Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #497683 in Books
• Published on: 1992-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 370 pages

Review
"Professor Dunn's book is based on Ibn Battuta's own writings. . . . and provides a commentary on the society and places which he visited, making admirable use of the great increase of our knowledge over the last generation. The result is fascinating."--Taya Zinkin, "Asian Affairs

Synopsis
Details the life and extensive travels of Ibn Battuta, an Islamic scholar of the fourteenth century, interpreting his career as a diplomatic envoy within the cultural and social context of Islamic society.

Customer Reviews

Even more interesting than Marco Polo's Travels
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even more than reading Marco Polo. Battuta logged over 70,000 miles, some of it through dangerous regions, and as far as from Morocco to China and back. Travel that far was an astonishing feat for that period. It offers very interesting insights into the Muslim world of the 14th century. The author also attempts to paint a realistic picture of Battuta as a man of his times. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of Battuta's pilgrimage to Mecca and his experiences in India. One thing I think some Western readers might also gain from this book is a greater appreciation and understanding of the Muslim world in general and the Arab world in particular.

essential history and geography of the muslim world
This is a very detailed and well written account of the travels, very well researched and referenced. It gives a sketch of what is known of the political religious and cultural background of all the lands Ibn Battuta travelled through from the times of the travels and makes a very cogent attempt to sort out the sequence. It has good maps. It gives a vivid picture of the people and the times. My only disappointment is the limited number of quotations from the Rihla. If you are backpacking anywhere between Nigeria and Mongolia this book will earn you lots of free meals and good contacts. Anyone got a modern tranlation of the Rihla (cheap) please?

The author has done excellent research. It is a good book!
Excellent research by the author. My compliments. I learned a lot on the issues of those days. The events described in Ibn Battuta's My Rihla are carefully compared and analyzed with other documents from that time. I learned a lot about the man Ibn Battuta, and I must say I was a bit disappointed. He was not really a very nice man. The author shows why Ibn Battuta did the things he did. One thing is for sure: Ibn Battuta was a great traveller.

If you are interested in Ibn Battuta, or the time he lived in then this is a must read.