"I viaggi di Gio. da Mandavilla, vol. 2" by Sir John Mandeville is a travelogue written between 1357 and 1371 that claims to chronicle an Englishman's journeys across the Near East to India and China. This fantastical account blends borrowed narratives from genuine explorers with legendary tales of monsters, exotic customs, and distant lands. Despite its unreliable nature, the work influenced Christopher Columbus and became extraordinarily popular across Europe. The true author remains unknown, with "Sir John Mandeville" likely being an invented persona.