Book review: In the Empire of Genghis Khan

What is it about Britain that makes its people such tireless travellers and explorers? Perhaps it's that Britain is so small and -- let's face it -- dreary. Want to climb mountains? The highest is Mount Snowdon, nice enough but merely a pimple on the face of America or China. Want to go to the end of the world? In Cornwall you will find Land's End, which on an excitement scale of 1 to 10 rates -1. But I digress...

Britain has produced far more than her share of great travellers and travel writers. My list of great American travel writers would include Mark Twain, Paul Theroux (his novels suck, though) and Bill Bryson, who has taken up residence in Old Blighty so is only half-American.

My list of British travel writers worth reading is much longer: Graham Greene, Redmond O'Hanlon, Christina Dodwell, Jan Morris, Dervla Murphy, Bruce Chatwin, Cash Peters (see "Book Review: Gullible's Travels"), Tony Horwitz (see "Book Review: Baghdad Without a Map"), and others whose names I'll remember as soon as I post this.

Now let me add Stanley Stewart, author of In the Empire of Genghis Khan: A Journey Among Nomads (Flamingo 2001). Having often been called "a perfect little Mongol" by his mother, Stewart developed a fascination with the Mongols, the Golden Horde and Genghis Khan, which led him to attempt a ride (on horseback) across the homeland of the Mongol Horde's descendants.

His journey took him a thousand miles across Mongolia, from Olgii to Dadal, near which Genghis Khan is rumoured to have been buried. No-one knows for sure, as every last one of those involved in preparing his final resting place and conveying him thither was slaughtered.

In the Empire of Genghis Khan is roughly one-third history (see preceding paragraph), one-third descriptive geography (lots of pretty word pictures and a handful of photos), and one-third ethnography. It is full of bizarre encounters and colourful characters. The chapter entitled "The Wedding Battle" is not to be missed. Here's a summary: "A wedding receiption where you got to give your new in-laws a good thumping was the kind of thing that people in the West could only dream about."

Stewart's book is, as the cover blurb promises "a thrilling tale of adventure and an evocative portrait of a medieval land marooned in a modern world". If, like Walt, you are a fan of the travel adventure genre, you're sure to like it.