Kublai Khan

School Library Journal

Most of a Westerner's knowledge of Kublai Khan comes from the tales of Marco Polo. Kublai's life encompassed far more than that fateful relationship, although one entire chapter of this book is devoted to it. The first Mongol leader to conquer and rule all of China, Kublai not only carried on the Mongol tradition of military conquest, but also became a patron of the arts and sciences. As with other titles in this series, Kublai Khan places the subject in historical context. The introductory chapter describes the Mongols' nomadic culture and points out the factors that enabled them to become a military juggernaut, conquering territories from the steppes of Russia to Indochina. In addition to giving Kublai's many successes, Dramer is fair in detailing the Khan's failed military expeditions against Japan and Java and the continual internal strife with which he dealt. Black-and-white illustrations and photographs are abundant, but there are too few detailed maps. A well-rounded portrait. --David N. Pauli, Missoula Public Library, MT