The oldest known Mongolian text -- and most important Mongolian source of events during the Empire. It's a 13th-century account of the life of Chingis Khan written two decades after his death (from the Chinese version of the story "Tuan Ch'ao Pi Shih"). Paul Kahn captures the spirit of the original story in this translation into colloquial English as an epic poem in the oral tradition of Homer and Virgil. It's a heroic tribute rich in details daily life, history and culture of the nomadic clans of Central Asia. With an excellent explanatory introduction, maps and genealogy.This edition, based on the translation by Francis Woodman Cleaves, also includes "The Death of Chingis Khan," a commemoration written in the 17th century by the Mongolian historian Sagang Sechen.  (MGL20, $27.95)