Book excerpt: This introduction to both written and oral Mongolian literature from the thirteenth to the nineteenth century provides a rare insight into the changing world views of the Mongolian people: from clan society to Soviet culture. Translated by renowned scholar Charles Bawden, the work is organised into Histories, Legends, Didactic literature, Epics, Shamanistic Incantations, Folk­ tales, Myths, Sino-Mongolian Prose Literature, Lyrics and Other Verse and Reminiscences, concluding with a modern short story. This important work, which makes the rich tradition of Mongolian literature available for the first time, will be essential reading for many years to come.