Book review: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Ask a normal person what their first impressions are when you say “Genghis Khan,” and chances are you’ll hear words like “savage,” “barbaric,” and “ruthless.” If the person is a bit of a know-it-all and smart aleck, you’ll also hear “And he has a huge number of descendants thanks to his ‘conquests.’”
This book attempts to provide another lens through which to view Genghis Khan–as someone who was charismatic (climbing his way from the bottom strata of Mongolian society to the leader of all Mongol tribes), innovative (he pioneered and adapted many tactics and weapons that are still used today), and tolerant (his views on religion were modern, a true feat in medieval times).
The book is more a narrative of the accomplishments of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire than it is a true biography of the person (whose written record is somewhat sparse). But it turns on its head many preconceptions about the Mongol Empire. If, at times, the author seems to tread lightly about some of Genghis Khan’s more brutal acts of conquest, the book provides a refreshing and different viewpoint through which to view the acts and impact of one of the most impressive conquerors of all time.



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