The secret history of the Mongols

 
Born a poor nomad in an unforgiving world, Chinggis (or Genghis) Khan transformed the 13th century, ultimately ruling an empire that would stretch from Korea to Crimea and Syria to Siberia. Much of what we know about Chinggis comes from the horrified comments of foreign chroniclers, but there is one exceptional and authentic source: 'The Secret History of the Mongols', written after Chinggis's death to be read exclusively by the Mongolian imperial family (hence 'secret' to all other readers). This translation gives an unparalleled insight into one of the transformative moments in world history and a society where unchecked swagger, menace, and ambition lay side by side with unexpected tenderness and vulnerability.