Marco Polo: The Journey That Changed the World

by John Man Narrated by Simon Vance

Overview

In 1271, a young Italian merchant named Marco Polo embarked on a groundbreaking expedition from Venice, through the Middle East and Central Asia to China. His extraordinary reports of his experiences introduced medieval Europe to an exotic new world of emperors and concubines, amazing cities, huge armies, unusual spices and cuisine, and imperial riches. Marco Polo also revealed the wonders of Xanadu, the summer capital of Mongol emperor Kublai Khan.




Almost 750 years later, acclaimed author John Man traveled in Marco Polo's footsteps to Xanadu and then on to Beijing and through modern China in search of the history behind the legend. In this enthralling chronicle, Man draws on his own journey, new archaeological findings, and deep archival study to paint a vivid picture of Marco Polo and the great court of Kublai Khan.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"An enjoyable read." ---Library Journal Starred Review

From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY

"An enjoyable read." —Library Journal Starred Review

Library Journal - Audio

★ 10/01/2015
Man's (Kublai Khan) latest provides a thorough review of Marco Polo's relationship with the great Kublai Khan and the explorer's truthful statements and clear embellishments. Listeners will feel as though they are walking through China and Mongolia in the past and in the present as Man describes what it actually looked like (using archaeological evidence and Polo's descriptions) and what it looks like now (based on the author's own journeys). The author often discusses his experiences in the region and includes "but, wait" statements and questions that invite listeners to think more deeply about the events and people being discussed. Simon Vance's narration is excellent, and his pronunciation of names and other words in Chinese and Mongol is impressive. VERDICT Fans of East Asian history (Mongolian and Chinese history in particular), European history, and Marco Polo—particularly those who liked the Netflix series based on this work—will love this audiobook. ["An enjoyable read that is recommended for anyone with a general interest in the subject": LJ 11/1/14 starred review of the Morrow hc.]—Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI

MAY 2015 - AudioFile

This first-person account of retracing the travels of Marco Polo works well in audio, and Simon Vance is a capable and engaging narrator. But the complicated geography almost requires listeners to have a detailed atlas in front of them to tell exactly where places are. Many of the town names, whether ancient or modern, are little known to most Westerners. Author Man adopts an almost lyrical tone in some of the landscape descriptions, and Vance captures the emotion nicely. The author integrates history and Polo’s accounts into his travelogue, and Vance makes them easy for listeners to follow. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170722952
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	05/05/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged

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