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)

I liked this book

I thought it was well written, crisp, and broad. That is not always desirable in a history book, but I wasn't terribly familiar with Mongolian history, and most of what I knew about the Khans was a brief review in high school. So this served as a nice primer and general overview, and noted the many various ways Genghis Khan and his successors impacted our modern life was fascinating. For someone deeply familiar with Mongol or Chinese history, this may not be quite deep enough, but for anyone unfamiliar or just beginning it is worth the read!

One of the best accounts of history as well as...

Absolutely vital and tantalizing information, important for anyone wishing or working towards being a rennasaince man/woman/being

Gripping History

All my perceptions of the man and his empire were incorrect, and this book set me straight. A fascinating and easily understandable book, a must-read.

It is not all about strategy

I enjoyed the book but they tend to focus on his military genus but not the evils of conquest. Just because you have military genius does not make one worthy of sainthood. I certainly don’t put this murder on a pedestal. I think he book failed to point out the rather obvious. Like Hitler and the others, might is not always right.

Must listen audiobook

Amazing research on genghis khan by author. He will help you to debunk myths related to genghis khan's life and his impact on modern civilization.

Worlds greatest conquer was just not cruel and barbarian. There is more to his life and its worth listening this damm book

Fascinating read

What a fascinating book and beautifully read. It is by far the best non-fiction book I have ever read.

Who Knew?

a new perspective on the influence of Genghis Khan and the Mongols. This is a great book for history lovers.

POWERFUL

Well I never knew how many things came Genghis Khan. Basically everything we use everyday

Very insightful story that explains the back story, life and legacy of the man who would become Genghis Khan.

There is a lot of the book that goes into the details of the many battles and politics of the various cultures during what is referred to as the Mongol world war. The book goes well beyond Genghis and spends much time on the family and world history of the time. I really enjoyed the book and how it told the story of the Mongol Empire. It's a detailed look at the family history.

Fantastic worldview of early 'Asian' history.

Worth the read to learn what is now known about an incredible man, of whom mostly inaccurate information has been written. This put into perspective how our study of history is shaped by the perspective from which it is written. Even just listening to the Epilogue gives one a new
view of the history of our modern world.