The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia is a 1939 book written by French historian René Grousset covering the history of Central Asia from ancient times through 1757.[1] The book covers a long arc of history, from the nomadic travels of the ancient Scythians to the final empires of the Mongols in the 18th century.[2] The work was translated into English in 1952 by Naomi Walford and republished in 1970 by Rutgers University Press.[note 1][3][4] Designed for both the lay reader searching for an introduction to the subject, as well as historians of the subject, the book covers a sweep of history covering ten centuries and centers around the careers of three major historical figures in Central Asian history, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, and Timur.[5]

The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia
Book cover
AuthorRené Grousset
TranslatorNaomi Walford
LanguageEnglish
SubjectHistory of Central Asia
GenreNon-fiction, History
PublisherRutgers University Press
Publication date
1939
Publication placeUnited States
Published in English
1970
Media typeHardcover, Paperback
Pages687
ISBN978-0-8135-0627-2
WebsiteBook website at RUP

Academic journal reviews

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  • Huddle, Frank Jr. (1971). "René Grousset. The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia. Translated from the French by Naomi Walford. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. 1970". The American Historical Review. 76 (4): 1204–1205. doi:10.1086/ahr/76.4.1204.
  • Grousset, Rene; Walford, Naomi; Luther, Kenneth Allin (1976). "Review of The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 96 (2): 295–296. doi:10.2307/599841. JSTOR 599841.
  • Sinor, Denis; Grousset, Rene (1971). "Review of The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia". The Journal of Asian Studies. 30 (3): 633–638. doi:10.1017/S0021911800154919. JSTOR 2052468.
  • Grousset, René; Huddle, Frank (1971). "Review of The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia, René Grousset". The American Historical Review. 76 (4): 1204–1205. doi:10.2307/1849340. JSTOR 1849340.
  • Grousset, René; Walford, Naomi; Penrose, G. Larry (1972). "Review of The Empire of the Steppes. A History of Central Asia, René Grousset". Journal of Asian History. 6 (2): 187–188. JSTOR 41930062.
  • Pierce, Richard A.; Grousset, Rene; Walford, Naomi; Hambly, Gavin (1971). "Review of The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia". Pacific Affairs. 44 (2): 276–277. doi:10.2307/2755398. JSTOR 2755398.

About the author

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René Grousset (5 September 1885 – 12 September 1952) was a French historian who was curator of both the Cernuschi Museum and the Guimet Museum in Paris and a member of the prestigious Académie française. He wrote several major works on Asiatic and Oriental civilizations, with his two most important works being Histoire des croisades et du royaume franc de Jérusalem (1934–1936) and The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia (1939), both of which were considered standard references on the subject.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Reprint of 1939 French Edition: 1970, Rutgers University Press, 687pp. ISBN 978-0-8135-1304-1. Paperback edition followed in 1970 also from Rutgers University Press.

References

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Citations
  1. ^ Grousset, René; Walford, Naomi; Penrose, G. Larry (1972). "Review of The Empire of the Steppes. A History of Central Asia, René Grousset". Journal of Asian History. 6 (2): 187–188. JSTOR 41930062.
  2. ^ Dirda, Michael (20 May 2020). "We may not be able to leave the house, but these transporting books whisk us to Central Asia". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  3. ^ Huddle, Frank Jr. (1971). "René Grousset. The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia. Translated from the French by Naomi Walford. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. 1970". The American Historical Review. 76 (4): 1204–1205. doi:10.1086/ahr/76.4.1204.
  4. ^ Sinor, Denis; Grousset, Rene (1971). "Review of The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia". The Journal of Asian Studies. 30 (3): 633–638. doi:10.1017/S0021911800154919. JSTOR 2052468.
  5. ^ "The Empire of the Steppes". Rutgers University Press. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
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