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Rating: 
Summary: Persistent sarcasm saps an otherwise first-rate travelogue
Review: An award-winning travel writer decides to make a trip on horseback across one of the most unknown and unforgiving terrains - to Westerners - on the planet and then to write about his journey. We have certain expectations. We'll learn something about the people and their customs. The scenery and landscape will be revealed as novel and inspiring. The region's history will be uncovered. Or perhaps the book will be filled with adventures and mishaps that make for good story-telling."In the Empire of Genghis Khan" is made up all those elements, and author Stanley Stewart handles most of them especially well. Others, not so well. Stewart begins with a crossing from Istanbul to the western edge of Mongolia on slightly modern conveyances. He intends to roughly follow the path of a 13th century missionary, Friar William of Rubruck. These first legs of the journey are indeed characterized by situations and characters whose portrayals remind a reader of a Joseph Conrad novel. Once in Mongolia, Stewart saddles up his first horse. He uses the Friar's account as a foil for contrasting with his own 20th century encounters. But the author is most successful when describing the Mongolian countryside, which has changed little from that earlier exploration. In this Stewart's language is evocative and crisp, capable of creating a truly unique atmospheric texture. Otherwise, Stewart writes in a slight but persistent mocking tone. This sardonic tinge spares only the landscape, the occasional attractive woman, and the author's own thoughts. Mongolian customs and most Mongolians are treated with more than a trace of condescension. Even Mongolian hospitality which seems to the reader engaging and unfailing is treated with subtle derision. And Stewart proves to be an equal-opportunity derider, mocking Russians in a way that calls up the usual stereotypes. Some of this Stewart pulls off in humorous fashion. But the incessant mockery leaves the reader questioning the author's ability to truly appreciate a different way of life. It's an odd weakness - or choice - for a serial traveler. As he recounts his journey, Stewart educates us on Mongolian history. The Genghis Kahn story is integrated with the travelogue in effective fashion. As for more recent history, the author provides only the minimally requisite facts until near the end. Then in the penultimate chapter he unloads the details of the Soviet occupation and eventual withdrawal in somewhat textbook fashion. Although fascinating enough in its interplay with aspects of Mongolian character, the chapter seems perfunctory and of little real interest to Stewart. But these failures of nuance are continually redeemed by Stewart's descriptions when actually on horseback, seemingly alone with the elements. Here Stewart seems to have an inexhaustible supply of on-target metaphors. Crystalline sentences convey a real sense of why travel to new reaches is always compelling, even when vicarious.
Rating: 
Summary: Humiliating
Review: An insult to all Mongolians. In my Mongolian extensive travels I never saw Mongolians as this writer describes them. Instead I found the Mongolians to be kind, considerate and a joy to meet. This author needs to rethink his writing motives. Just to be humerous he degrades fine poeple. Not a book I would recomend.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book, though there is a bit of sarcasm
Review: I found this to be a great book that kept me reading late into the night. There is a bit of sarcasm at times, but I didn't find it enough to take away from the book. He portrays the Mongolians as people; with all the quirks that that word entails. He brought to life a country shrouded in mystery, and content with their way of life.
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Summary: Mongolian Dream!
Review: I very much enjoyed this travel book! I especially like the lead-in, Stanley does not just drop into Mongolia - he leads the reader across Asia and into Mongolia through history and beautiful transitions. It is tough to believe he passed up so many female opportunities. But I am hoping he was just being British! I enjoyed his positive humorous outlook on all the people that crossed his path.
Rating: 
Summary: Degrading
Review: i'm currently planning a trip to mongolia and this book has inspired me further. the photos are fantastic, especially the one of the eagle hunter. the author likes his history and explains the goings on at the court of the khan in the 12th century in a way that brings it to life. the characters he meets during his journey are very sympathetically rendered and very real-sounding. and he is self-deprecating in a british way so there is some great humour. highly recommended if you're planning a trip to mongolia as it describes all the weirdness you will probably encounter realistically.
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Summary: mongolia by horseback
Review: i'm currently planning a trip to mongolia and this book has inspired me further. the photos are fantastic, especially the one of the eagle hunter. the author likes his history and explains the goings on at the court of the khan in the 12th century in a way that brings it to life. the characters he meets during his journey are very sympathetically rendered and very real-sounding. and he is self-deprecating in a british way so there is some great humour. highly recommended if you're planning a trip to mongolia as it describes all the weirdness you will probably encounter realistically.
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Summary: Travelogue
Review: It's quite good as a travel journal, the author is a bit sardonic about his observations.
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Summary: Outstanding!!!
Review: Since 1980, the Thomas Cook Travel Book of the Year has been considered the travel writing equivalent to the Booker or Pulitzer, and this Stewart's second book to win the prestigious honor. The book's framework is Stewart's plan to travel from roughly the western edge of the 12th-century Mongol empire to the mountain in eastern Mongolia where Ghengis Khan was buried. The first quarter of the book covers his trip from Istanbul to the the Crimea on a decrepit Russian cargo ship, across Ukraine, Russia, and Kazakhstan by train, and by air into Mongolia. This is all warmup for Mongolia itself, as he intersperses the history Mongol conquest with that of a proselytizing mission made by a Franciscan monk to the Mongol court in 1253, as well as his own encounters with a gun-toting teenage Russian smuggler, a Dickens-loving Russian procuress, and various lonely souls. Once in Mongolia, Stewart switches to horseback, as his plan is to ride over 1,000 miles across its breadth. With a succession of translators, guides, and horses, he find that the happiest and healthiest Mongols live virtually the same nomadic lives as their ancestors of five centuries ago. Even accounting for a certain degree of romanticization of the countryside, it's hard to find anything redeeming about the settlements he passes through. Virtually all are crumbling towns with few permanent residents beyond a mayor, policeman, and a few other caretakers. These regional centers are ugly concrete legacies of the Soviet era which have been largely abandoned since the end of Soviet aid and seem destined to return to the earth. Out in the countryside, Stewart meets innumerable nomads, takes part in a wedding, visits a shaman, goes to a festival which includes horse-races and wrestling, and generally finds the people to be friendly and curious. Of course the landscape features prominently, and people with horses may find themselves yearning to across the world to ride next to history's most famous horsemen. The real pleasure of the book is that while Stewart does all these fascinating things, he writes about it in simply stunning prose liberally sprinkled with humor and heart. [...] It's a fascinating and funny book, and one that should read by anyone with an interest in other cultures. One interesting footnote: in discussing the book, several professional reviews have said that the Mongolian nomadic life will likely "die out in our lifetime." This is directly opposite to what Stewart describes! He is very clear that the nomadic lifestyle is the only one which makes much sense in a country like Mongolia, and that the vast majority of people prefer not to live in urban areas!
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Summary: Native Mongolian blasts truth of travel book
Review: The more I read this book the more I feel humiliated as a Mongolian who was born in the countryside and grew up among these people. This book is too far from the truth. Of course, I admire the author's courage to travel across Mongolia by horse, but the difficulties he had while traveling and his negative attitude can not be blamed on country people with big hearts who tried to be kind and to show their warmest hospitality in every way they could. Indeed they were responsible for his survival many times. His description of people was racist and portrayed them as primitive and ugly. As a Mongolian, I am extremely offended by his views and opinions of my country and I definitely would not recommend this book as a valid picture of Mongolia and its people. However, I thought his description of the countryside and history was very accurate and complimentary.
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