But Ratchnevsky is the top of the line reference to Temujin and his amzing life. He weighs the evidence and directs the reader to the lesser known aspects of Temujin's life.
Nowhere else will you find mentioned that Temujin probably had disappeared for ten years to China before his comeback in the late 1190ies.
Few point out that Temujin was not the most daring of men, more of a planner than a fighter and not above saving himself first.
Rachnevskies book paints a less glorious, but much more realistic and human picture of the man who changed the world forever. Temujin's actions have been accounted for in many sources, but few allow us to understand his motives.
Instead of inventing awe inspiring moments, as Lamb does, and putting words into the mouth of the man, Rachnevsky presents the different sources and versions diligently; and strangely, this allows a better understanding who this great Mongol was than all the literary fancy of Lamb or the sycophantic impropabilities of Malik Juvayni.
Lamb and Malik Juvayni have their own merits, and are a must have for all who want to explore this amazing part of history, but without Rachnevskies scholarly integrity, true understanding would elude most.
Not for the casual reader, but Temujin deserves on less than full attention.
This book is indeed a little confusing, given all those proper names. Despite its conciseness, it is not written for the casual reader. I confess I have trouble understanding it. I advise those of us who are not experts in Asian history to read the relevant chapters in Frederick Mote's "Imperial China," which I think is very instructive on the Mongol period, and has a good deal to say about Timujin (Genghis) himself, from his ancestry and birth on.
