Review of "Marco Polo and the Silk Road"

   For a child in the great city of Venice in the thirteenth century, there could be nothing better than the stories of sailors. There were stories of strange animals, wonderful cities, sweet spices, and terrible wild deserts where a traveller could die. One young boy listened, waited, and dreamed. Perhaps one day his father and uncle would return. Perhaps he too could travel with them to great markets in faraway places. For young Marco Polo, later the greatest traveller of his time, a dangerous, exciting world was waiting...

   Niccolo and Maffeo Polo were Marco Polo's father and uncle and they belonged to a family of merchants from the city of Venice. When they traveled to other countries as merchants, Marco was born but Marco's mother died. After so many years, Niccolo and Maffeo returned to Venice. Niccolo understand that his wife was dead and he had a fifteen-year-old son then. Niccolo met his 'new' son and Marco met his 'new' father.

   After some years, Niccolo, Maffeo and Marco Polo began a travel to the Mongol Empire. The travel was very hard and long. And finally, they arrived at Mongol Empire thanks to helps of people. Then, Niccolo and Maffeo worked as merchants and Marco worked as the Emperor's servant and visited to so many places of Mongol Empire. Marco was a great servant and the Emperor liked him.

   After so many years, the emperor died and Polos went back to their home, Venice for the first time in twenty-four years. At first, their families didn't understand that the travellers were Niccolo, Maffeo and Marco because they got much older after twenty-four years. But when they put a lot of jewels out from their coats, their families understood that they were Niccolo, Maffeo and Marco.

   I think that it is interesting that the name of Silk Road isn't hundreds of years old. In nineteenth century, a german traveller first used the words of 'Silk Road.' I was very surprised to know that. I also thought that the name of Silk Road was hundreds of years old.
   And I also think that Marco Polo's achievement is impressive.

Hardy-Gould, Janet. (2010). Marco Polo and the Silk Road. Oxford: Oxford University Press.