Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford

This ground-breaking biography reframes the legacy of the Mongol leader, demonstrating how his conquests helped forge our interconnected global society. Rather than a mere barbarian destroyer, he is revealed as a progressive reformer who abolished torture, instituted universal religious freedom, promoted free trade, and expanded global diplomacy. By creating vast trade routes, unified postal networks, and meritocratic governance, his empire laid the structural foundations of modern civilization.