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 Battuta's 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.