The author of this detailed history cut his teeth writing pulp fiction- pulp historical fiction that is- so he knows how to tell a good story. Nearly all the book takes you blow by blow through the Mongolian glory days of the 11th century, starting from when they get their sh-t together based on the philosophies and organization of Genghis Kahn. To me, finding out how much chance and individual personalities changes the path of history- moments when things easily could have gone very differently- is fascinating. And the course of the Mongol disintegration as they become religious and entangled in the ways of other cultures is the more interesting part of the tale. Told in a mildly grandiose tone, and certainly without the politically correct edits you see in later histories, this book is better for being of its time. To learn so much about a people so alien to us today will certainly widen your perspective a bit. The Mongolian empire was one where wealth sharing was mandatory- for example, one of Genghis Kahn's rules was that you had to share your food with any Mongolian who asked to dine with you. Genghis eliminated the aristocracy and titles for the most part, and required all adults to work no matter how wealthy they were. They built transcontinental roadways, maintained a postal system, and generally let the priests of all religions get off equally without paying taxes, though they did beat up on the Taoists a bit here and there. The Mongols had a massive impact on slavic dominance in Europe, ultimately aided Han dominance in China, and caused the ends of both the Persian empire, the Muslim caliphs, and the European occupation of the Levant. In Central Asia, they simply wiped several cultures off the map of history. This book is a worthwhile read for the student of history or anyone looking to step out of themselves for a while. Samuel Coleridge could have benefited from a perusal of the Book of Kubliah Kahn, as he's pretty much wrong on every detail except for the old Mongol's love of gardens. You get the picture.. read it- if you can find a copy!

http://books.google.com/books?id=hGNtAAAAMAAJ&q=the+march+of+the+barbarians&...

http://www.amazon.com/The-March-Barbarians-Harold-Lamb/dp/B001ONTD5A/ref=tmm_hrd... ( )

1291. The March of the Barbarians, by Harold Lamb (15 Sept 1974) This tells the story of Genghis Khan (born in either 1157 or 1167). He amassed a tremendous empire and died in 1227. The book tells more, really, of his sons, grandsons, etc. Especially interesting is the account of the invasion of Europe, 1238 to 1242, ended by the death of Khan Ogadai. Quite an interesting book and valuable because of my limited knowledge of Central Asian history. ( )