The Riddle and the Knight: In Search of Sir John Mandeville, the World's Greatest Traveler - Hardcover

Milton, Giles

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374249970 ISBN 13: 9780374249977

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001

Synopsis

Part travelogue/part historical mystery about the most famous traveler--and chronicler-- in medieval Europe.

Giles Milton's first book, The Riddle and the Knight, is a fascinating account of the legend of Sir John Mandeville, a long-forgotten knight who was once the most famous writer in medieval Europe. Mandeville wrote a book about his voyage around the world that became a beacon that lit the way for the great expeditions of the Renaissance, and his exploits and adventures provided inspiration for writers such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Keats. By the nineteenth century however, his claims were largely discredited by academics. Giles Milton set off in the footsteps of Mandeville, in order to test his amazing claims, and to restore Mandeville to his rightful place in the literature of exploration.
"Erudite, witty and adventurous" (The Mail on Sunday), The Riddle and the Knight is a brilliant piece of detective work.

About this title

About the Author

Giles Milton is the author of the critically acclaimed Nathaniel's Nutmeg, or, The True and Incredible Adventures of the Spice Trader Who Changed the Course of History (1999) and, most recently, Big Chief Elizabeth: The Adventures and Fate of the First English Colonists in America (2000). He lives in London.

Reviews

*Starred Review* After embarking on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1322, Sir John Mandeville did not return to his native England until 34 years later. Shortly after his astonishing arrival back home, he wrote the story of his fantastic journey eastward. Claiming to have visited India, China, Java, and Sumatra, he asserted that his travels proved that it was possible to sail around the world. The publication of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville caused a stir in the medieval world, significantly influenced several generations of intrepid Renaissance explorers, and inspired writers as diverse as Shakespeare, Swift, Defoe, and Coleridge. The most famous voyager of his day, Mandeville, who obviously embellished his exploits, was discounted and ridiculed by sober nineteenth-century scholars. In an ambitious attempt to unravel both the personal and the professional mystery of Sir John's life, Milton sets off to follow Mandeville's original route, immersing himself in the sights, sounds, and colors of the cities and cultures he documented, resulting in a delightful travelogue as well as a long-overdue resurrection of one of the most intriguing figures in the history of geographical exploration. Margaret Flanagan
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Edition details

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0374249970
• ISBN 13: 9780374249977
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240