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A review by mediaevalmuse
The Travels Marco Polo by Marco Polo
3.0
I picked up this travel narrative in part because I’ve had it on my list for a while, but also because I’ve been reading more non-English texts from the middle ages. Part of my rating might be biased in that I’m not the biggest fan of travel narratives as a genre, but then again, part of it is also criticizing the edition I read, mainly regarding the lack of supplementary materials.
Things I Liked
1. Middle Ages Beyond Europe: Although Marco Polo’s narrative is the work of a European man, it does offer a look at a European perspective of the East. Some of it is surprisingly “tolerant” and admirable - Polo misses no opportunity to praise Kublai Khan, despite the fact that Kublai is not a Christian. There are moments, however, when the narrative seems to be somewhat fictional or biased; but overall, it’s always beneficial to read a text about Europe’s interactions with the East, even if only to get a sense of what they thought of non-European countries and populations.
2. Side Stories: I love how this text offers little in-set narratives: an account of a miracle here, some aside about customs or histories there. These stories make the work as a whole feel less like a textbook or catalog of geographical areas and more like a work to be enjoyed from time to time.
3. Supplementary Materials: Some of the supplementary materials contained in this edition are great. I particularly appreciated the genealogies, maps, and index to help me locate specific persons, places, or things (like animals, products, etc). The introduction also contains a streamlined narrative of historical events, which is useful if a reader is coming at this text from a historical perspective.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Supplementary Materials: Despite the helpfulness of some of the materials, I kind of wish there was more to them, particularly with respect to manuscript culture, a broad overview of the travel narrative genre, etc. Some of these things, I admit, may be embedded in the intro, but there are so few headings and divisions that I can’t find information very easily.
2. Value as a Reading Text: Travel narratives are less useful as a text for reading for fun and more useful as a reference (unless, of course, you’re reading the little narrative asides). As a result, one should remember that this volume isn’t meant to thrill and excite, as narratives and fictions do, but it’s use if more suited to reference or seeing what medieval Europe thought of/knew about the East.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you're a fan of medieval travel narratives and/or you are interested in medieval European perspectives on the East.
Things I Liked
1. Middle Ages Beyond Europe: Although Marco Polo’s narrative is the work of a European man, it does offer a look at a European perspective of the East. Some of it is surprisingly “tolerant” and admirable - Polo misses no opportunity to praise Kublai Khan, despite the fact that Kublai is not a Christian. There are moments, however, when the narrative seems to be somewhat fictional or biased; but overall, it’s always beneficial to read a text about Europe’s interactions with the East, even if only to get a sense of what they thought of non-European countries and populations.
2. Side Stories: I love how this text offers little in-set narratives: an account of a miracle here, some aside about customs or histories there. These stories make the work as a whole feel less like a textbook or catalog of geographical areas and more like a work to be enjoyed from time to time.
3. Supplementary Materials: Some of the supplementary materials contained in this edition are great. I particularly appreciated the genealogies, maps, and index to help me locate specific persons, places, or things (like animals, products, etc). The introduction also contains a streamlined narrative of historical events, which is useful if a reader is coming at this text from a historical perspective.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Supplementary Materials: Despite the helpfulness of some of the materials, I kind of wish there was more to them, particularly with respect to manuscript culture, a broad overview of the travel narrative genre, etc. Some of these things, I admit, may be embedded in the intro, but there are so few headings and divisions that I can’t find information very easily.
2. Value as a Reading Text: Travel narratives are less useful as a text for reading for fun and more useful as a reference (unless, of course, you’re reading the little narrative asides). As a result, one should remember that this volume isn’t meant to thrill and excite, as narratives and fictions do, but it’s use if more suited to reference or seeing what medieval Europe thought of/knew about the East.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you're a fan of medieval travel narratives and/or you are interested in medieval European perspectives on the East.