The journeys of marco polo and their impact encyclopedia. Marco took on various sorts of diplomatic and administrative roles for the emperor. Discussion of themes and motifs in marco polo s the travels of marco polo. To what extent does it purport to represent polos own experiences. Book of the travels of marco polo a page of the travels of marco polo authorsrustichello da pisa and marco polo original titlelivres des merveilles du monde translatorjohn frampton countryrepublic of venice languagefrancoitalian genretravel literature publication date c. This began his fascination with the people and the region. A total of about 150 copies in various languages are known to exist. The journeyer by gary jennings goodreads share book. Marco polo upon his return to italy published the work. But his book, the travels of marco polo, slowly gained widespread interest. There are certainly fantastic elements in the book. Meanwhile, marco polo tells us in his book that his father and uncle after several. Marco polo 125424 was a venetian merchant believed to have journeyed.
Marco polos travels was one of the worlds first bestsellers. Livre des merveilles du monde book of the marvels of the world. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The travels of marco polo volume 1 by marco polo and rustichello of pisa free ebook project gutenberg. In english, this book is also known as the travels of marco polo, and it describes among other things polos travels along the silk road and the various. The book is anchored by the first essay, which also gives the collection its title. Manufacturing by the maplevail book manufacturing group. Venetian merchant and adventurer marco polo traveled from europe to asia from 1271.
Marco polo book of various experiences telling of his. For a twentyfirstcentury reader to make head or tail of the account, a set of explanations, at the very least of the geography, would be essential. After all, polo s book has ornamented libraries the world over for centuries and is regarded, despite its flaws, as one of the worlds greatest travel accounts. He published and edited many travel books, the travels of marco polo, being the most important. The travels of marco polo marco polo s stories about his travels in asia were published as a book called the description of the world, later known as the travels of marco polo.
Marco polo has 375 books on goodreads with 21808 ratings. Book of the marvels of the world in english commonly called the travels of marco polo, is a thcentury travelogue written down by rustichello da pisa from stories told by italian explorer marco polo, describing polos travels through asia between 1271 and 1295, and his experiences at. Henry was commissioned in the british army and served in india. That book reminded me that id read jennings the journeyer several decades ago. Loreena mckennitt the book of secrets marco polo youtube. Marco polo upon his return to italy published the work book of various experiences telling of his journeys in. Marco polo was a venetian explorer known for the book the travels of marco polo, which describes his voyage to and experiences in asia.
The travels of marco polo contains the original account, from the fourrteenth century, of a venetian merchants experience in the far east of that day. When they were first published, the tales he told seemed fantastic to europeans who had never been exposed to the details of central asia. Marco polo by loreena mckennitt from her album the book of secrets with a brief history of marco polo and his journey. Marco polo began his travels at the age of seventeen, and he spent the next twenty years trekking across a vast area of the world that most had ever explored. The return of marco polo s world, kaplans 18th book, is a collection of his essays from the past 17 years. Traveling by sea, the polos left with a caravan of several hundred passengers and sailors. Though not the first european to explore chinahis father and uncle, among others, had already been therehe became famous for his travels thanks to a popular book he coauthored while languishing in a genoese prison.
Published around 0, the book chronicles his experiences during a 24year odyssey from venice to asia and back again. Marco polos book polo could have been forgotten to history. Polo might have been forgotten had his book, the travels of marco polo, not. Polos book, description of the world, offered one of the first detailed.
The travels of marco polo volume 1 by marco polo and. By chance, one of his cellmates, rusticello from pisa, had experience writing. This would be marco polos first real travel experience, and what an. His travels are recorded in the travels of marco polo, a book that described to europeans the then mysterious culture and inner workings of the eastern world, including the wealth and great size of the mongol empire and china in the yuan dynasty, giving their first comprehensive look into china, india, japan and other asian cities and countries. Marco polo was an italian merchant, explorer, and writer who travelled through asia along the silk road between 1271 and 1295. I must note in all fairness that the publication of invisible cities predates the publication of the journeyer by about a decade, but still, there is nothing new under the sun. Marco polos famous novel is called the travels of marco polo, a partially nonfiction work which described his experiences and observations in china, india and japan.