The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, concerning the kingdoms and marvels o…


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(4.4 stars; 58 reviews)

"Books of the Marvels of the World" or "Description of the World" (Divisament dou monde), also nicknamed "Il Milione" ("The Million") or "Oriente Poliano", but commonly called "The Travels of Marco Polo", is a 13th-century travelogue written down by Rustichello da Pisa from stories told by Marco Polo, describing the travels of the latter through Asia, Persia, China, and Indonesia between 1271 and 1291.It's been a very famous and popular book since the 14th century, creating the image of Marco Polo as the icon of the bold traveller. Presenting Marco Polo as an important figure at the court of the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, the book was written in Old French by Rustichello da Pisa, a romance author of the time, who was reportedly working from accounts which he had heard from Marco Polo when they were imprisoned in Genoa, having been captured while on a ship.

This audiobook in two volumes uses the 1903 third edition of Sir Henry Yule's translation, revised by Henri Cordier. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia by Leni) (9 hr 55 min)

Chapters

01 - Introductory Notices, part 1: Obscurities in the history of his life and … 22:45 Read by Leni
02 - Introductory Notices, part 2: Sketch of the state of the east at the time … 10:05 Read by Leni
03 - Introductory Notices, part 3: The Polo family. Personal history of the tra… 21:04 Read by Leni
04 - Introductory Notices, part 4: Digression concerning the mansion of the Pol… 9:14 Read by Leni
05 - Introductory Notices, part 5: Digression concerning the war-galleys of the… 15:10 Read by Jacob Paul Starr
06 - Introductory Notices, part 6: The jealousies and naval wars of Venice and … 21:00 Read by ToddHW
07 - Introductory Notices, part 7: Rusticiano or Rustichello of Pisa, Marco Pol… 20:32 Read by Anna Simon
08 - Introductory Notices, part 8: Notices of Marco Polo's history after the te… 29:40 Read by Leni
09 - Introductory Notices, part 9: Marco Polo's book; and the language in which… 21:31 Read by TriciaG
10 - Introductory Notices, part 10: Various types of text of Marco Polo's book. 26:35 Read by TriciaG
11 - Introductory Notices, part 11: Some estimate of the character of Polo and … 20:20 Read by Anna Simon
12 - Introductory Notices, part 12: Contemporary recognition of Polo and his bo… 30:17 Read by Anna Simon
13 - Introductory Notices, part 13: Nature of Polo's influence on geographical … 20:23 Read by ToddHW
14 - Introductory Notices, part 14: Explanations regarding the basis adopted fo… 6:59 Read by TriciaG
15 - Prologue, part 1: Chapters 1 and 2. How the two brothers Polo set forth fr… 5:39 Read by TriciaG
16 - Prologue, part 2: Chapters 3 to 9. How the two brothers, after crossing a … 8:49 Read by TriciaG
17 - Prologue, part 3: Chapters 10 to 15. How the two brothers again departed f… 8:53 Read by TriciaG
18 - Prologue, part 4: Chapters 16 to 18. How Mark returned from the mission wh… 11:16 Read by TriciaG
19 - Book First, Chapters 1 to 4. Here the book begins; and first it speaks of … 12:26 Read by Dewaldo
20 - Book First, Chapters 5 to 10. Of the kingdom of Mausul. Of the great city … 16:36 Read by Alan Mapstone
21 - Book First, Chapters 11 to 15. Of the noble city of Tauris. Of the monaste… 11:42 Read by Lynne T
22 - Book First, Chapters 16 to 18. Concerning the great city of Yasdi. Concern… 9:37 Read by Lynne T
23 - Book First, Chapters 19 to 22. Of the descent to the city of Hormos. Of th… 12:34 Read by Lynne T
24 - Book First, Chapters 23 to 25. Concerning the Old Man of the Mountain. How… 6:48 Read by Stephen Gibbons
25 - Book First, Chapters 26 to 29. Concerning the city of Sapurgan. Of the cit… 11:00 Read by Stephen Gibbons
26 - Book First, Chapters 30 to 32. Of the province of Pashai. Of the province … 7:06 Read by Stephen Gibbons
27 - Book First, Chapters 33 to 39. Of the kingdom of Cascar. Of the great city… 13:28 Read by Alan Mapstone
28 - Book First, Chapters 40 to 44. Concerning the great province of Tangut. Of… 15:06 Read by Lynne T
29 - Book First, Chapters 45 to 51. Of the city of Etzina. Of the city of Cara… 16:17 Read by Alan Mapstone
30 - Book First, Chapters 52 to 54. Concerning the customs of the Tartars. Conc… 11:13 Read by Anna Simon
31 - Book First, Chapters 55 to 58. Concerning the administering of justice amo… 11:23 Read by Lynne T
32 - Book First, Chapters 59 to 61. Concerning the province of Tenduc, and the … 15:09 Read by Anna Roberts
33 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 1 to 4. Of Kublay Kaan, the great Kaan now r… 11:31 Read by Anna Simon
34 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 5 to 7. How the great Kaan caused Nayan to b… 8:15 Read by Anna Simon
35 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 8 to 10. Concerning the person of the great … 13:07 Read by Anna Simon
36 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 11 to 14. Concerning the city of Cambaluc. … 12:46 Read by Anna Simon
37 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 15 to 18. Of the great festival which the Ka… 9:59 Read by Anna Simon
38 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 19 to 22. Concerning the two brothers who ha… 18:25 Read by Anna Simon
39 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 23 to 24. Concerning the oppressions of Achm… 16:52 Read by Lynne T
40 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 25 to 28. Concerning the twelve barons who a… 11:16 Read by Anna Roberts
41 - Book Second, Part 1, Chapters 29 to 34. Concerning the rice-wine drunk by … 12:33 Read by Anna Simon

Reviews

A wonderful story


(5 stars)

A wonderful story, well read by several volunteers. The many introduction sections are well worth listening to, as they have fascinating insights from translators and scholars of this work through the ages..

Very interesting read!


(4 stars)

I've always wanted to read this book but never got round to it until discovering it on Librivox. Thanks to the dedicated team of readers for making this astonishing work available!

Very interesting


(5 stars)

This felt right with multiple readers. Not well written prose for a history book but a very interesting travelogue trying to explain a new culture.

Great stuff!


(5 stars)

Wonderful reading. Thanks guys! Tricia G is my heroine. I love her reading style. It's unique and so relaxing and clear. Fabulous book!

excellent "anthropology" of Tartar customs & stories, et al


(5 stars)

pleasant read


(5 stars)

quaint interesting narrative, reasonably well-read throughout.