The Travels of Ibn Battuta (Travel + Exploration)

He journeyed farther than his near contemporary Marco Polo though Muslim scholar Ibn Battuta (1304-c. 1377) is barely remembered at all compared to that legendary traveler. But Battutas story is just as fascinating as this 1829 translation of his diaries by British Orientalist REV. SAMUEL LEE (1783 -1852) demonstrates. Embarking upon what would eventually be a 27-year pilgrimage Battuta traveled through East Africa the Middle East India China and beyond bringing him to most of the 14th-century Islamic world. Rife with beautiful descriptions of the exotic peoples he met and landscapes he saw this little--known classic of medieval literature will enthrall scholars of Islamic history and armchair travelers alike.