“Terror, he realized, was best spread not by the acts of warriors, but by the pens of scribes and scholars.”–Jack Weatherford
“The Mongols did not find honor in fighting; they found honor in winning.”–Jack Weatherford
I must admit that Costco is one of my favorite stores. In addition to all the other goodies, I enjoy checking out the selection of books to see which ones their buyers have chosen. I was more than a little surprised to find Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World when I was there last week. It has been nearly twenty years since this book was published, so it seems to making a resurgence! Make no mistake, this is a compelling and fascinating book. Even though I read it many years ago, I still remember the impression it made on me. I was dumbfounded by the extent of Genghis Khan’s influence. Did you know that he granted religious freedom, did away with torture, and destroyed the ancient feudal systems of aristocrats? All this and more is described in Weatherford’s book on the stunning advancements made during the 25 years of Mongol rule. I highly recommend the book but be advised that there is some graphic violence as some of the battles and interactions between Khan and others are described.
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