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From Publishers Weekly
Apart from its inapt title, Genghis Khan dies rather early on in this account and many of the battles are led by his numerous offspring. This book is a successful account of the century of turmoil brought to the world by a then little-known nation of itinerant hunters. In researching this book, Weatherford (Savages and Civilization), a professor of anthropology at Macalaster College, traveled thousands of miles, many on horseback, tracing Genghis Khan's steps into places unseen by Westerners since the khan's death and employing what he calls an "archeology of movement." Weatherford knows the story of the medieval Mongol conquests is gripping enough not to need superfluous embellishmentsâ€"the personalities and the wars they waged provide plenty of color and suspense. In just 25 years, in a manner that inspired the blitzkrieg, the Mongols conquered more lands and people than the Romans had in over 400 years. Without pausing for too many digressions, Weatherford's brisk description of the Mongol military campaign and its revolutionary aspects analyzes the rout of imperial China, a siege of Baghdad and the razing of numerous European castles. On a smaller scale, Weatherford also devotes much attention to dismantling our notions of Genghis Khan as a brute. By his telling, the great general was a secular but faithful Christian, a progressive free trader, a regretful failed parent and a loving if polygamous husband. With appreciative descriptions of the sometimes tender tyrant, this chronicle supplies just enough personal and world history to satisfy any reader.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–An interesting, thought-provoking account of the conqueror's life and legacy. From his early years as the son of a widow abandoned by her clan, he showed remarkable ability as a charismatic leader and unifier. In 25 years, his army amassed a greater empire than the Romans had been able to achieve in 400. Whether judged on population or land area, it was twice as large as that of any other individual in history. This colorful retelling discusses many of the innovations that marked Khan's rule and contributed to his success. Although his name is now erroneously associated with terror and slaughter, he showed surprising restraint during a time when few others in power did. He allowed freedom of religion, encouraged free trade, developed a paper currency, and observed diplomatic immunity. As he encountered new cultures, he adopted or adapted their best practices, and constantly updated his military strategies. Although Khan's death occurs at the midpoint of this book, the tales of his survivors' exploits and the gradual fall of the Mongol dynasties are engaging and informative. Weatherford's efforts to credit Genghis Khan and his descendants with the ideas and innovations that created the Renaissance are a bit bewildering, but readers will be left with a new appreciation of a maligned culture, and a desire to learn more.–Kathy Tewell, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
When the Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, exploded out of the central Asian steppes in the early thirteenth century, they began the acquisition of the largest land empire in history. Eventually, the Mongol Empire extended from the Pacific to the Mediterranean and from northern Siberia to Southeast Asia. Yet the West focuses primarily on Mongol savagery. In his revisionist history of the empire, anthropology professor Weatherford uses the so-called Secret History, a long-suppressed Mongol text, to balance the scales. He certainly makes some telling points. The Mongols unified disparate lands, maintained and even expanded east-west trade routes, and made possible eventual contact between Europe and East Asia. Although Mongol rulers were not innovators, Weatherford convincingly asserts that, like the Romans, they effectively used the talents of their subject peoples. Unfortunately, Weatherford is prone to exaggeration. He too easily accepts unverifiable legends as facts, and he gives the Mongols unwarranted credit for fostering the European Enlightenment. Still, this is a well-written and usually credible work that provides a necessary reassessment of the legacy of this vast empire. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Readable but flawed.
It was an easy read but the author has a very transparent agenda. Note that he is not a historian but an anthropologist, which gives you a clue as to what he is setting out to do. The back of the book states that the Mongols led to a "blossoming of civilization"!! The civilizations were the ones the Mongols trampled over, slaughtered, burned, and enslaved. There are biased, unfavorable comparisons with Europe and especially Christianity. One would think the 13th century had nothing of value in Europe - no St. Francis, Dante, Magna Carta, etc. There are several mentions of Genghis Khan's not using torture, but that doesn't count for much when he murdered his half-brother, best friend, and millions of innocent people all across Asia.

will leave you wanting more
the book is not bad as an introduction, but it's really not a full length biography, rather it is three different stories. One is the story of the historiography about Genghis Khan and the author's journey to Mongolia to experience the history and gain a better understanding of the Secret History. The second is a short, skimpy bio of Genghis, and the third is the story of the Mongol empire after Genghis, again, rather cursory.

Some things you will want to know more about after reading this book:
-- more info about the Sacred History
-- more info about Genghis military tactics, political strategy, and imperial policies
-- more info about the trajectory of the empire after Genghis

What you won't need to know more about after reading this book:
-- how the author felt about being in Mongolia

The book is not bad. It's informative, and it provides a fresh perspective, even if it does go a little overboard in trying to correct the image of the Mongols. Maybe they weren't just bloodthirsty barbarians, but it's hard to believe that they were all that civilized either. Worth reading, but don't just read this one by itself if you want an informed view about the man and his era.

A good introduction
An enjoyable read of Genghis Khan and the empire he created. I was surprised to read how small his army was. It was also stunning to read how much affected was the empire by Black Death.

However there are sections of the book that I find wrong, but minor. For example, the Germans tank Generals did not look to the Mongols for strategical insights possibly as an archer on a horse is closer to a fighter bomber than a tank. Another example is that the international post existed long before the Mongols as did paper money.

Other more serious problems like his explanation of the battle at Kalka, is different to anything I have read. I searched vain for his sources. It needs some sources to back it up. Another the writer has no idea that many Mongols used lancers not bows. It was these lancers, not the bows that won this battle.

Overall I think the book is a great read, a good introduction to the Mongol empire but not a serious historical book on the subject.