The Mongols

The 13th century "Secret History of the Mongols, covering the great ?inggis Qan's (1162-1227) ancestry and life, stands out as a literary monument of first magnitude. Written partly in prose and partly in epic poetry, it is the major native source on ?inggis Qan, also dealing with part of the reign of his son and successor Vgvdei (1229-41). This true handbook contains an historical introduction, a full translation of the chronicle in accessible English, "plus an extensive commentary. Indispensable for the historian, the Sino-Mongolist, the Altaic philologist, and anyone interested in comparative literature and Central Asian folklore.