Posted by Selena Travel / 12 25, 2024
Beyond your Lonely Planet, Fodor’s, or other travel guidebooks you might want to spend some time reading, listening, or watching various media about Mongolia. Part of the fun, for me, in travel is the research, planning, and anticipation that precedes the actual trip. This list is not exhaustive! There are plenty of resources out there, these are simply some that I can personally recommend.
To Read:
● Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford (nonfiction)
● The Secret History of the Mongol Queens by Jack Weatherford (nonfiction)
● Genghis Khan and the Quest for God: How the World's Greatest Conqueror Gave Us Religious Freedom by Jack Weatherford
● Genghis Khan: Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden (fiction), first of a series
● The Horse Boy: A Father’s Quest to Heal his Son by Rupert Isaacson (nonfiction)
● The Blue Sky by Galsan Tschinag (fiction), first of a trilogy based on the life of the author--written in German, translated to English
● Wolf Totem: A Novel by Jiang Rong (fiction), recently made into a movie
To Watch:
● The Eagle Huntress (2016)
● The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003)
● Babies (2010)
● The Horse Boy (2009)
● “Ulaanbaatar: City of Nomads,” four part piece you can view on YouTube (2012)
● The Cave of the Yellow Dog (2005)
● Mongol (2007)
To Listen to:
● “Wrath of the Khans,” a Hardcore History Podcast series by Dan Carlin
****This is by far my NUMBER ONE recommendation--I learned SO much from this extensive podcast--it is thoroughly researched and supported with numerous source material. You will learn the history of Mongolia by learning about Chinggis Khan and his impact on the nation and greater world.
If you found another source or material that you think travelers would enjoy, please post it below in the “Comments”--we can build a growing list for those that come after us! Cheers and Happy Travels to you.
