In Xanadu by William Dalrymple

Armed with a vial of holy oil from Jerusalem and a dose of dry undergraduate wit, a twenty-two-year-old scholar sets off on an illicit trek to cross Asia on foot.

In 1986, during his summer vacation from Cambridge, William Dalrymple set out to retrace Marco Polo’s historic 1271 route from the Holy Sepulchre to Inner Mongolia. In Xanadu documents his remarkable, budget-strapped expedition across Syria, Turkey, Iran, and the high-altitude mountain passes of Pakistan and China. Facing severe border red tape, hostile local authorities, and unreliable transport, Dalrymple avoids romanticized travel writing tropes in favor of a humorous, historically rigorous look at the Silk Road. He chronicles the remnants of forgotten empires, local hospitality, and the contemporary realities of communities surviving along ancient trade routes. By weaving historical research with sharp, comedic observations of his travel companions, he captures a rare portrait of Asia on the eve of globalization.

Why You’ll Love This Book

William Dalrymple pairs a deep knowledge of ancient archaeology with a sharp, self-deprecating British humor that keeps the history accessible and entertaining. His account captures a pre-digital Silk Road, offering an invaluable snapshot of borders and cultures just before modern tourism changed them forever. It provides a crisp, intellectually satisfying escape for anyone who loves historical research mixed with real, unembellished adventure.