Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

By: Jack Weatherford

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Jack Weatherford

Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans did in 400. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization.

Vastly more progressive than his European or Asian counterparts, Genghis Khan abolished torture, granted universal religious freedom, and smashed feudal systems of aristocratic privilege. From the story of his rise through the tribal culture to the explosion of civilization that the Mongol Empire unleashed, this brilliant work of revisionist history is nothing less than the epic story of how the modern world was made.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Listen to An Interview with Author Jack Weatherford.

©2005 Jack Weatherford (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"With appreciative descriptions of the sometimes tender tyrant, this chronicle supplies just enough personal and world history to satisfy any reader." ( Publishers Weekly)

"There is very little time for reading in my new job. But of the few books I've read, my favourite is Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford. It's a fascinating book portraying Genghis Khan in a totally new light. It shows that he was a great secular leader, among other things." (Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India)

"Weatherford's admiration for Genghis and his firsthand knowledge of many of the sites important in Mongol history give this text an immediacy and a visual quality that are enhanced by Davis’s presentation. When the narrative begins to lag in its final hour or two as it moves farther from the twelfth century, Davis's crisp pace maintains the listener’s interest to the end. An informative and provocative work of popular history." ( AudioFile)

Must Read Must Glean

Dangerously hooked, will glean again. Loved the storytelling flow, yet such historical revelation and narrative.
Most of the best of history, though shadowed by darkness...yet to be revealed.

Good history of the Mongol Empire

Found the story and narration to overall be great. It goes farther than just Genghis Khan and clarified the historical timeline of the world for me

A little known giant piece of history.

Compellingly profound! The achievements of the Mongol Khan's will last forever. I couldn't put it down...

History we all should know and few of us were ever aware of

This is a fascinating history but needs the addition of maps and the written word to make it truly comprehensible

Research

Outstanding scholarly research on a subject misrepresented over many centuries by those who benefited by doing so. Great history at its best.

Fantastic

There is not much more to say. As a true lover of history, this is a part of history that is often overlooked. I would strongly recommend any reader take the time for this quick and very informative read.

We owe it all to Genghis...

This book connects almost everything we ever learned in history class and every nation that we know today directly to Genghis Khan and the Mongolian empire. Wonderfully written, excellently laid out and outlined. This is one of my favorite history books ever.

Awesome book

This book was captivating from beginning to end. I know so much more now and highly recommend it.

Not normally an academic fan but I liked this

I don't normally read academic works, I typically like novels, so I struggled with what I wanted to say about this book.

Narration: I liked the narrator's voice. It was very clear, calming and didn't get distracting. I listened to this mostly at work so if you're like me and want something that won't interrupt your flow, I'd recommend this.

Story: As mentioned before, I normally like novels, etc. so this was a bit outside my comfort zone. That being said, there were plenty of parts that were interesting or funny to me. I will say I'm glad they titled it the way they did because yes, it's about Genghis Khan but than a good portion of the book is about his descendants or the Mongol empire in general or how the Black Plauge affected Asia. I think the author was trying to put some context around Genghis Khan and his life but it's not a biography. Or not JUST a biography, I should say. Honestly it kind of feels like they could've cut some parts and it would've worked just as well, if not better.

Overall: I liked this. If you're a history buff and looking to kill some time, I'd recommend it.

Fascinating

I must confess, my previous understanding of the Mongols came from their unfair representation as bloodthirsty conquerors. I had no idea how revolutionary they were with regards to social, economic, and military ideas. What a great book. Sometimes the truth is better than fiction. The “origin story” of Genghis is fascinating and one can see how decisions in his young life led to world changing decisions in his older age. I was also fascinated by how many of the Mongol ideas were so ahead of their time and how they leveraged differences into strengths. Will probably listen to again at some point.