Marco Polo (Abridged): From Venice to Xanadu Audiobook

" This really read like an extremely long high school report. "

" Interesting but not very well written... "

" This book was useful in preparation for my worldview essay and class sessions published in Omnibus V (forthcoming, August 2010). The book is marred by a fairly pervasive anti-Christian and anti-Western bias, which leads him to some strange conclusions (Marco Polo was a closet Buddhist); but if you can get beyond that, there's a lot of interesting background details. "

" Wanted more geography of the actual Silk Road and less about the Mongol Empire. The middle become a list of places -- not well written in the middle. The impact of foreign cultures and religions on Marco himself was interesting, tho speculative at times. "

" I knew almost nothing about this subject matter and Asia prior to reading this book. "

" This is just what I wanted, having read a translation of Marco's travels which I found a bit dry. Bergreen gives us a more comprehensive picture and considerable background, with additions about Marco's life and times before and after his long momentous journey. "

" Fascinating. Does not read like the dry, convoluted, academic drudgery of say an Antonia Fraser book. This is written with some verve and creativity, yet is crammed with accurate historical information that I feel I am properly absorbing. "

" Thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is easy reading, fascinating, almost like a flying carpet to shadow the great traveler, Marco Polo! "

" Finally finished this! Reading this book was so boring I kept stopping so it's been at least a year now since I started. The content of the book (Marco Polo's life) was interesting, but somehow the writing is poorly done and saps much of the excitement from the content during the delivery. "

" The adult version. Nice work - and now I can understand how Marco Polo actually carried out these travels and returned alive to tell the stories. Well worth the time to read as it enlightened me to Asian cultures and their ancient ways. "

" My Mongol fascination continues...This book is slightly less exciting than Weatherford's Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, but still a great read. "

" This is an amazing book! The writing can be a little plodding, otherwise it would be a five star. The story of Marco Polo is incredible, and what he discribed at the end of his travels was written down and is documented here... also with Marcos' biography woven in. "

" I found this book to be very interesting and informative. Having background knowledge of this time period and specifically of Marco Polo and his family helped tremendously in grasping the story. I recommend this book to anyone interested in history or Marco Polo. "

" I've known who Marco Polo was ever since I was an elementary school student, but I really couldn't say I knew anything specific about him or his travels. This book remedied my ignorance, but warning: some explicit descriptions of Mongol and Chinese traditions. "

" Certainly interesting; full of historical information. "

" I'd like to know if after reading this if there is much additional value to reading a translation of the Marco Polo book. The other recurring thought is to write a modern interstellar science fiction version of this. "

" It was ok - interesting but very repetitive. I checked it out of the SB library, and took it to Tanzania - it was due while I was there, so I just renewed it online at a hotel's internet room. What a world. "

" I found this book to be very interesting and informative. Having background knowledge of this time period and specifically of Marco Polo and his family helped tremendously in grasping the story. I recommend this book to anyone interested in history or Marco Polo. "

" The adult version. Nice work - and now I can understand how Marco Polo actually carried out these travels and returned alive to tell the stories. Well worth the time to read as it enlightened me to Asian cultures and their ancient ways. "

" It was a long and sometimes dry read, but in the end, I'm glad that I trucked through it. I enjoy watching people's reactions when I share some of the experiences and stories related in this book, like suffocating a man by means of filling his mouth with feces. "

" Packed full of interesting facts about the Mogul Khans and the empires they controlled. Fascinating! "

" So informative about a part of the world I know little about. Highly recommend. "

" new category of book is : waiting in line book -- this is falling asleep book tho "

" I've known who Marco Polo was ever since I was an elementary school student, but I really couldn't say I knew anything specific about him or his travels. This book remedied my ignorance, but warning: some explicit descriptions of Mongol and Chinese traditions. "

" Marco Polo is my favorite Venician. "