trying to teach his students about something without knowing if they were educated on it at all, and just treating them as if they were uneducated and knew nothing. It was painful to read. Although entertaining, this just wasn’t my cup of tea.
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