In the Empire of Genghis Khan

by Stanley Stewart

Vivid, hilarious, and compelling, this eagerly awaited book takes its place among the travel classics. It is a thrilling tale of adventure, a comic masterpiece, and an evocative portrait of a medieval land marooned in the modern world. Eight and a half centuries ago, under Genghis Khan, the Mongols burst forth from Central Asia in a series of spectacular conquests that took them from the Danube to the Yellow Sea. Their empire was seen as the final triumph of the nomadic "barbarians." In this remarkable book Stanley Stewart sets off on a pilgrimage across the old empire, from Istanbul to the distant homeland of the Mongol hordes. The heart of his odyssey is a thousand-mile ride, traveling by horse, through trackless land.

On a journey full of bizarre characters and unexpected encounters, he crosses the desert and mountains of central Asia to arrive at the windswept grasslands of the steppes, the birthplace of Genghis Khan.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, History, Asia, Adventure, Travelogue, Memoir

296 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Stanley Stewart FRSL is a writer. He is the author of three travel books: Old Serpent Nile, Frontiers of Heaven and In the Empire of Genghis Khan about journeys to the source of the Nile, through China to Xinjiang province, and across Mongolia by horse. The last two books both won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, in 1996 and 2001 respectively, making Stewart the only writer, with Jonathan Raban, to have won this prestigious award twice. He is a contributing editor at Conde Nast Traveller UK. His work appears in various periodicals including the Sunday Times, the Daily Telegraph, and National Geographic Traveler, and has been included in numerous anthologies on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2008 he was named the Magazine Writer of the year. He was born in Ireland, grew up in Canada, and has spent most of his adult life in the UK.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of Stanley Stewart's excellent travel books - this one won the Thomas Cook Travel Book award in 2001.

Here the author heads for Mongolia, by horse, using the well tested Orto system, like the messengers of Genghis Khan - hiring horses and a guide to travel a short distance, before being passed to a new guide with new horses - sensible, in that neither the guide nor the horses are taken out of their comfort zone, nor sphere of knowledge.

The author commences in Istanbul (ok not on horse yet), taking a ship to Sevastopol (Ukraine), then into Russia and Kazakhstan before flying into Mongolia.
The travel is extensive, and the author put in the hard yards. A good mixture of the physicality of travel, some history and some sideline stories. Well written, amusing and informative.

Some amusing bits:
P91:
Dinner was served. A young ram had just been slaughtered and as a special treat a plastic washing bowl of sheep parts was laid before us. Knives were handed around and we were invited to dip in and carve ourselves a few delicacies. Mongolian's don't believe in wasting any of their beloved sheep. Everything was in there, floating in a sort of primeval ooze: lungs, stomach, bladder, brain, intestines, eyeballs, teeth, genitals. It was a lucky sheep dip; you were never sure what you were going to pull out. I fished carefully, not too keen on finding myself with the testicles. My first go produced an object that resembled an old purse dredged up from the bottom of stagnant canal. It tasted of boiled rubber. I think it might have been an ear. I had better luck with the intestines which were surprisingly good, and once brought to the surface, went on for quite a while.
Sated with sheep guts, we settled into an after-dinner chat.

P103-4:
The eagle was perched on a boulder a short distance from the ger with a rather feeble looking tether round one of its legs. The bird would have made a doberman look small. It stood almost three feet high. Its curved beak was the size of a carving knife. But its most striking features were its eyes, cold, black and penetrating. They were eyes made for the malevolent stare, and at the moment the eyes were staring malevolently at me. I don't think the bird had seen a foreigner before.
As Orolobai lifted the eagle gently, and settled it on his arm, it never took its eyes off me. I tried to act nonchalant. I looked away; perhaps the bird didn't like anyone staring back. I gazed at some distant hills. I examined my boots. It was at this point that I realised with a start that I was wearing a sheepskin jerkin. I glanced up. The eagle was still staring at me, his head slightly cocked. It occurred to me that he had mistaken me for a stray lamb.
He stretched his wings - the wingspan was over six feet - and even Orolobai cowered. I slipped the jacket off, very slowly, and dropped it at arm's length to one side. Almost immediately the bird lunged toward it. Almost pulled off his feet Orolobai lurched forward, and in an instant the bird was on my jacket sinking his talons into the fleece and savaging it with his hideous beak.
"Seems to like that jacket" Orolobai panted, struggling to pull the great bird away. But I was already halfway to the ger and moving fast.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jan 27, 615am ~~ Review asap.

1pm ~~ In the first years after the breakup of the Soviet Union, many adventurers rushed off to Mongolia for a chance to see what life was like in a country that everyone knows about but few have actually experienced. Stanley Stewart makes all apparently expected stops: a visit with a shaman, meeting a man who hunts with eagles, riding across country making use of traditional Mongolian hospitality towards guests. Every other such travel book I have read features the same events, just in different doses and with different perspectives, depending on the author's personality.

The back cover claims this is "a thrilling tale of adventure, a comic masterpiece, and an evocative portrait of a medieval land marooned in the modern world".

I'm not sure I would go quite that far, but it is an interesting book. Stewart does not weigh you down with too much history, just enough to appreciate where you (well, he) is at. And even though he seems to describe most of the Mongolian women as either wrestlers or with huge bosoms, he seems mostly to respect the people he meets. He eats what is offered without whining too much, and he seems able to accept that conditions are not five star anywhere along the way.

I would like to see some of the people that rushed to Mongolia 22 years ago go back and have another look. What differences are there now compared with the almost shell-shocked atmosphere so many found at the time? One of the men the author meets explains that he grew up in the Soviet system and now that the country was a democracy almost overnight, he felt too old, tired, and scared to even try and adapt. Understandable, but not everyone felt that way.

The Mongolia Stewart visited was in a major transition phase. This book captures that moment and Stewart's reactions to being in a place he had dreamed of for years. I wonder what he would see and feel if he went back for another visit?

[Nina Ive · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I had expected this book to be a pilgrimage to the homelands of Genghis Khan, it was less about Genghis Khan and more about the nomadic way of life. The Irish author made the five month journey across Mongolia, through the Gobi desert by horse. He used a range of guides and interpreters along the way and stayed in the traditional Ger.

He showed an incredible respect for their way of life, never flinching at the diet consisting of vodka, sheep parts (every part) and fermented milk (airag), in fact he seemed to relish the lack of fruit and vegetables. He always interspersed his adventures with a narrative of local history which was usually a mixture of religious and political facts, generally the influence of Russia and China and the rise and fall of communism.

Some of the history was brand new to me. Why have I never heard of this guy from 1921 Baron von Ungern-Sternberg? He “embarked upon a brief but energetic period of office marked by barbarism and civic amenities. He started a bus service, organized electricity supplies, built several bridges, published a newsletter and founded a veterinary laboratory. On his own time he was flogging legions of prisoners to death and feeding them to his private pack of wolves.”

The author also unearthed early literature such as the Secret History of the Mongols written in the 1200’s and the journey of the Franciscan Friar William of Rubruck. Friar William’s book of travels predated that of Marco Polo, and was apparently “of much higher claims than any one series of Polo’s chapters, but William suffered the fate of many worthy authors. A bad publisher. His book never achieved the circulation of Polo’s accounts.”

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Mongolia and the early history of the empires. For example, I hadn’t realised that the Mongols had reached Vienna and were about to breach into Europe but the death of their leader Ogedai sent them all galloping back to attend a quriltai. The great clan meeting of that age included festivities such as horse races and a negotiated new successor to power. “No one wanted to waste time sacking the cities of Christendom when there was a race meeting to attend.”

[Yasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book with a very amusing account of the author's visit to Mongolia. He didn't side with any one historical version of the history of Mongolia, he wasn't biased or romantic or looked at any thing with rosy tinted glasses. He wrote what he saw and what people felt about Mongolia and the Mongolians. To modern travellers you could even say his methods in travelling and the people and how he met them was unorthodox and he didn't shy away from anything. If anything for me I wished the book would have gone on just a bit longer, but the proverbial horses were tired and the pastures were bare so where it rested was the best place. To my way of thinking Stanley Stewart is a rare travel writer and I'm rather glad that he is. But some times you were not sure whether to laugh out loud or be silently bemused, I think tho' largely that is how life is, well moments of it anyway. Whether you don't know if you should laugh out loud or be silently bemused. It's a roaring good tale which ever it is. There are few roaring good tales of travel stroies, indeed with others at the end of the day you wonder if they in fact enjoyed themselves and weren't really inside screaming to go home to the familiar and the comforts. I think travel writers have the most difficult jobs next to prose writing. How do you make your written account sufficently enjoyable and at the same time informative without it seemingly like viewing the usual tourist views while a friend/companion minds the bags while the other attmepts to communicate with the natives? Taken loosely from a favourite movie, Enchanted April, which is rather like a Stanley Stewart book brought to the movie screen. Well Stanley Stewart got into the nitty gritty of Mongolian life, succeeded without being patronising and most importantly enjoyed himself and the reader along with him. I can't wait to read more of his books!

[Suzanne Auckerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! It validates so many experiences that I have had that when I tell people, their response is, "Yea! Sure".

I read this on a flight that was diverted because of a medical emergency. I hope the person is fine, but I must admit the delay was fine as I was so involved in the book. Many times I laughed out.

[Vinothraj · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most mentions of Genghis Khan in the book, were of Genghis Khan Vodka and its potency. Friar William's tale is mostly near the end of the book. A well-written book for travelogue fans, not for seekers of Mongolian history.

[Lisa McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Stanley Stewart weren't so well behaved, I think I'd have given this book five stars. When he doesn't try so hard to be literary, Stewart tells some whopping good tales about his adventures crossing vast Mongolia on horseback.
In the same paragraph, Stewart can delight and frustrate me. Here's an example of a passage that curdled my admiration:
"The emptiness was startling. Mongolia made the sky, with its baroque clouds, seem clouded and fussy." That's all good. And then...
"A few trees appeared." Promising enough. "Having stumbled into the wrong landscape, they clustered together in the lee of a hill trying to keep out of the wind." Stumbling, clustering trees. Oh, my! Has Elsinore invaded Mongolia? I found myself wishing Stewart had left Shakespeare (and Tolkien) back home.
But I'm glad he brought Pushkin.
There's a lovely passage in which Stewart encounters "a tall ramshackle figure with a bony face and unruly thatch of hair," just over the Kazakhstan border, who accuses Stewart (in French) of having the same character flaws as Eugene Onegin. 'He was never satisfied. He needed always a new horizon. Un romantique...unable to form attachments...a nomad...emotional dilettante.'"
Stewart expects he'll be judged less harshly by the actual nomads of Mongolia. Therein lies the biggest surprise of the book.

[Idiosyncratic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It makes you think Mongolia is one of the most astonishing, enchanting places you could ever go. Unfortunately, to see it that way for yourself, you'd have to have Stanley Stewart right at your elbow, interpreting every experience for you along the way. This man is more of a poet than a travel writer. He makes even fairly mundane landscapes sound utterly breath-taking - e.g. "The country on the far side was inhabited by poplars standing spaciously apart, and we rode through the latticework of their shadows where the winds had drifted the fallen leaves into curving currents. With their arboreal vaults, the trees had the air of memorial architecture." He is also brilliant at painting amusing portraits of what many of us would likely find pure boorish behaviour in "real" life. I would never have enjoyed the outrageously drunken Mongolian wedding he attended had I been there in person, but it was wonderful to read his experience of this alcohol-soaked brawl. (Having said that, I have read reviews of this book by others who have travelled in Mongolia who say this is a cynical, condescending and incorrect portrayal of Mongolians.)

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say I've read many books about Mongolia--I can recall only one other--but it's hard to imagine any being better than this one. The writing here is first-rate--perceptive, often lyrical, always interesting. The narrative itself documents a journey for the ages, a trip from Istanbul across the reaches of Central Asia to the Mongol homeland, the last nation of nomads left on planet Earth. Once there, the magic of Mongolia unfolds as the author traverses nearly the entire country from west to east, mostly on horseback, finally arriving at Dadal, the birthplace of Genghis Khan. Throughout, Stewart interweaves vivid geographical description with thoughtful discussions of Mongol history, culture, and the memorable individuals he chanced to encounter along the way. Vicariously accompanying Stewart on this trip of a lifetime was indeed a privilege and a pleasure. This book deserves to stand alongside the best travel literature I've ever read--Paul Theroux, Donald Ritchie, H.V. Morton, W. Somerset Maugham. From me, that's very high praise.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic work of travel literature. Stewart's writing is unusual in its combination of historical background on the region (central Asia) and astute/moving/hilarious observations on his interactions with the people that he runs into. A lot of travel lit sounds the same - "my amazing summer in ___," etc, but Stewart's trip across Central Asia is unique because the region is so unknown in general, and also because his own personal style of writing is so eclectic and fun - you have history, dialogue, museum review, etc. He's sort of like a much less nasty, slightly less intellectual Robert Byron. A terrific read - one of my favorite books.

[Erin Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess the wonderful thing about Goodreads is that everyone can have an opinion. I, for one, loved Mr. Stewart's "florid" writing; it gave me hope that travelogues needn't all be staid and unromantic.

It's an amusing and very knowledgeable look at a people that most of us know nothing about, told with candor and sympathy for a land that has never had a very easy time of things.

Mongolia is on my bucket-list, and I'll be bringing this book along with me when I go. And some of my own tea. And maybe vodka. For gifts, of course.

[JM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining. Some bloke who has not ridden a horse since childhood goes on a trek across Mongolia on horseback. Interwoven with the travelogue is Mongolian history, Genghis to post-Communist. Well written, I particularly enjoyed the author's turns of phrase. The wedding brawl was hilarious!!

[Ben Rand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, lyrical account of a journey through lands most of us will never see. Read this as an introduction to the mysterious country of Mongolia, where my son will soon be living two years of his life.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic travel book and Mongolia is an amazing country. It has been more than a decade since I have been there, but this book hit the nail on the head 10 years ago. I want to read it again and visit Mongolia one more time.

[Colin Ring · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent travel book. Funny and perceptive. can't believe I haven't read him before. Looking forward to his other books!

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the author's perspective were interesting at times and his travels seemingly more authentic, Stewart's comedy style might not be my taste and left me wanting more insight from the people he met than his own interpretation. The final two to three chapters are the strongest part of this book in my opinion.

[Perry Whitford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rare, illuminating trek through one of the most isolated nations on Earth.

Mongolia is huge in size, low on population, with a way of life virtually untouched by the march of civilizations, adhering to the same nomadic culture lived by Genghis Khan and his ancient descendants over millennia.

Irishman Stanley follows the trail first traversed and chronicled by a Westerner in the mid 13th century, a fat french clergyman, Friar William of Rubruck, a number of years before Marci Polo did the same.

Stanley proves to be a wry, likable host. Highlights include an impromptu, bilingual rendering of Chekov's The Three Sisters with an octogenarian actor / caretaker / usher to the empty seats of a dilapidated Soviet-built theater in the desolate town of Hovd; a visit to a strangely timid shaman and his business-savvy wife; and the paranoid behaviour of a downbeat librarian.

As you can tell from that, although adept at describing the culture, history and terrain of the world's second communist state, it's his perceptions about the people he meets that distinguishes Stanley as a travel writer. He seems pretty out-going and genial, with a highly observant eye.

Though not an equestrian he rides across the majority of the steppes on horseback as the nomads do, has to eat most of the parts of a sheep, outside and in (ovaries anyone?), and gets robbed Mongolina style, the thief leaving his expensive camera and settling for his digestive biscuits.

I don't think I could undertake this journey, but I enjoyed reading about it and learnt much about an incredible country, one which, apart from for one devastating spell, has kept itself entirely outside of world affairs.

Fascinating and entertaining in equal measure.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like good travel writing. And since anything about Mongolia was new to me, I found this book entertaining. Stewart has a good sense of humor and is a facile writer. He goes to Mongolia to experience the nomadic way of life. But the only picture he leaves you with of the Mongolian people is that the men are frequently blind drunk, the point of life is finding good pasturage for your sheep, and racing horses can be lots of fun. The people are friendly and hospitable. I expect there is more to it than that, but Stewart didn't give any insight into what drives the people or what the beauty of their way of life might be. There are some side lights about the imposed Communism experiment there, but again, no surprises. Beautiful descriptions of the vast grasslands, the night sky, the mountain ranges, the unspoiled landscape.
Stewart seems like a seasoned traveller who wanted to get a book out of this trip. Light entertainment.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Stewart is a fine author and his knack for capturing comedic, ironic moments, inevitable on any long trip, made me laugh out loud frequently. On the downside, there were too many paragraphs that were identical in purpose and description. I don't know how many times a reader needs to understand that there were "baroque clouds", "low ridges", or "trailing shadows". Had he cut back a little on the excessively florid language, the book would have been better for it. Nonetheless, it is worth reading for the humor and for the insights it gives into the Mongolian culture.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motivated to read this book after seeing the 2007 film "Mongol," and intrigued by the its credentials as Thomas Cook Travel Book of the Year and Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Travel essay, I was still rather disappointed that the writer lingered for 3/4 of the book before reaching his goal then rushed through the very lands that defined and created the great Khan. Stewart may be in the mold of Kapuscinski and Bryson, but in this book he doesn't quite rise to either of them.

[Joyceling]

Fascinating account of travel from Istanbul to Mongolia east of Ulan Batur, primarily on horseback in Mongolia. Amusingly wry descriptions of current nomadic life along with reference to early travelers' reports. Living mostly on mutton, socializing and sleeping in "gers", and probably destroying his liver! This trip was made at the end of the 1990s after Mongolia's release from Russian rule.


" rs" and probably destroying his liver

[Dlchambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author sets out to retrace the path of Ghengis Khan, who, in the 12th century, conquered an empire that ranged from China to Moscow to Baghdad, and was on the verge of attacking Western Europe when he stopped and returned home. The book is a good read of travelling thru former Soviet states and the attempts by and results of both China and the USSR to dominate Mongolia

[Alex Klaushofer · Rating 4 out of 5]

So there I was, at a festival in Wales and it was raining so hard you couldn't even open the tent flap without getting soaked. And I didn't like the one book I had with me.

Eventually I staggered through the mud to the campsite secondhand bookstall. And found this. A lifesaver. It rained all day, so I read all day. Great travel writing, and funny too.

[Snicketts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glorious! This is how to write travel books. Laugh out loud in places, in others it is moving and touching. Part history, part observation, it is written with a lightness and surety that is almost too beautiful for a travelogue. I picked it up for the subject, but I will be looking up other titles for Stewart's intelligent, stylish writing.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was amazed (and I think the author was too) at how the daily life of most modern Mongolians is so similar to life during the height of the Mongolian empire. Even in cities, the "suburbs" are still collections of gers and airaig is still the preferred alcoholic drink. This is a good companion book to read alongside Conn Iggulden's Conqueror series.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am usually not a big fan of history merged with travelogue. It tends to great on me. I either want straight nature and/or ruins or straight history. But this one had both the self aware humor and the right timing to really leave a mark on me. I read it the month before I went off-straight after high school graduation-to spend a summer in Mongolia. It was good preparation.

[Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author writes the most interesting sentences and paragraphs. I kept trying to grasp the form of the sentences to see why; and to see why they are often so funny, too.

I love books like this that give ever-deepening insights into the life and culture of a people in a far away, remote land.

[Ashley Memory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little gem made me want to go to Mongolia, which I had previously unfairly viewed as the most desolate place on earth. Not so! Can't say that I'd sip fermented mare's milk but everything else about this odyssey was strangely alluring and utterly unforgettable.

[Elli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeously written journey through the steppes of Mongolia. Hard to put down the book with its droll observations and dead pan humor. Beware of the horse with a man's name - is a prediction by a fortuneteller-librarian that really sticks and rather sadly comes true inevitably for the author.

[Tuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

winner of the thomas cook travel book of the year award
road horses across most of mongolia. doesn't bother with the nitty-gritty, but paints the county sized cloud shadows nicely.