Bedtime Biography: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

Read to you by Marston York.

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World (2004) tells the fascinating story of Genghis Khan, the man who founded the great Mongol Empire. Today, he’s remembered as a ruthless, violent conqueror who thrived on bloodshed and destruction. What has largely been forgotten, though, is how he united disparate peoples, fostered trade and modernization, and advanced democracy – and in so doing, ushered in the modern world.

• History buffs
• Global citizens interested in the roots of the modern world
• Anyone with preconceived notions about the Mongol Empire

Jack Weatherford is an anthropologist, ethnographer, and former professor at Macalester College. In 2006, he received Mongolia’s Order of the Polar Star, the highest award the country can give to a foreign citizen. His written works include Genghis Khan and the Quest for God, The Secret History of the Mongol Queens, and Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World.