Genghis Khan [Paperback]

R. P. Lister (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2000

Genghis Khan (c. 1162-1227), born Temujin, was the eldest son of a Mongol ruling family whose power was in precipitous decline. At his birth, the Mongols, living in the arid steppes of Asia, were a leaderless nomadic people scattered by constant warfare with competing tribes and by a hostile Chinese government to the south. When he died, Genghis Khan was Emperor of the Steppes and conqueror of a vast territory stretching from China through Persia, as far east as the Caucasus Mountains. This compelling biography recounts the early life and rise to power of one of the world's most fearsome warriors, as seen and remembered by Genghis Khan's compatriots. The author based his work on The Secret History of the Mongols —the sole contemporary record of the great Khan and his people. This rare and remarkable view of politics and power in the thirteenth century, lost to history for some seven hundred years, is made accessible in this incisive look at a fascinating leader as skilled in government as he was in battle.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Vivid, perceptive, honest toward the past—a precious virtue—and absorbingly interesting! (Mary Renault )

About the Author

R. P. Lister, novelist, poet, and travel writer, is the author of The Hard Way to Haparanka, A Journey to Lapland, and A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness Cries.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Cooper Square Press; 1 edition (April 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815410522
• ISBN-13: 978-0815410522
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,305,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Leaves too many questions unanswered, July 4, 2000

By 

Lindon - See all my reviews

This review is from: Genghis Khan (Paperback)

Any book that deals with 12th century Asian history will have some gaps in the storyline, unfortunately, R. P. Lister makes these gaps big enough to drive a truck through. The author begins the book with a lengthy introduction about how he researched this book. After twenty plus pages of Mr. Lister stressing how hard he worked on this book the biography finally begins with the must hyped biography of Genghis Khan.

As the reader progresses through the book he finds himself constantly bombarded with individual names of different people. This almost seemed as an attempt by the author to show off his research, but by doing this he slows the reader down to a snail's pace. Even with this said, Mr. Lister's research of Genghis Khan's early life is simply remarkable. There is absolutely no doubt that the author has spent countless hours researching the material.

It can safely be said that the first 200 pages of this book is one of the most comprehensive studies on Genghis Khan's rise to power, unfortunately, Mr. Lister spends only 6 pages on Khan's campaigns outside of Mongolia as well as his death. Another weak point is the fact that throughout the entire book the author never gives an in depth physical description of Genghis. Another problem is that even though the author gives accurate names of battles he never once presents a map of the country. This reader would have easily given up just one page of the introduction for a simple map of just one of the battles Mr. Lister talks about.

Another void in this book is the fact the author is somewhat afraid to mention one weakness of the ruler. Also, instead of speaking of the many strengths of Genghis Khan he just says "he had a way of making people follow him". The author also leaves forgets to speak about the many weapons the mongols uses, instead he just talks about the bow.

This book is perfect for anyone who wants to know about how the ruler came to power but as far as how he kept power and how he died you need to look elsewhere. What the author should have done was expand this book 200 more pages and written a more comprehensive biography. If this was not possible the book should have been retitle "Genghis Khan, the early life". However, even with this said, the book is just lacking too much and leaves too many unanswered questions. Mr. Lister took a grand opportunity to write about a powerful leader and threw it out the window by only half writing about his subject.

PROS 1) Well researched early life

CONS 1) Bombardment of names confuses reader 2) Absence of any map to help the reader 3) Author skims the middle and the later life 4) No physical description of the ruler

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars misses the point, November 6, 2000

By 

Meena Sharma (buffalo, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Genghis Khan (Paperback)

This book is literally for kids. Just by the cover you get a hint. Genghis khan was prominent for his blue-green eyes, long beard, and fair skin. The guy on the cover looks more like a turk than a mongol. For anyone serious about Khan i reccomend Conqueror of the World by Rene Grousset. its still the most definitive work on the mongol overlord.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very readable and fun account of the Great Khan, August 24, 2000

By 

jonathan Chauvin-Blitt (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Genghis Khan (Paperback)

For anyone interested in learning about the LIFE of Genghis Khan, R. P. Lister presents a very readable and interesting account. If you are looking for a recounting of his military campaigns this is not your book.

Mr. Lister takes us on a magical tour through the early life of this renowned conqueror that replaces the old impression of Genghis Khan as an evil barbarian, with the more accurate impression of a perceptive, persistent, and cunning leader who lived in barbaric times.

I have recommended this book to literally dozens of people with the offer to pay for it if they were dissatisfied and to date received only thanks for the suggestion.

I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I have!!!