The Secret History of the Mongols: The Life and Times of Chinggis Khan (Institute of East Asian studies)
Professor Urgunge Onon,Urgunge Onon | 2001-07-20 00:00:00 | Routledge | 298 | Asia
There has long been a need for a scholarly English edition of the great 13th century historical epic, The Secret History of the Mongols, the only surviving Mongol source about the empire. The book is mainly about the life and the career of Chinggis Khan, his ancestors and his rise to power. Chinggis Khan was a consummate manipulator of the complex system of alliances which existed between diverse tribes, and through a combination of armed force and diplomacy, he managed to merge them into a powerful confederacy which swept across most of Eurasia, starting in 1215. Urgunge Onon's fresh translation brings out the excitement of this epic with its wide-ranging commentaries on military and social conditions, religion and philosophy, while remaining faithful to the original text.
Reviews
While I agree with other reviewers that this is a better translation than Cleaves, it is not very well-sourced. Onon makes many assertions based on "I know this because I am a Mongol" which are not, as far as I can tell, supportable. I would recommend Onon for his readability, but the two-volume Igor De Rachewiltz translation has far better annotations and commentary for scholarly purposes. Onon's assertions (especially about Buddhism in the Mongol Empire) should probably be taken with numerous grains of salt.
Neither translation is particularly affordable for the average person, which is why we have interlibrary-loan.
Reviews
Interested in Mongols' History? Think you know Chinggis khaan (Genghis Khan)? If you haven't read this book gotta have this one then. Without it you don't know a thing about Chinggis khaan. There are lots of translations of "The Secret History of the Mongols." But this. This is the best translation work! Urgunge Onon's translation is incomparable with other translations.
Reviews
This is an excellent translation of the Mongoliin Nuuts Tovchoo (Secret History of the Mongols). It is much more accurate that the Francis Cleaves edition. Onon fixes Cleaves' mistakes and explains why they are wrong. There are also good explanations of the mistakes of many of the Chinese interlinear notes in the early manuscript. Besides the outrageous price, this book is a "must have!"
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