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Writer Jack Weatherford goes beyond the popular perception of Genghis Khan as a ruthless man and a bloodthirsty nomad. He presents the warrior in a different light presenting him as a progressive leader who encouraged the right to one’s own religion belief among other aspects. The novel also touches upon the role of Mongol women as administrators

Jack Weatherford’s Genghis Khan and the making of the Modern World looks at the rise of Genghis Khan along with throwing light on the various aspects of the Mongol empire. Through his writings Jack Weatherford has touched upon the impact of Mongols in different parts of Asia and Europe.

From the very beginning the writer draws the viewers into the world of the Mongols and Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan’s gradual rise to power and glory has been excellently documented. Even before he reached the age of 10 the father was poisoned, and the family was excluded from the clan. They had to survive in an extremely harsh environment. Additionally, Genghis Khan was kept as a slave for many years.

Jack Weatherford has focused a lot on the formative years of Genghis Khan particularly his life as a slave, the military campaigns have been given less importance, but this isn’t a major flaw as we get a psychological insight into the warrior that Genghis Khan became in the future. The description of Mongol war tactics though not so detailed still makes for a fascinating read.

A noteworthy aspect about the novel is the description of the women by Jack Weatherford. The various women mentioned in the novel come across as strong personalities. At one point they practically run the empire. Yes, they do meet an unpleasant end but still the chapters related to these women are very engrossing giving an insight into the Mongol culture.

Another fascinating aspect of the book is how the Mongol innovations spread across boundaries. Connecting both the east and the west they were able to build a global economy and also an early modern globalization. In fact, many of the modern world features can be attributed to Genghis Khan and his followers.

The various aspects of the Mongol reign that include introduction of paper currency, tolerance towards subjects who practiced different religions also make the book very interesting. However, the many positive aspects of the Mongol reign may across as too patronizing for some readers making them question the authenticity.

Overall Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World is a must read for those who are into history particularly for those wanting to know the other side of Genghis Khan.