Marco Polo Travels

Colin Thubron

$32.99

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Everyman Hardcovers
15 November 2008

Literature, Poetry & Criticism; Classic travel writing

Series: Everyman's Library CLASSICS

A new introduction by Colin Thubron describes why Marco Polo remains one of the most fascinating and informative introductions to China.

Marco Polo set off on his travels from Venice as a young man in 1271, and returned home in 1295 after spending 24 years away, 17 of them in China. He isone of the few early adventurers whose name nearly everyone knows. His book was one of the best-loved works of the Middle Ages, and has remained popular ever since. At a time when China is again assuming global importance, his account of China under the Mongol emperor Khubilai Khan - the dazzlingly splendid capital in Beijing, the great southern metropolis of Hangzhou - is a classic reminder of the antiquity of Chinese power and civilization. Marco Polo also portrays countries and cities all along the trade route from the Mediterranean to Mongolia. He reminds us that Iraq's present suffering is not unique by relating the story of the attack on Baghdad by Mongol forces in 1258. He conveys the daunting prospect of the deserts of central Asia and the distant charms of Yunnan. And he reminds us of the huge merchant ships dominating China's trade with foreign countries, ships that far outstripped their European counterparts. He even writes about Japan, the first European to do so.

His book was often thought of as a book of marvels, but one of its striking features to a contemporary reader is its clarity, realism and tolerance. As this new edition shows, he sometimes exaggerates, but his reputation for making things up is quite unfair, as Colin Thubron makes clear in his introduction.

The original manuscript of Marco Polo's book is lost, and in the many later versions names and other details have become so garbled that it has been said that his itineraries are impossible to follow. This new Everyman edition shows this need not be so. It explains clearly all the references in the book, and shows in detail with new maps the routes described from Venice to Beijing, from Beijing to Burma, and from Beijing to south-east China. It also provides an up-to-date history of the book and the controversies surrounding it.

Introduction by: Colin Thubron
Imprint: Everyman Hardcovers
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 212mm, Width: 136mm, Spine: 30mm
Weight: 568g
ISBN: 9781841593135
ISBN 10: 1841593133
Series: Everyman's Library CLASSICS
Pages: 600
Publication Date: 15 November 2008
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Peter Harris is Senior Fellow of the Asian Studies Institute at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He is the translator and editor of Zhou Daguan's 'A Record of Cambodia' and has edited Zen Poems in the Everyman's Library Pocket Poets series. Colin Thubron is the finest travel writer currently writing in English. His Behind the Wall (1988) won both the Hawthornden Prize and Thomas Cook Travel Book Award. His most recent book Shadow of the Silk Road (2006) is an account of his epic 7,000-mile journey revisiting the terrain of his Behind the Wall and The Lost Heart of Asia.

Reviews for Marco Polo Travels

'Packed with facts, attitude and some moments we'd all rather forget.' Jimmy Greaves * 'A fantastic look at every England team since 1966 - plus some great advice on taking penalties.' Matt Le Tissier

PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY

Marco Polo Travels

Colin Thubron

$32.99

Hardback

Reviews for Marco Polo Travels

See Also

Contact Abbeys

Contact Galaxy

Contact Language

Contact Us

About ABBEY'S