In Xanadu
A Quest
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group · Print & ebook · September 18, 2012
William Dalrymple’s award-winning first book: his classic, fiercely intelligent and wonderfully entertaining account of his journey across Marco Polo’s 700-year-old route from Jerusalem to Xanadu, the summer palace of Kubla Khan.
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- Who it’s for
- A witty, learned journey along Marco Polo’s route, marked by forgotten roads and unexpected hospitality.
- Themes
- Travel across Asia, Marco Polo’s route, Historical places and traditions
- Genres
- Travel Writing, China Travel, Middle East Travel
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For younger readers: Traveling Man, Daughter of Xanadu, Who Was Marco Polo?
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Start with this bookAbout this book
William Dalrymple’s award-winning first book: his classic, fiercely intelligent and wonderfully entertaining account of his journey across Marco Polo’s 700-year-old route from Jerusalem to Xanadu, the summer palace of Kubla Khan. At the age of twenty-two, Dalrymple left his college in Cambridge to travel to the ruins of Kubla Khan’s stately pleasure dome in Xanadu.
Continue reading
As he and his companions travel across the width of Asia—crossing through Acre, Aleppo, Tabriz, Tashkurgan, and other mysterious and sometimes hellish places—they encounter dusty, forgotten roads, unexpected hospitality, and difficult challenges. Stylish, witty, and knowledgeable about everything from the dreaded order of Assassins to the hidden origins of the Three Magi, this is travel writing at its best.
Roads and Revelations
A witty, learned journey along Marco Polo’s route, marked by forgotten roads and unexpected hospitality.
Come here for
- A young traveler’s quest toward Xanadu
- Witty travel writing with historical curiosity
Expect
- Dusty roads, hard crossings, and generous strangers
- Journey, history, and sharp observation
Where it sits
| Travel Writing | 67% |
|---|---|
| China Travel | 31% |
| Middle East Travel | 21% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Chinese History
- China Travel
- Travel Writing
- Authors
- William Dalrymple
- Publisher
- Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
- Published
- September 18, 2012
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Travel across Asia · Marco Polo’s route · Historical places and traditions
- Reading lane
- Chinese History