The Riddle and the Knight In Search of Sir John Mandeville, the World's Greatest Traveler

Giles Milton's first book,The Riddle and the Knight, is a fascinating account of the legend of Sir John Mandeville, a long-forgotten knight who was once the most famous writer in medieval Europe. Mandeville wrote a book about his voyage around the world that became a beacon that lit the way for the great expeditions of the Renaissance, and his exploits and adventures provided inspiration for writers such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Keats. By the nineteenth century however, his claims were largely discredited by academics. Giles Milton set off in the footsteps of Mandeville, in order to test his amazing claims, and to restore Mandeville to his rightful place in the literature of exploration.

Giles Milton is the author of the critically acclaimed Nathaniel's Nutmeg, or, The True and Incredible Adventures of the Spice Trader Who Changed the Course of History (1999) and, most recently, Big Chief Elizabeth: The Adventures and Fate of the First English Colonists in America (2000). He lives in London.

“Count on author Giles Milton to be witty, entertaining and intellectually stimulating....Brilliant.” —The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

“[Milton] demonstrate[s] his sharp eye for the significant detail or event....Engaging.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A rare and excellent work that combines scholarship with intrigue, Milton’s book may induce that wonderful swoon usually contracted after long hours researching libraries and labyrinths of history.” —Publishers Weekly

“Pioneer traveller or shameless charlatan, Sir John Mandeville had a huge influence both on the history of exploration and on all subsequent English literature. Here at last is a book which, while always readable and amusing, takes Sir John Mandeville as seriously as he deserves.” —John Julius Norwich