Author(s): John Man

History

The remarkable story of the world's most famous traveller -- Marco Polo -- and the moment when East met West for the first time. Marco Polo's journey from Venice, through Europe and most of Asia, to the court of Kublai Khan in China is one of the most audacious in history. His account of his experiences, known simply as The Travels, uncovered an entirely new world of emperors and concubines, great buildings -- "stately pleasure domes" in Coleridge's dreaming -- huge armies and imperial riches. His book shaped the West's understanding of China for centuries. Respected historian and travel writer John Man travelled in Marco's footsteps to Xanadu in search of the truth behind Marco's stories, to separate legend from fact. Drawing on his own journey, archaeology and archival study, he paints a vivid picture of the man behind the myth and the true story of the great court of Kublai Khan.