This book presents a very interesting view of the world at the time of Genghis Khan and his followers. Too often we have a very narrow view of history and this opened my eyes to a different view. I found it very interesting. The book is written and read in a manner that makes you feel you are in the scene. An excellent listen!

I love nothing better than getting insights into human history - especially when it's a history of such epic proportions that I, embarrassingly, knew so little about.

This story was thoroughly enjoyable because of the careful research, the clear writing - and in this case the narration.

The writing is clear and rolls out well - no boring portions or needless pontifications. The reader's voice was simple and clear. A nice combination that allowed me to listen at 2x speed.

No

As an amateur history buff I wasn't prepared for the huge readjustment of my historical world-view. It filled in huge gaps in my thinking.

Forget everything you thought you knew about Genghis Khan and the Mongols. This book, based on the amazing opening up of Mongolia post USSR is a real eye-opener. I think everyone who loves books, history and emerging information will love this book.

My deceased father use to recite the Kubla Khan poem by Coleridge when I was little. I had no idea what was behind the man or the story. Today, after sixty years, I can remember the first stanza of this poem by heart, and made the connection to this time in history after listening to this book. I use to refer to 'down syndrome' children as 'Mongoloids' and had no idea where the term came from or why it was a discriminatory term. This historical book filled in many blanks for me and hopefully made me a better person.

I was fascinated by the huge sphere of influence of Genghis Khan and his descendents.

The paradox of barbarism e.g. treating people like animals alongside civility e.g. not allowing torture.

NO

NO

Would have liked a bibliography

I saw this book on the Audible Essentials list and they nailed it on this one. I truly is a well written story, the writer builds his credibility throughout the story and then when you get to the end he presents all these facts with references. Blown away as to why this is not in our schools. The writer tells the Great Khan’s captivating story, with lessons and facts sprinkled throughout. I had a hard time not making my coworkers read it as homework as this story can help anyone mature in their mindsets.

Wow, what a hard question, every book that I have listened to as been amazing. I would say this book is so different others, but, if I had to rate it among them it would in the Top 3.

To be honest I did not have a favorite Character in this book. It was full of different Characters and walked you through some of the Khans and showed how they were all connected.

To be honest I did not have a favorite Character in this book. It was full of different Characters and walked you through some of the Khans and showed how they were all connected.

There was not a particular moment in the book that moved me that I recall now. However throughout the book I was blown away by the amount of information of the biography of the Great Khans.

I saw this book on the Audible Essentials list and they nailed it on this one. I truly is a well written story, the writer builds his credibility throughout the story and then when you get to the end he presents all these facts with references. Blown away as to why this is not in our schools. The writer tells the Great Khan’s captivating story, with lessons and facts sprinkled throughout. I had a hard time not making my coworkers read it as homework as this story can help anyone mature in their mindsets.

Yes and no. This is my third book about Genghis Khan, and there was not a great deal that I learned from the book. So perhaps that wasn't the best time spent. However, if you know nothing of this amazing military strategist, you really need to listen or read something of him.

Surprisingly, I felt that there was little emphasis on Genghis himself - more discussion of his legacy and the way things were set when he died. I would not read this one if you really want to know Genghis Khan. This one does a better job of placing Genghis Khan in history and examining the long-term impacts of his reign.

Pretty monotone. I think it would have been better if I had read it myself because the professor-like reading style made the book a bit dreary.

No.

I don't know if it is the book itself or the narrator, but this one was not my favorite.

I loved listening to this book, and I would like to also own the print version to refer back to.

How modern the ancients were

the ability to pronounce all those foreign names and places

definitely not! much too long and lots to digest.

I loved this book and did not know that I also love Genghis Kahn! I have since heard that a huge percentage of the world has some of his DNA.............I hope I have some too!

I barely started the book before being alerted to the fact that the author makes exaggerated claims that are not facts and, in the print version, provides little by way of documentation. Then, since audible makes it impossible to search reader reviews or to bin them by ratings, I turned to some of the one- and two-star reviews on amazon and goodreads by people who already know Mongol culture and history. (I did find one good one here by Mamoun on 11/23/11.) Turns out Weatherford is not a historian but a cultural anthropologist who, as a scholar, apparently committed the sin of losing objectivity and identifying with the culture that he is "studying." Since I bought this to learn history and cannot easily separate the wheat from the chaff, I choose not to fill my head with Weatherford's imaginative notions. I do know enough to recognize that the Mongols are not responsible for the European Renaissance. I'm turning this book back in for a refund.

According to reviewers, this is a repeat of what was done earlier in his "Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World." (Indian here refers to all the native peoples of South, Central, and North America.) No doubt, they are insufficiently credited in areas of agriculture (potatoes, maize,...) and herbal medicines, and, gosh knows, they have been exploited mercilessly by their conquerers. However, given its drafters and their backgrounds, I find it difficult to believe that the "writing of the United States Constitution" owes much to Indian polity or heritage.

Jack Weatherford provides new scholarly research that put Genghis Khan's achievements and his impact in a revealing light. I found it revealing and insightful.