MARCO POLO: His Notebook

An attractive-looking book embellished not only with Roth's collages of what looks like ancient parchment and maps but also with excellent reproductions of old prints and other artifacts that contribute to both the informational content and the handsome format. In an admirable introduction, Roth explains that her text is based on The Travels of Marco Polo--some of which is now believed to be exaggeration, hyperbole, or outright fabrication--but concludes that ""Most of this story is also true, so let's pretend the rest together."" Unfortunately, the voice she assumes for the simulated diary is both grating and inappropriate: as coy and exclamation-studded as a parody of a 19th-century schoolgirl's style, including a cloying use of ""Dear Diary."" This may be well researched, and certainly it provides a level of information that would make a good introduction to the famous traveler's 24-year journey, but its tone makes it a real disappointment.