The Adventures of Ibn Battuta follow the travels of Ibn Battuta from Morocco through much of Africa, Arabia, Anatolia, Central and Southeast Asia, India, and China as he searches for an Islamic judicial position. Based on his accounts in the Rihla, each city he goes to and each person he meets is highlighted in the book. I think that Ross Dunn’s goal is to give a clear picture of the Islamic world through Ibn Battuta’s journey.
I agree with almost everything of what Danny Yee says in his book review. He starts by saying that the book “follows Ibn Battuta's travels chronologically, but doesn't stay narrowly focused on the details of his career.” I felt that while the author gives detailed descriptions of the places Ibn Battuta went to, he doesn’t put enough emphasis on Battuta’s actions, which in turn, causes the book to be dull and monotonous. Another point Yee made was that “[Dunn] engages in speculation about events and thoughts not covered by the Rihla, but without any fictionalization or dramatization.” Throughout the book, Dunn gives his own seemingly unbiased interpretations of the sources he uses, which make the text more understandable. Lastly, Yee states that “Dunn provides information about the people Ibn Battuta met and the places he visited and background on the broader history, society and culture.” There was a plethora of information for everywhere Ibn Battuta went, but again, details of Ibn Battuta’s life were lacking.
I agree with almost everything of what Danny Yee says in his book review. He starts by saying that the book “follows Ibn Battuta's travels chronologically, but doesn't stay narrowly focused on the details of his career.” I felt that while the author gives detailed descriptions of the places Ibn Battuta went to, he doesn’t put enough emphasis on Battuta’s actions, which in turn, causes the book to be dull and monotonous. Another point Yee made was that “[Dunn] engages in speculation about events and thoughts not covered by the Rihla, but without any fictionalization or dramatization.” Throughout the book, Dunn gives his own seemingly unbiased interpretations of the sources he uses, which make the text more understandable. Lastly, Yee states that “Dunn provides information about the people Ibn Battuta met and the places he visited and background on the broader history, society and culture.” There was a plethora of information for everywhere Ibn Battuta went, but again, details of Ibn Battuta’s life were lacking.