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In Xanadu

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In Xanadu

By: William Dalrymple
Narrated by: Michael Maloney
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Here is William Dalrymple's highly praised and greatly entertaining account of his 1986 trip made while a student at Cambridge, which retraced Marco Polo's route across land from The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to Xanadu. With him, he took a phial of Holy Oil, 600 pounds and Laura until Lahore, and Louisa from there to Xanadu. Taken on a multitude of types of transport and lasting four months, the journey takes him across Israel, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and finally China.
Read by Michael Maloney.

©2000 Canongate Books Ltd Asia Travel Writing & Commentary Middle East Middle Ages Iran
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I enjoy back packing around the world. As with The Great Railway Bazaar, this is written early in the travel writers career. The experience is much easier to relate to. Later works by both authors tend to focus more on issues or subjects rather than the experiences and encounters. Any that do occur feel more forced than in the initial journeys that made their names. Yes, they are very privileged and tends to open doors by alluding to the diplomatic incidents and behaving like an obnoxious relic of the Empire but that’s how some people behaved. It definitely wouldn’t wash now, it is surprising and interesting that it did then.

Fab!

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Loved every minute of it. Shred the pain, tasted the food, shared the companionship and felt the frustration. A great piece of writing that allows you to share in the "spirit" of the journey. Read with infectious enthusiasm. Hope to find more from this writer this narrator.

Join the pilgrimage without leaving home!

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fabulous historical storytelling. unfortunately the narrator spoke super quickly! however the performance was otherwise enthralling

wonderful book

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I love the turn of phrase the author uses and the whole premise for the quest is riveting. I actually really liked the quick step employed to move the journey on, it felt like a nice balance of interactions to get the flavour of the location along with an entertaining dose of introspection and revealed charisma from the protagonist.
Looking forward to reading of listening to more from the author, and I can see myself searching out this narrators other work too because it came across as ingenious at times and added an unexpected dimension.

Awesome writing, exquisite narration

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i did enjoy this…. Michael Maloney’s reading superbe.. he seemed to be speaking in some places a little too fast.. would greatly appreciate a lap of the journey..
well done, gently pointing out some unsavoury facts.. child slave labour. people civilised on one level and then not.. much sublime references..i will buy the book too.🙏⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

great story, great narration

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