The Mongols: A Very Short Introduction

good!

The paradox about the Mongols, their empire, and history is that it's vivid in the public imagination and is a staple in world history books but when one is searching for academic books specially about them, the reality is that there very few actually available. That's when this book comes in. Its author, Morris Rossabi, is a scholar that specializes in Mongolian, Central Asian, and Chinese history. As for the book itself, it is the only but lucid introduction one can ever need and one of the few scholarly books about the Mongols in general. The book has 7 chapters detailing the Mongols ancestral, military, cultural, and religious history from beginnings to fall. Invaluable features include illustrations, maps, genealogical chart of the Khans, and probably best of all, a further reading section. The only drawback is the little coverage of the Chagatai Khanate but its a nitpick. This book is perfect for students, a refreshing read for scholars, and the only academic book on the Mongols that is ideal for general readers.

Review – The Mongols A very short Introduction“The Mongols: A Very Short Introduction” is what it says it is. For a quick overview of the rise of Ghengis Kahn and the next four generations of Mongol Rule from Hungry east through China with incursions into Russia, Korea and Japan, this is good. The details of the four main branches of the Ghengis Khan empire from about 1200 to about 1400 are fascinating. The military history is too complicated to understand in this short version, but the quick review is well done. The cultural and artisan history is also quite brief as expected from the title, but outlines the subject quite well. The book leaves one hungering for more. This book is necessary as the usual Western treatment of this topic is to ignore this history, important as it is. Combined with “The Silk Road A Very Short Introduction” by James Millward the reader can get a good snapshot of the importance of Central Asia and Mongolia.

This is an excellent and brief introduction to 200 year establishment of the four major Mongol Khanates: the yuan, the il-khanate, the Golden Boards, the Central Asian Khanate. It explains the Genghis's heirs and their internal rivalries quite well. A great place to start to understand the Mongol empires.

A tad dry compared to some of the best books in this series. However, it is still short, informative, and well organized. It's a great little introduction to the topic. In comparison to other books within the series, I'd give it 4 stars, but the form factor, low cost, and high quality of writing all earn it 5 stars when compared to other books. I was sad that it was over when I finally finished it.

I like the Very Short Introduction book. They're like little bits of Wikipedia that you can put in your pocket.

Factually awesome and good reference for the Mongols, I will be buying the print version to stick in my classroom, but this is the driest VSI I have ever read.The one on Logic was more engaging than this, and this has a man raised by a single mother growing up to revenge his father, and conquer the largest land empire ever! In All the History!.I love the Mongols, and I love VSI, but this is the worst of both.

A fair and comprehensive look at the Mongol Empires and the various Khans that led them. Clearly written and interesting.

I came to this title with a long-standing interest in Russian history, but somewhat confused about the Mongol (Tartar) peoples who had such a profound influence on Russia and, indeed, the whole early European world. I wasn't sure about how the initial advance of Chinggis Kahn had then developed into the next stage of conquest, or what the Golden Horde really was. I hadn't understood how a people whose religion was largely shamanistic had evolved into a Muslim culture, or what the real long-term impact of the Mongols was. All these issues and more I wanted to resolve, and I was not disappointed.Morris Rossabi's book really is in the best tradition of the 'Very Short Introduction' series: well thought through, no wasted words, informed in its opinions and tightly focussed. He explains how the first wave of conquest westwards by Chinggis Kahn was extended by his sons and grandsons to become four great, separate kahnates. He explores how they interacted with each other and the nations and cultures with which they at first collided and later integrated. Historically much has been made of the brutality and violence of the Mongol advance, but Rossabi also draws out the more positive impact that they made and the legacy they left behind. (How much is Russia's politics and its view of itself in the world still shaped today by the Mongol years between about 1240 and 1480?)This was a fascinating read and a very informative one. My questions were all answered and a lot more beside. If you're curious about it all as I was, this is a great book to read first.

A really good introduction to the Mongols packed with information also really enjoyed the further reading section as it offers more places to find more books on the subject

Great book with a good insight in the Mongol history. Shows that they're not solely the brutes they are often described as, not solely the patrons of art, but that the truth is somewhere in the middle

Great short introduction to a huge area of history- good price too - fabulous series of books

v. Good