Ibn Battuta

This is another fascinating book by Edoardo Albert who previously presented the life of Imam Ghazali, which was an intellectual journey. The subject matter of this introductory book is a spatial journey. The book has eight chapters, a very useful biographical timeline, a helpful glossary and a supporting index with a list of further reading for adults which is based primarily on the works of Mackintosh-Smith; an authority on the subject. The text is enriched with seven maps and forty-six illustrations of archways, caravans, lighthouses, the Nile Delta, coins, ships, ruins and other items of interest and events presented as images and line drawings. Some keywords in the main text are emboldened to draw the readers’ attention. These features enhance the accessibility and richness of the information contained in the book. Interestingly, another excellent feature throughout the text is that the author has created sections called ‘In his own words’ whereby quotations of Ibn Battutah feature. However, these are translations; nevertheless, they convey a sense of authenticity to ‘hear’ his thoughts aloud. The book has a picture of a statue commemorating Ibn Battutah in Quanzhou, China.