In his very brief introduction, Jean-François Kosta-Théfaine describes the purpose of this collection as gathering “an interesting mix of contributions of scholars from different disciplines. Our intention is to assemble a panorama of ‘explorations’ that treat the general topic of medieval travels and travelogues” (vii). True to this goal, the volume includes a broad range of materials and approaches. The essays cover travels focused on a variety of real-world locations (mainly in the East) as well as metaphysical explorations (spiritual community; hell). The topics include genre, ethnography, translation and transmission, iconography, pilgrimage, otherworldly journeys, tourism, fear of invasion, and exile. The book discusses well-known European writings, such as those of Marco Polo and Odoric of Pordenone, but also looks at some travel literature from outside Europe.

Of particular note are Ana Pinto's impressive essay on Mandeville's Travels, which argues persuasively for the influence of the genre of the rihla (Muslim travelogue) on its organization and content (3–57); Cong Ellen Zhang's discussion of Lu You's treatment of famous places and ordinary people in his account of travels on the Yangzi River (205–30); and Adriano Duque's essay comparing Benedict the Pole's account of the Carpine expedition to Mongolia to the medieval mappamundi (233–48).

The book's range is both strength and weakness. The variety makes it likely that most users will cull one or two essays of interest. Nevertheless, the wide array of materials could serve as a useful introduction to the field of medieval travel writing for scholars interested in new explorations.