Genghis Khan was the greatest conqueror in the history of mankind. His empire stretched from the Pacific to Central Europe, including all of China, the Middle East, and Russia. How was the illiterate nomad of Central Asia able to conquer half the world and outshine Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon with his power? Frank McLynn answers these and other questions in his book, combining descriptions of campaigns and battles with an essay on the life, culture and folk customs of the Mongols.