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Genghis Khan [Paperback]

John Man (Author)
3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
RRP: £9.99
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Book Description

Publication Date: 1 Mar 2005

Genghis Khan - creator of the greatest empire the world has ever seen - is one of history's immortals. In Central Asia, they still use his name to frighten children. In China, he is honoured as the founder of a dynasty. In Mongolia he is the father of the nation. In the USA, Time magazine, voted Genghis Khan 'the most important person of the last millennium'. But how much do we really know about this man? How is it that an unlettered, unsophisticated warrior-nomad came to have such a profound effect on world politics that his influence can still be felt some 800 years later?

How he united the deeply divided Mongol peoples and went on to rule an empire that stretched from China in the east to Poland in the west (one substantially larger than Rome's at its zenith) is an epic tale of martial genius and breathtaking cruelty. John Man's towering achievement in this book, enriched by his experiences in China and Mongolia today, is to bring this little-known story vividly and viscerally to life.

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Product details

  • Paperback: 464 pages
  • Publisher: Bantam; New Ed edition (1 Mar 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0553814982
  • ISBN-13: 978-0553814989
  • Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 2.9 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 54,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

'Absorbing and beautifully written...he [Man] conjures up an ancient people in an alien landscape in such a way as to make them live...a thrilling account' (GUARDIAN )

'First-rate...lively and argued with elan...a fine introduction to the subject, as well as a rattling good read' (INDEPENDENT )

'A fine, well-written and well-researched book' (MAIL ON SUNDAY )

'An eloquent account, not only of a fascinating historical figure and his people, but of the resonance of history itself' (WBQ magazine )

'Enthralling and colourful' (INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY )

Book Description

The first popular biography of the legendary Mongol emperor and warlord.
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Inside This Book (Learn More)
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent 1 Mar 2004
By A Customer
Format: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.

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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for history buffs 4 Sep 2005
By "lennond"
Format: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.

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Challenging and rewarding read 31 July 2005
By A Customer
Format: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....

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. Read more ›

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing read 11 July 2004
By Anurag Chatrath
Format:Hardcover
having just travelled to Mongolia, i found the book an engrossing read. Not only does the author skillfully relate the events of the life of 'the alpha male', but he also places in context present day Mongolia (about which people who have not travelled there know little).

Not only did I get to know a lot about Ghenghis Khan, but was also able to relive my visit to Mongolia.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible! 18 Dec 2010
By Mount Suribachi
Format:Paperback
Probably the worst history book I've ever read. Its very, very rare for me to be unable to finish a book, but I just couldn't bring myself to endure any more of it. Whilst the story of Genghis Khan and the Mongols is a fascinating one that needs to be told, the author mixes far too much folklore and personal editorialising in there - the 3rd time he mentioned America and the invasion of Iraq was when I finally lost patience with it. That coupled with his unhesitating acceptance of any local folk tales about the Mongols destroyed any credibility the author had for me.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars OK
a fascinating book written by John Man - whom I read before with the grandson of Genghis Khan - Y didn't they teach us proper history at school?
Published 2 months ago by Kenneth W. Day
4.0 out of 5 stars Informative
This book is well written and researched. John Man has extensively covered the majority of areas surronding the rise of Genghis' Empire and the mysterious death of the Mongol... Read more
Published 3 months ago by RH223
5.0 out of 5 stars Genghis Khan
Delighted with this book and anyone interested in the subject will be delighted too. Really gives you a flavor of his life and times
Published 3 months ago by malmund
1.0 out of 5 stars no clever analysis
This is a very frustrating book. It doesn't answer any key questions e.g. what prompted the invasions, how did the mongols increase their numbers whilst taking over new... Read more
Published 17 months ago by fergus
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting way of dealing with the subject
Man obviously knows his stuff and the book is crammed with interesting details and etymology. The downside is that he can wander away from the practical issues at hand and onto... Read more
Published on 31 May 2011 by Scamander
1.0 out of 5 stars Misleading Title
When I picked up this book, I had expected to read about the history of Genghis Khan. What you get instead is a mix of Genghis Khan's history and a travel book where he spend a... Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2010 by T. Young
4.0 out of 5 stars `Genghis Khan is one of history's immortals.'
By the time of his death in 1227, Genghis Khan ruled an empire that stretched from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Read more
Published on 19 Nov 2010 by J. Cameron-Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing seller
This book arrived in New condition, absolutely amazing price too and very fast delivery, a good read am enjoying this very much
Published on 18 Jun 2010 by Ms. S. Davis
1.0 out of 5 stars terrible!
This book is terrible. If you want the recipe for marmot stew or if you really want to know where the author saw the footbal world cup final or if you want to wast your time... Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2010 by A. Biguzzi
2.0 out of 5 stars Ginghis KHAN
I was very disappointed with this book as I thought that it was going to explain, in dept, the life of Ginghis Khan. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2009 by F Coyle
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