Dillon from MT

Engaging, important history

Revisado: 06-08-15

Where does Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This would be among the top ten.

What did you like best about this story?

The dispelling of myths that invariably go hand-in-hand with the Mongolians. The way the book is written you absolutely get a feeling for the family bonds, all set in a historical and anthropological context that I was not particularly familiar with. Genghis Khan's devotion to his wife was moving, so was the heartbreak around the ambiguity of his son's paternity (something that would have a significant impact on the shape of the world).

Which scene was your favorite?

One of the most compelling moments is when the author discusses the Europeans’ reactions to the Mongolians. They struggled to figure out where these people came from. Were they from the lands of the Three Kings, seeking the return of relics? Some thought so. Or were they Jews? Unfortunately, some also thought that, causing a violent backlash against European Jews.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Hide yo kids, hide yo wife (even if you're Mongolian).

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Ruined, possibly, by the coauthors.

Revisado: 06-08-15

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I think it would be enjoyable to many people. I generally enjoyed the story itself, but that was in spite of the writing. I generally accept the factual outline of the story. It is entirely plausible (although his loss of faith episode wasn't very convincing to me). However, it seems clear that Morten has included a healthy dose of ego, or his coauthors did so on his behalf. I hope the latter, but in either case, it made the story fairly unenjoyable.

At every turn there is a sardonic comment or editorializing about everyone else's motivations (even if spurious or unknowable to him or us). Nobody gets to hear the other side of the story; however, Morten, or his coauthors, always seems to think Morten is the most clever of all, even though it is clear from the start that he is impetuous by nature (he's been in more insular clubs than a West End aristocrat in the late 19th century and they all ended with him being forced to leave because of his personality and personal decisions that basically forced him out of them) and apparently impervious to the fact that most of his troubles throughout his entire life stem from that personality flaw. But his tendency to just keep hammering away at the stupidity of others while ignoring his own huge role, combined with pithy asides about others, was nauseating at times.

I'd be Reading and enjoying the story and just feel it coming: Morten and his coauthors are going to say something haughty about how everyone is doing everything wrong (and arrogantly attributing motivations to why they did it, even though he can't possibly confirm that) but Morten, our dear anti-hero, cannot do anything wrong. But then he wants you to feel for him. He's such a good guy because he doesn't hook up with escorts (he only asks to do coke with them), all while acting as a pimp to send a woman to an extremist to be the latter's wife, even though he himself believes it will imply her death. And he wants us to feel for him, since apparently the coke wasn't enough to make him feel better.

The story is absolutely interesting, but I can't believe nobody else has commented on how supercilious he comes across (assuming he could have been an Olympic boxer had he not become an asset-something that was his choice, assuming all the intelligence agencies through away a valuable asset (him, obviously) and could have done so much more with him had they not dropped him-something he can't fathom they might do simply because he's an unpredictable person, as shown by the book, and might have compromised other assets), while also begging for our sympathy.

Again, I would recommend the book since, apparently, this isn't something other people felt distracted from the book (based on the reviews I've seen). For me it was a slog, despite the great story.

Was Agent Storm worth the listening time?

I'd have rather read a longform article than the book so, in my personal opinion, no.

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Great narration

Revisado: 05-15-15

First time I've written a review, but I feel compelled to mention that the narrator did an excellent job. Really fantastic.

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