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.The Travels of Ibn Battutah

by: Ibn Battutah

June 06, 2003
Ibn Battuta was a medieval traveller from modern day Morocco. He was a Qadi (judge) who travelled, lived and worked in large swathes of the ancient world ranging from China, India, Ceylon, Sub Saharan Africa, and the Middle East! A feat one wonders if ever has been repeated.

The book is an autobiography written in the first person that details and describes his extensive travels in the form of a journal, dictated in the first person. The book gives an incite of the Islamic culture, customs and habits, as well as his perception (from the prospect of a Medieval Muslim) of his interactions and private thoughts with and of other cultures, be it Christendom, China, or even different Muslim regions.

I found that it opened ... Read More:
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.The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (Penguin Classics)

by: Sir John Mandeville

March 31, 2005
I cannot hide my bias about this book; it is my absolute favourite. One of the major differences between ourselves and the Medieval World was the notion of the East and the concept of otherness. The World Sir John Mandeville chronicled was the World we see on antique maps, there is scant regard for topographical accuracy but a wonderful mixture of beasts and monsters. There is controversy as to whether this 'Knight' ever ventured anywhere, some even believe that the name itself is made up. All these issues add to the mystery and sense of adventure in what must be one of the World's first travel books.
In our 'Age of Reason' we try to explain everything using rational methods and scientific experiment, this book succeeds in ... Read More:
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.The Four Voyages of Christopher Columbus (Classics)

by: Christopher Columbus

November 28, 2005
Very revealing texts, mainly drawn from the biographies written by his son and by a Spanish Court historian after his death, as well as Columbus's surviving documents. The biographies based much on primary documents which are now lost. Despite Columbus's continuous declared goals of spreading Christianity and Spanish glory, the lust for gold comes through on every page. The translator JM Cohen does feel the need at one point to draw in a less 'official' source to show explicitly how native women were treated by Columbus's men with his clear blessing. Some of the most memorable passages relate to the practices of the Carib cannibals, which I hesitate to repeat in polite company. The collection conveys clearly why historians continue to find Columbus ... Read More:
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.Travels with a Tangerine: A Journey in the Footnotes of Ibn Battutah

by: Tim Mackintosh-Smith

June 07, 2002
This is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read. Not just in terms of the fact that its very well written. It is funny, I had to put it down in the metro as people were starring at me as I was laughing so much, it's informative and it really does carry you along on the authors journey.

It has rekindled a desire to explore the arabic world described at the start of IBs journey as well.
A brilliant book, buy it!!
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.The History and Topography of Ireland (Classics)

by: Gerald of Wales

September 30, 1982
This is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read. Not just in terms of the fact that its very well written. It is funny, I had to put it down in the metro as people were starring at me as I was laughing so much, it's informative and it really does carry you along on the authors journey.

It has rekindled a desire to explore the arabic world described at the start of IBs journey as well.
A brilliant book, buy it!!
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.Three Early Modern Utopias: Sir Thomas More's "Utopia", Francis Bacon's "New Atlantis", Henry Neville's "Isle of Pines" (Oxford World's Classics)

by: Thomas More, Francis Bacon, Henry Neville

November 04, 1999
This is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read. Not just in terms of the fact that its very well written. It is funny, I had to put it down in the metro as people were starring at me as I was laughing so much, it's informative and it really does carry you along on the authors journey.

It has rekindled a desire to explore the arabic world described at the start of IBs journey as well.
A brilliant book, buy it!!
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.Travels in the Land of Kubilai Khan (Penguin Great Ideas)

by: Marco Polo

August 25, 2005
This is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read. Not just in terms of the fact that its very well written. It is funny, I had to put it down in the metro as people were starring at me as I was laughing so much, it's informative and it really does carry you along on the authors journey.

It has rekindled a desire to explore the arabic world described at the start of IBs journey as well.
A brilliant book, buy it!!
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.The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the Fourteenth Century

by: Ross E. Dunn

July 01, 1992
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even more than reading Marco Polo. Battuta logged over 70,000 miles, some of it through dangerous regions, and as far as from Morocco to China and back. Travel that far was an astonishing feat for that period. It offers very interesting insights into the Muslim world of the 14th century. The author also attempts to paint a realistic picture of Battuta as a man of his times. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of Battuta's pilgrimage to Mecca and his experiences in India. One thing I think some Western readers might also gain from this book is a greater appreciation and understanding of the Muslim world in general and the Arab world in particular.
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.Shadow of the Silk Road

by: Colin Thubron

October 04, 2007
The London based author, Colin Thubron, travelled through China, Central Asia, northern Afghanistan, Western Asia, and reached the capital of Silk Road, Antakya (Anoioch) in 8 months. He travelled with donkey, camels, third-class trains, buses, and jeep.

He describes an abundance of fascinating accounts in relation to those countries' history, politics, commerce, industry, and the history of the Silk Road. Having visited many relatively unknown parts of these countries and discovered a series of the factual events, he conveys a number of untold stories of kings, aristocrats, and landowners. The descriptions include the dramatic change of Xian between the beginning of the 1980s and 2000, a number of half-constructed or largely decayed villages, ... Read More:
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.Marco Polo and the Discovery of the World (Yale Nota Bene)

by: J Larner

April 10, 2001
The London based author, Colin Thubron, travelled through China, Central Asia, northern Afghanistan, Western Asia, and reached the capital of Silk Road, Antakya (Anoioch) in 8 months. He travelled with donkey, camels, third-class trains, buses, and jeep.

He describes an abundance of fascinating accounts in relation to those countries' history, politics, commerce, industry, and the history of the Silk Road. Having visited many relatively unknown parts of these countries and discovered a series of the factual events, he conveys a number of untold stories of kings, aristocrats, and landowners. The descriptions include the dramatic change of Xian between the beginning of the 1980s and 2000, a number of half-constructed or largely decayed villages, ... Read More:
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Used Price: £4.73