The adventures of Ibn Battuta, a Muslim traveler of the 14th century

Ross Dunn here recounts the great traveler's remarkable career, interpreting it within the cultural and social context of Islamic society and giving the reader both a biography of an extraordinary personality and a study of the hemispheric dimensions of human interchange in medieval times.

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LibraryThing member Stbalbach

Ibn Battuta was a 14th century Moroccan Islamic scholar who spent about 30 years traveling throughout the Islamic world and beyond. It is one of the great travel accounts of history easily comparable with Marco Polo. This book is a scholarly gloss of his account designed for the non-specialist -

there are many complications to his itinerary and a lot of historical background which are illuminated and explained by the author. Each chapter covers a particular region he traveled, with the first part of the chapter providing the historical background of the region, with the second half recounting Battuta's travels and experiences therein. Thus, not only does one get an overview of Battuta's travels, but a fairly good 14th century "world history". It is probably the most intimate and personal medieval story I have read giving interesting details about daily living that bring the era and people to life, while also providing a macro historical view of the time. The only thing better would be to read the actual book - but I think this contextual account and the primary source are both just as vital to understanding.

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LibraryThing member jcovington

An interesting look at the late medieval muslim world as seen through the eyes of one of that culture's great wanderer-merchants.

LibraryThing member lilinah

A dull and plodding digest of what was otherwise an exciting and eventful life.

LibraryThing member FriStar7406

I gave this book a 3 star due to the fact that the title is misconducting. Though a very well writing and entertaining book it is more of an account of the social background in which Ibn Battuta traveled and not truly his adventures. Throughout the book M. Dunn always starts with a little bit of

Ibn Battuta’s adventures then goes on the political, social or economical background of the time and area. Fantastic reading for somebody who is looking to learn more about social life in that period, but if you already know about it or you are looking for some adventures then you will find the book long and frustrating.
Consequently the title should read: Society and Muslim life thru Ibn Battuta’s travels. That would be a more accurate title.

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LibraryThing member lxydis

Rather dry. I'll wait for the historical fiction version of the tales of this fascinating traveler.

LibraryThing member DinadansFriend

Mr. Dunn has written a good book about the travels of the 14th Cent. traveller. The short historical sketches of the places IB visited are very helpful to the non-specialist. The maps, alas, are not plentiful and could have been a good deal more informative. He does raise the point that some areas

seem to have been very sketchily described in comparison to some of the other places visited. I offer that the actual transcriber only worked on editing the " Rihla" for a two year period,and then died. The transcriber states that IB had a vast amount of verbal reminiscences at his disposal. So, a transcriber in failing health may have "Scalped" materials rather than re-checked what the old man said. Or, the two never really got to that part of IB's career in great detail, and other later transcribers may have had to fill in the missing bits.
Fancifully, since IB records having had used opium as a part of a Malaria cure, perhaps the missing parts of his memories may have been shrouded in a drug induced haze anyway....just sayin.....
But, quibbles about what IB saw in person, and what he borrowed or made up, there is still a good many periods where IB is our only guide to what happened in parts of "Dar-al-Islam" in the 1300's.
So, a good book about another good book's author.

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