Marco Polo Book Review

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Title: “The Travels of Marco Polo”

Authors: Marco Polo and Ronald Edward Latham

Place of Publication: Middlesex

Publisher: Penguin Books

Year of Publication: 1958

Number of pages: 379

“The Travels of Marco Polo” by Marco Polo & Ronald Latham (1958) describes various experiences by great traveler Marco Polo. Ronald has well translated the book and has beautifully captured the events in a way that brings a complete picture to mind.

The book follows no particular storyline or rhythm but has various interesting events, cultures, traditions, skills & life style of native people, religious ceremonies, gems and animals of the East. He started his long expedition with a visit to China in 1271. There he served in the court of Kublai Khan for around 26 years which presented a complete different and detailed view of East. After that Marco Polo was captured as a war prisoner where he spends his time writing the book on his great travels accompanied by Rustichello in 1298 and ultimately his return to Venice after long time. Furthermore, this book described the defeat of Christians as they were weakened by the spreading of Islam and France had a cold, hostile situation. Mongols were spreading rapid in China and basically controlled most of the East and were described as captivating and attractive by the young author. They faced pirates, strange beasts, armed warriors, extreme temperature and barren lands, disease, uncertainty and hunger and so much more with bravery. This book would be interesting for people who love to travel around the world and have a passion to know about different places, people and their cultures.

This book was written by Marco Polo and later explained and translated by Ronald Latham. At the time when Marco Polo was born (1254), people from East and West were totally segregated and know nothing about what was going on at the other end. The...