Empire of the Steppes

For a thousand years Europe, Asia Minor and China were periodically terrorized by the barbarian warriors who appeared from the bleak steppes of Asia. These nomadic conquerors were variously called Huns, Mongols and sometimes Turks and they were led by men whose names still strike a not of awe: Attila, Jenghiz Khan, Tamerlane. Professor Grousset describes the origins and accomplishments of these men and their peoples, their rise and decline as builders of empire, their ways of life, and the forces which they controlled and to which they themselves ultimately fell victim. His approach is chronological, and his coverage is comprehensive and synthetic. The rather textbookish format of the book is countered by Naomi Walford's sprightly translation, and the overall impression is one of high readability. The book is in every way superior to the author's Epic of the Crusades (1969, p. 1237); indeed it qualifies as a major achievement of this eminent Orientalist. (Kirkus Reviews)