In Xanadu: A Quest
William Dalrymple (1989)

THE A5 BOOK REVIEW

In Xanadu is a highly acclaimed book about a summer trip taken by William Dalrymple, a 22 year old Cambridge University student and now famous travel writer, on a quest to trace the path of Marco Polo.  The book chronicles his trip of 12,000 miles, starting from the steps of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem across Asia to Xanadu, an ancient capital of Inner Mongolia and Kublai Khan’s summer palace.  The journey takes him through Israel, Iran, Pakistan and across the width of China, traveling first with Laura, a woman he met two weeks before in England and then later with Louisa, his ex-girlfriend.  It is a fiercely intelligent book, filled with hilarious, dead-panned stories about the travails of the trip interspersed with brilliant ties to the historical context of the route.  The best parts revolve around brilliantly observed interactions with the people he meets along the way.  In Xanadu is known as one of the best modern examples of travel writing, and one of our top recommendations.
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ABOUT WILLIAM DALRYMPLE

William Dalrymple is an accomplished writer, famous first for his travel books on trips through Asia and the Middle East, and later for several notable books on history.  He is a regular contributor to numerous magazines, a prominent broadcaster on TV and radio, and a co-founder of the Jaipur Literary Festival,  We recommend several of his books, including The Age of Kali and City of Djinns.

GREAT QUOTES:

“For two thousand years Jerusalem has brought out the least attractive qualities in every race that has lived there. The Holy City has had more atrocities committed in it, more consistently, than any other town in the world. Sacred to three religions, the city has witnessed the worst intolerance and self-righteousness of all...” 
- William Dalrymple, In Xanadu

"On another wall two monumental pictures of the Ayatollah were capped with the inscriptions in both Persian and English:  BEING HYGIENIC IS DIRECTLY RELATED ON THE MAN'S PERSONALITY and ALLAH COMMANDS THE RE-USE OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES.  We had expected anything of the Ayatollah.  But hardly that he would turn out to be an enthusiastic ecologist."
- William Dalrymple, In Xanadu, on signs on the wall on an Iranian bus station

INTERESTING LINKS:

  • ​Read a great recap by William Dalrymple 25 years after his journey, at The Spectator.
  • A great way to learn more about Xanadu itself is to check out the UNESCO website and their list of World Heritage locations.  UNESCO is the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization.  They manage a list of sites around the world that they believe reflects the world's cultural and natural diversity.  Click here to learn more about Xanadu and about UNESCO.
  • Those interested in Marco Polo himself should actually consider reading The Travels of Marco Polo, one of the first great travel narratives.
  • Dalrymple's book is one of our favorites in travel literature.  Click here to see the full list of our top recommendations.