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THE A5 BOOK REVIEWOne of the oldest and most important books iin the history of travel literature is The Travels of Marco Polo, a 13th century travelogue describing the legendary Venetian trader’s many voyages around the world. This book had a powerful legacy for future explorers, apparently helping inspire Christopher Columbus’ decision to travel westward to try to find a new route to Asia. The original author was Rustichello da Pisa, who wrote down these stories when imprisoned with Marco Polo in Genoa. There are four total books; one recounting Polo's travels in the Middle East and Central Asia, one on China and his experiences in the court of Kublai Khan, one covering Japan, India and other regions in Southeast Asia, and one describing wars among the Mongols and Russia. The book was created before the invention of printing, and subsequently only about 150 copies in various languages are known to still exist.
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A5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE WHO LIKED THIS BOOK
In Xanadu is a wonderful travelogue by William Dalrymple, who in 1989 as a college student retraces the steps of Marco Polo. This book is one of our top recommendations. Those who like the stories of legendary explorers might also like Homer's The Odyssey or the outstanding book recapping the travels of Captain James Cook. Marco Polo Didn't Go There doesn't really have anything to do with Marco Polo exactly, but it is a good collection of travel writing from Rolf Potts.