Secret History of the Mongols: The Origin of Chingis Khan
This adaptation of what is recognized today as the oldest  Mongolian text (written two decades after Chingis Khan's death) tells the  Mongols' own version of the origin of their nation, the life of Chingis  Khan, and the creation of an empire that stretched across Eurasia in the  Thirteenth century. Kahn has adapted the scholarly English of Francis  Woodman Cleaves' erudite translation in colloquial English, making this  exciting narrative accessible to all readers. It is written "as an act of  research and imagination," an example of story-telling as history which  offers not only an accurate and dramatic description of Mongolian culture  and heritage, but wisdom and insight into the humanity of this small group  that ruled much of Asia, Russia, and the Middle East for nearly two hundred  years.Although it opens in a mythical past,The Secret History of the Mongolsquickly becomes a treasure-trove of factual information, not only about  the life and career of Chingis Khan, but also about the Mongolian people.  It describes in fascinating detail the daily life, social structures, and  customs of the tribes of Central Asia, and in terms of accuracy and  immediacy eclipses the more familiar Travels of Marco Polo. An overview of  medieval Asia, maps, lineage charts, a glossary of proper names, and a  bibliography are included. This expanded edition includes a Seventeenth  century account of Chingis Khan's death and a recent essay by the author.