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The Spectator
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent,
By A Customer
This review is from: Genghis Khan (Hardcover)
Very well written history of Genghis Khan, intermingled with the author's travels and discoveries in Mongolia as he seeks to 'find the truth' and location of Genghis' birthplace and death.Balances out and discusses fact and fiction/legend nicely and provides several interesting insights into the importance of Genghis in current Mongolian, and more interestingly, Chinese culture and folklore. Only falls short on a few points - fails to continue and fully describe the eventual culmination of Genghis' legacy under his grandson Khublai and the disintegration of the empire in enough detail for my liking (although, granted, this is a book about Genghis as an individual). Also devotes a couple of slow-moving final chapters to his own attempts to find the Genghis burial site, and the spiritual legacy that remains. This tires somewhat at the end. Overall - very good, contemporary, publication.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not just for history buffs,
This review is from: Genghis Khan (Paperback)
John Man has succeeded in drawing a very detailed picture of the life and times of a man who, despite his huge importance, has remained a somewhat mysterious historical figure. Clearly a labour of love, the book is dotted with anecdotes of the author's travels in Mongolia and with asides on some of the linguistic peculiarities and associated difficulties in interpreting the source material. By engaging with the reader on this level, John Man lifts his book above being merely a factual account of Mongolian (and indeed far eastern) history, making it a genuinely entertaining read aswell.That doesn't mean that the story is lacking in detail, quite the opposite. John Man has clearly devoted much of his life to mongolian history and culture, and his scholarly expertise shows through. Much of the book focuses on the author's primary source of information, the quite aptly named 'The Secret History Of The Mongols', which is a sort of Mongolian equivalent of Homer's Iliad. Beyond that, Man investigates the mystery of Genghis' death and the lasting cultural effect his empire has had on eastern Asia and the rest of the world. Keeping in mind the dearth of first-hand source material, the level of detail is truly impressive. Genghis Khan manages to be fascinating, informative and entertaining all at once. Whether you are looking specifically for a thourough investigation of this great conqueror's life, death and lasting influence, or if you are simply looking to broaden your horizons and be enthused by the subject of world history, this is the book for you. I believe it may also be the only book you will find containing an authentic recipe for mongolian marmot casserole.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Challenging and rewarding read,
By A Customer
This review is from: Genghis Khan (Paperback)
John Man's Genghis Khan is a chalenging and rewarding read. It will come as a bit of a jolt to readers used to reading popular biographies of more modern figures. This is a very different experience to reading about, say, Churchill or Kennedy. More modern subjects have a wealth of source material available to the historian, whose task becomes one of selection and condensation. Not so for a 13th century leader whose life was often deliberately shrowded in secrecy. Man's task is not to wade through volumes of material, but to actually find material. And he does a terrific job. He has pieced together a rivetting account of Genghis Khan's life, from birth to death and beyond. He takes the reader on a journey in search of Genghis, through the steppes and deserts of Central Asia, into Europe, and to China. One strength of this book is Man's depth of knowledge and experience. He has clearly spent a great deal of his life in Mongolia, has picked up the language and immersed himself in the culture of the Mongols. He still sees himself as an outsider, an indication of his great humility, but he is certainly not typical of many modern writers who adopt a subject only until their book is published. The scope of this book is truly impressive. A word should also be made about the illustrations. The book has two sections of illustrations, and many seem to be photographs taken by Man himself. They add to the enjoyment and experience of the read, as do the several maps included in the text. Another great strength of this book is in capturing the present day spirit and influence which Genghis still holds in Mongolia and beyond. There is a nice concluding chapter on Genghis's current place in international relations and how modern day leaders manipulate his image and legacy for geopolitical reasons. Overall, this is not your average popular historical biography. I imagine the general reader, like me, doesn't dwell too much on 13th century Mongolia. But for a glimpse of the life, death and resurrection of one of history's greatest leaders, I can imagine no better treatment.
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