" A timeless addition to any travel collection."
-- Library Journal

Chosen as one of the ten best adventure books of all time by National Geographic Adventure.

The Travels of Marco Polo is the usual English title of Marco Polo's travel book, Il Milione (The Milione, short for Polo family's nickname Emilione). The book is his account of his travels to China, which he calls Cathay (north China) and Manji (south China). Polo dictated the book to a romance writer, Rustichello da Pisa, while in prison in Genoa between 1298-1299.

The Travels was a rare popular success in an era before printing. It was translated into many European languages within Marco Polo's lifetime, but the original manuscripts are now lost. (From Wikipedia)

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Download Project Gutenberg's texts of The Travels of Marco Polo

Review: Marco Polo and His Travels

Polo, Marco, 1254-1324 (Gutenberg Texts):

• Wikipedia
• The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 (English)
• The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 2 (English) 

The Travels is divided into four books. Book One describes the lands of the Middle East and Central Asia that Marco encountered on his way to China. Book Two describes China and the court of Kublai Khan. Book Three describes some of the coastal regions of the East: Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and the east coast of Africa. Finally, Book Four describes some of the recent wars among the Mongols and some of the regions of the far north, like Russia. 

Marco Polo, Adventurer / Explorer:

• Born: 1254 (?)
• Birthplace: Venice, Italy
• Died: 1324 (?) (natural causes)
• Best Known As: The exotic traveler who "discovered" the Orient

As a teenager Marco Polo traveled to China (then known as Cathay) with his father and uncle. The trio spent 20 years at the court of Kublai Khan -- this at a time when few Europeans had visited that country. After his return to Venice Polo collected the stories of his travels into a book, Il Milione (also known as The Travels of Marco Polo), which was widely read and is the basis of his fame. Polo is now remembered as the man who introduced Europeans to the Orient, and his name is synonymous with exotic travel. Some historians have claimed that Polo made the whole story up, but this has never been proved.

According to legend, Polo introduced pasta to Italy. (From answers.com)

FOUR GOOD LINKS

• Marco Polo and His Travels
  Good lengthy introduction to the Polo story
• Marko Polo and Korcula
  Wordy life history from a Polo-friendly town
• Marco Polo, The Stuff of Dreams
  Great info from the Korean History Project
• Facts About Pasta
  Marco gets a clarifying shout-out in this history from I Love Pasta

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