In Xanadu - William Dalrymple

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan / A stately pleasure-dome decree..."

I'm a sucker for memoirs of young people roaming the globe and getting themselves into trouble. In Xanadu doesn't disappoint. Delightfully funny, scathing, and enchanting. William and his two friends retrace the steps of Marco Polo from Jerusalem to the legendary Xanadu in northern China.

Frequently stymied by skeptical officials, sandstorms, illness, and more, they ultimately reach their destination through sheer wit and determination.

This book is a snapshot of central Asia the late 80s but also a snapshot of how a young British scholar and his friends perceived the world in that era.

A fun read.