In Xanadu: A Quest

This is quite simply an enchanting book and for two interconnected reasons. The first and most striking reason is that Dalrymple manages to capture and convey the shear sense of wonder and excitement that comes from traveling across the world when young. So young, in fact, that I kept having to remind myself that he was only 22 when he wrote it.If that were its only noteworthy aspect the book would be just one of many other worthy works of travel and exploration. What makes Dalrymple's book so compelling is his extensive grasp of the history and culture of the lands through which he traveled. I like to think that I have read a little of the literature relevant to the countries he passed through but time and again I was brought up short by some tale of a character, event or place of which I had never heard but that had caught Dalrymple's imagination and whose story he wished to share. He proved to be a teller of tales every bit as adept and entrancing as Scheherazade.The premise of the book is that after graduating Dalrymple wanted to re-trace the footsteps of Marco Polo from Jerusalem across Asia Minor and deep into the heart of Asia in search of the legendary Xanadu. To do this he had to pass through Israel, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and China, visiting some of the most important and memorable sites of antiquity on the way. He made his journey in the late 80s meaning that his journey, although maybe not as perilous or difficult, was a worthy successor to Marco Polo's epic voyage.Since reading In Xanadu I have gone on to read several other books by Dalrymple and while his mature style is a little more settled and refined I look back on this first journey I shared with him with a special fondness for its marvelous exuberance and sense of the infinite possibility of youth.

In Xanadu is a fascinating, very, very interesting, and very, very funny book! I loved it! Dalrymple is a terrific writer and in this book he is a very brave young man. And he has two very brave young women as traveling companions. Read it and enjoy it and be glad you never have to make a trip like this.

Interesting very "English" book by a great author. Must read in the style of the Old Patagonian Express

Maybe he has come to his senses now, after all he was only 22 when he embarked on this historical journey following the footsteps of Marco Polo. This journey was crazy, with literally no budget, not much planning, not knowing where they will even spend the night or how they will get to their next stop. He was accompanied by two female companions Laura (from Jerusalem to Lahore) and Louisa (from Lahore to Xanadu) who were also equally crazy. However, thanks to them we get a highly entertaining and informative book about the regions and countries they traveled through. They mostly slept in run down cheap hotels with appalling conditions, hitch-hiked for the most part and ate street food. The only two stops where they encountered some luxury was a week-long stay at Dalrymple's friend's mansion in Lahore, where he switched companions and a State Guest House near the Indus River along Karakorum Highway Pakistan where they twisted the truth to get in. Other than those two locations, you mostly feel sorry for these poor travelers and are thoroughly entertained during the whole process. I think they should do an encore journey (from 1986 to present day), that book would probably be less entertaining but still informative.

The writer is a Scotsman, a student at Cambridge, who undertakes to follow Marco Polo's route to Xanadu. Polo did it in the year 1271, Dalrymple does it in 1989. Observant, detailed, interesting---customs, and oh the people and the noise! Excellent writing style, essentially a travel book BUT a travel book par excellence!

Interesting book from a young person setting out on an adventure through the fantasy worlds of western antiquity. Reading it some 30 years later it does provide a glimpse of a world not yet fully globalized. Dalrymple's conspicuous presentation of his knowledge of the European perspective ranges from interesting to overbearing, but might be fun for others who have read those histories as well. One of the most interesting things about this book is getting a glimpse of how a young, Oxford and establishment-educated Briton sees the world outside of Britain and how he interacts with so many "savages" (as he might call them) or former subjects of the empire. He seems very concerned with being among "the first europeans" in 100, 200, or however many years to visit many sites. Don't expect too much cultural insight in here though.

A great combination of history, adventure and humor. Well written, entertaining and informative. I recommend the Kindle version because I needed to look up about one word every two pages.

I quite enjoyed this, the second of Dalymple's books I've read. It suffered a bit from comparison with From the Holy Mountain, the work of a more mature, observant, but no less intrepid writer. I also found myself shocked by a passage that seemed to embody the attitude of a 19th century British missionary: "The village was poorer than any we had seen in Persia, but to European eyes it was infintely preferable. The faces of the men were craggy and rugged, and had none of the effeminacy of the Persians. There was a restrained dignity in their bearing. They regarded us with only casual curiosity and with none of the self-demeaning humility of most Indians." Ugh...