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65th out of 319 books
—
221 voters
Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection
by
John Man
Genghis Khan is one of history's immortals, alive in memory as a scourge, hero, military genius and demi-god. To Muslims, Russians and westerners, he is a murderer of millions, a brutal oppressor. Yet in his homeland of Mongolia he is the revered father of the nation, and the Chinese honor him as the founder of a dynasty. In his so-called Mausoleum in Inner Mongolia, worsh...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
February 6th 2007
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published 2004)
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A decent biography of Genghis Khan, relying heavily on The Secret History of the Mongols, a document composed possibly by Genghis' half-brother in the years immediately following the Great Khan's death in 1227 AD. Man uses the History not necessarily for historical fact, but more for an insight into contemporary Mongolian psychology. Man also delves pretty deeply (perhaps a little too deeply) into the various mysteries and myths surrounding Genghis's death and secret burial, and into his legacy...more
Jun 12, 2012
Kalilah
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone with a good understanding of this subject
I purchased this book after watching a historical documentary about the Crusades, in which Genghis Khan was briefly mentioned. I become very interested in him and the Mongolian Empire and decided to delve deeper into this rather obscure and rarely discussed part of history.
I chose this book because of the good reviews it got, but I found myself a little disappointed in it. All the information is there, but I felt it was scattered all over the place and in no particular order, which for me was ra...more
I chose this book because of the good reviews it got, but I found myself a little disappointed in it. All the information is there, but I felt it was scattered all over the place and in no particular order, which for me was ra...more
If you’re from anywhere in Asia or Eastern Europe, Genghis makes a prominent (and most like a scary) appearance in your history text books. I thought it would be good to forget what my school books told me about Genghis and read an unbiased biography of him by an Englishman who is not burdened with what Genghis did to England. This book is well-researched and educational. There are parts at the end about the author’s travels in Mongolia that did not interest me and I skipped.
The book basically c...more
The book basically c...more
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‘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. His empire was larger than either that of Rome, or Alexander the Great. To many Muslims, Russians, and Europeans, Genghis Khan is remembered as a murderer of millions. He is honoured in China as the founder of the Yuan dynasty, and in Mongolia he is revered as the father of the nation.
In this book John Man presents an overview of th...more
By the time of his death in 1227, Genghis Khan ruled an empire that stretched from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific Ocean. His empire was larger than either that of Rome, or Alexander the Great. To many Muslims, Russians, and Europeans, Genghis Khan is remembered as a murderer of millions. He is honoured in China as the founder of the Yuan dynasty, and in Mongolia he is revered as the father of the nation.
In this book John Man presents an overview of th...more
Genghis has been one of my favourite historical characters for a while now, though I haven't read any actual biographies of the man before now. I happened to pick up a copy of “Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World” by Jack Weatherford from a friend and added it to my list, however, upon looking the book up on Goodreads, one of the first reviews proceeded to extol Genghis for all his virtues (banning torture, linking east and west, meritocracy, freedom of religion...) while downplaying...more
This is an excellent book. John Man actually visited the vast majority (if not all) of the locations mentioned in the story of Genghis Khan, and likes to bring you there with him to see what they are like now, and how he would imagine they were 700 years ago. The story is well told, and alongside it Man recounts his own travels following Genghis' journey himself. I thought it overlong (his descriptions of his own travels drag a little at times), but that should not take away from a good read if...more
Genghis Khan is one of history's immortals, alive in memory as a scourge, hero, military genius and demi-god. To Muslims, Russians and westerners, he is a murderer of millions, a brutal oppressor. Yet in his homeland of Mongolia he is the revered father of the nation, and the Chinese honor him as the founder of a dynasty. In his so-called Mausoleum in Inner Mongolia, worshippers seek the blessing of his spirit. In a supreme paradox, the world's most ruthless conqueror has become a force for peac...more
Fantastic read this book holds a unique history of one of the worlds greatest generals, including how he was able to conquer/rule with purely nomadic tribes as well as the resulting god-like worship born from him and is a notable religion in modern Mongolia.
All this is brought together as John Man travels across the length and breadth of Mongolia exploring the areas in which the legend lived and travelled.
All this is brought together as John Man travels across the length and breadth of Mongolia exploring the areas in which the legend lived and travelled.
This is an interesting history of the rise and spread of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan. Although there are maps and photos in the book, I found it even more interesting to use Google Earth at several points whilst reading the book - the terrain across which his armies travelled, the position of the various dynasties that he conquered and some of the archaeological sites were all more impressive when linked to the geography of the regions. In addition, there is a link on Google Earth that...more
An insightful book on perhaps the greatest leader of all time. The book is a mix of history and travelogue and someone not interested in biographies (like me) would find it a tough read. I scanned the book first and then reread it once. Worth a read though. Talks about the unique strategies Mongols used to defeat their enemies, their incomparable ruthlessness, immaculate planning and execution. Be patient while reading and you will enjoy. Don't get judgmental as you would find it quite shocking...more
Readable and reasonably entertaining, and you get a decent sense of what Genghis Khan represents for contemporary Mongolian and Chinese people. There's a big obstacle for Man to deal with: the shortage of reliable information about the Khan's life. He tries to overcome it via a mixture of informed guesswork and (occasionally) fairly wild speculation, as well as by trying to make the book as much about his own travels as about the historical details. I found this slightly off-putting at first, bu...more
A good starting point, the information was a bit scattered but considering the subject and lack of extensive sources to draw from this was a very nice book in English. As the Mongol empire spanned numerous cultures there is no one complete sources and often sources have multiple supporting documents.
Well researched and written, does a fantastic job of conveying a sense of Genghis Khan's personality and overall attitude, as well as his historical legacy. The narratives of the author's own travels could have been left out though, and would have made it a shorter and no less informative read.
I loved this book.
I felt John Man took me on a real journey through Mongolia, historically and in the present. I learned so much more from this book, having thought that I knew a bit about the history of the Mongol empire he built.
Well recommended.
I felt John Man took me on a real journey through Mongolia, historically and in the present. I learned so much more from this book, having thought that I knew a bit about the history of the Mongol empire he built.
Well recommended.
mencoba juga membaca buku-buku yang dibaca mb Sinta Yudisia saat menggarap Takhta Awan. Selebihnya, bulan ini mungkin buku-buku yang dibaca adalah tentang Asia Tengah. So Far sedang membca GAris Batas dan Jenghis Khan. semoga bisa menemukan buku Samarkand
Half travelogue, and the latter parts are investigation into his death and the scramble for his tomb, or for political ownership of him (outrageously, the Chinese claim him). Interspersed is Temujin’s story, a potted history and an excursion into war strategy, but this isn’t a biography as such, or a history of the Mongols.
It’s a hodgepodge book -- like those reenactment documentaries, faction, and I tend to be impatient with history told this way. However, I enjoyed the travelogue in this one,...more
It’s a hodgepodge book -- like those reenactment documentaries, faction, and I tend to be impatient with history told this way. However, I enjoyed the travelogue in this one,...more
John Man is an excellent historian with a affection and interest in Genghis Khan and the Mongol people (both past and present) that just comes right off the page. He is also an exemplary storyteller with regards to his own adventures whilst researching this book that makes this history an easy and enjoyable read. If you have an interest in Genghis Khan, his legacy, mythos and a people which are still, by and large, a mystery to many -- if not most -- Westerners.
Its a good book but I would not recommend it to anybody who wants detailed facts on the life of the Khan. It has few references to his biography.
Buku sejarah yang memukai, penulisnya sungguh serius menggarap buku ini dengan mendatangi tempat-tempat yang dianggap pernah didatangi jengis khan...
the book is not biography per se, but more of insight into the strategy of genghis, particularly enjoyed the chapter on invasions of muslim states.
A good history of Genghis Khan and the Mongol people in his lifetime, well written by a passionate historian with first hand experience of the culture. Mostly clear and to the point, I felt I learned a lot from this without having to expend too much effort, which is ideal for the most casual of history buffs among us. Unfortunately, the final chapter 'Resurrection' is bogged down with lengthy discussions about things like the site of Genghis' grave and the author's own adventures climbing a sign...more
Jul 30, 2011
Azeem Ali
added it
A great book, it appears to draw upon sources such as the Secret History of the Mongols and Juvaini's History of the World Conqueror
John Man provides a comprehensive study of Genghis Khan and his impact to the history, both past and present, to the human history.
very detailed and descriptive with a documentary style narration. was boring at certain points, but over all very good read
An explorer's journey into the land of Magnolia in search for the truth behind the legend of the great Khan
wow there is so much to know abt this man....recently watched the movie..Mongul...highly recomended!!!
Really enjoyed all the historical references. Amazing the influence Khan had on such a vast land.
Eh. Not a great book - very hard to keep track of all the people - not much new info.
Excellent and informative! If you like stories of 100% truth!
Excellent account of the life of the most important individual in history.
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John Anthony Garnet Man is a British historian and travel writer. His special interests are China, Mongolia and the history of written communication. He takes particular pleasure in combining historical narrative with personal experience.
He studied German and French at Keble College, Oxford, before doing two postgraduate courses, a diploma in the History and Philosophy of Science at Oxford and Mon...more
More about John Man...
He studied German and French at Keble College, Oxford, before doing two postgraduate courses, a diploma in the History and Philosophy of Science at Oxford and Mon...more
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