Marco Polo : the journey that changed the world

Title:

Author:

Man, John, 1941-

ISBN:

9780062375070

Personal Author:

Man, John, 1941-

Uniform Title:

Xanadu

Edition:

First US edition.

Publication Information:

New York, NY : William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2014]

Physical Description:

395 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : color illustrations, maps, plans ; 21 cm

General Note:

"Source for the Netflix original series"--Cover.

"Originally published in the UK by Transworld Publishers under the title Xanadu"--Title-page verso.

Contents:

Of truth, told and hidden -- When worlds collide -- Across the heart of Asia -- Into China -- Approaching the Khan -- Arrival in Xanadu -- The Pleasure Dome -- From Xanadu to Beijing -- Kublai's new "Great capital" -- The display of power, the power of display -- A rough guide to the Manzi -- Marco and the women -- Leaving a tattered empire -- Homeward bound -- The making of the book -- Marco and the New World -- The last work.

Abstract:

Draws on the author's own parallel journey and new evidence to retraces the steps of the medieval Italian merchant who traveled from Venice, through the Middle East and Central Asia, to China and Xanadu, the summer capital of Kublai Khan.

Personal Subject:

Polo, Marco, 1254-1323?

Kublai Khan, 1216-1294.

Subject Term:

Explorers -- Italy -- Biography.

Mongols -- History.

Voyages and travels.

Geographic Term:

China -- Description and travel.

China -- Kings and rulers.

Asia -- Description and travel.

Asia -- History.

Document ID:

SD_ILS:2189497

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Library	Collection	Collection	Call Number	Status
Searching... Beale Memorial Library (Kern Co.)	Searching... Unknown	Adult Non-Fiction	915.0422 MAN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Clovis Branch Library (Fresno Co.)	Searching... Unknown	Non-fiction Area	915.0422 MAN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Visalia Library (Tulare Co.)	Searching... Unknown	Non-Fiction Area	915.0422 MAN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Woodward Park Library (Fresno Co.)	Searching... Unknown	Non-fiction Area	915.0422 MAN	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

"I have read everything written on Marco Polo, and John Man's book is, by far, my favorite work on the subject. It's not only an over-due and important historical study, it's an entertaining ride every step of the way." -- John Fusco, Creator of the Netflix original series Marco Polo

The true history behind the Netflix original series Marco Polo, here is the remarkable story of the world's most famous traveler, retracing his legendary journey from Venice to China, the moment East first met West.

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 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.

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Review

British historian Man (Samurai: A History, 2014, etc.) chronicles his journey to Asia where Marco Polo first led the Western traveler. The book was first published in the U.K. in 2009 as Xanadu.Interest in Polo's 13th-century travel account seemingly never wanes, as more knowledge is gained about the Mongol Empire in particular. The author has sifted through Polo's fanciful taleghosted by his fellow inmate in the Genoa prison, romance author Rustichello da Pisaseparating fairy-tale self-aggrandizement from truth. Moreover, Man has trekked across China in pursuit of the site of Kublai Khan's legendary "upper capital" and summer palace, Shangdu ("Xanadu" in English, thanks to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's dreamy poem), where Polo would have stayed. Man even reconstructed the "Pleasure Dome," virtually and in painstaking description. Marco's 17-year stay at the court of the khan was preceded by a first visit by his father and uncle, and the khan greeted them rapturously, eager to learn about Europe and Christianity (he tolerated the Nestorians, as well as Buddhists and Daoists). Marco was 17 when he made the three-and-a-half-year trip back to Xanadu with his relatives, through eastern Turkey, Armenia, Iraq and into Persia, a route carefully plotted by Man (with useful maps). Polo's observations are compelling, but his omissions are intriguing, and Man rushes to fill them with accounts of his own travels with a guide across the Asian steppes and desert. Polo's admiration for Kublai Khan is remarkable. He was amazed by the beauty of the women and paper money, yet he did not mention foot binding or the Great Wall and lied about providing the engineering prowess for the catapult necessary to break the siege of Xiangyang in 1273. Marvelous tales that first inspired the Western traveler to see and learn more. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Library Journal Review

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 © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.