The Secret History of the Mongols
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Summary
A new translation of a great historical epic, recounting the turbulent life and times of Chinggis Khan
'Bear the sword and
Hew asunder high and haughty necks
Slash apart all strong and self-willed shoulders'
Born poor into a world of dangers and hardships, Chinggis (or Genghis) Khan would grow up to unify Mongolia and conquer a vast empire stretching from modern-day Beijing to Baghdad. The Secret History of the Mongols, written after Chinggis's death in the thirteenth century, is a great historical saga recounting not only his turbulent life and times, but that of his loved ones, ancestors and heirs. This remarkable new translation of the earliest surviving work written in Mongolian gives insight into a world of warlords, kinship, horses, yurts, shamans and vast landscapes, where bloody battles and violent family conflicts are impelled by Heaven's destiny.
Translated with an introduction by Christopher P. Atwood
'Bear the sword and
Hew asunder high and haughty necks
Slash apart all strong and self-willed shoulders'
Born poor into a world of dangers and hardships, Chinggis (or Genghis) Khan would grow up to unify Mongolia and conquer a vast empire stretching from modern-day Beijing to Baghdad. The Secret History of the Mongols, written after Chinggis's death in the thirteenth century, is a great historical saga recounting not only his turbulent life and times, but that of his loved ones, ancestors and heirs. This remarkable new translation of the earliest surviving work written in Mongolian gives insight into a world of warlords, kinship, horses, yurts, shamans and vast landscapes, where bloody battles and violent family conflicts are impelled by Heaven's destiny.
Translated with an introduction by Christopher P. Atwood
Reviews
The Secret History of the Mongols describes in vivid detail the life and times of Chinggis Khan, not as an enemy, but as the Mongols saw themselves … This translation is a monumental event, a publishing landmark … Christopher Atwood has given the reader a translation for contemporary times. It is like a caravanserai, providing the materials needed for both scholar and general reader, organized for one's private trek through the empire.
Diane Wolff, author of The Silk Road Series