The Epic of Gilgamesh (Penguin Classics)

One of the stories that defined what a "classic" is. This is a very readable translation. Gilagamesh is one of the earliest recorded mythologies. The Epic is a must read for the history/literature buff.

1000 years older than Genesis. Unbelievable! This book has a great introduction and is high quality. I highlight throughout mine and it doesn't bleed through the pages. I also found an audio book on youtube that is almost word for word.. which makes for a great additional resource.

The Epic of Gilgamesh should be required reading. That humans have been making up marvelous stories for millennia is astounding. This should be required reading for all high schoolers. I wish I'd read it then!

There are two different versions of this book being sold by the store.
The one version is the more current and is translated by: Andrew George

You can get that one here:

http://www.the store.com/Epic-Gilgamesh-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140449191/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263331576&sr=8-1

Then there is the older version translated by: N.K. Sanders

You can get that one here:

http://www.the store.com/gp/product/014044100X/ref=oss_T15_product

I needed the one by N.K. Sanders for my college class and bought the wrong one at first because I didn't know the difference.

To make it nice and easy...
The Andrew George Version has a pegasus (horse with wings) on the front
The N.K. Sanders Version has (Stone people with Beards or monkeys) on the front.

Be careful which one you buy so that you don't have to ship it back like I did.

I wanted to read this material for myself in hopes I could gain a greater understanding of how the various alternative history writers like Zacharia Stichin, Gerald Clark, Dr. Joseph Farrell; et. al. ----came to their dramatic conclusions about the possible truths of our ancient history. Its a very complicated jigsaw puzzle that today require serious scholarship in the researching of our past from all disciplines of the sciences from archeology to zoology.

This work of art is something that everyone should have to read before graduating high school. There may be a chance it would be offensive or controversial with fundamentalists of strong Arabic, Christian, or Jewish faith, however, it does not have to be. This five thousand year old story is a truly amazing testament to what the human mind and imagination are capable of.

This book with all the missing texts and a language, thousands of years old must have taken a huge effort to translate.
As for the story in itself it is OK. An epic almost 3000 B.C. with a wisdom to convey through the ages, that no man no matter how high he reaches, how much riches he accumulates or power, he can never evade death for himself and those he loves. But, he may still live after death in the memories of the living!

The beauty in reading this is the understanding that not much has changed in the past 2500 years. Gilgamesh, 2500 years ago, wanted answers to the very same questions we ask ourselves today. He had the same frustrations, the same fears, the same concerns as we do now. It was a very interesting and reassuring read.

This was required for a history class, and honestly it was ok. Though it's also not my cup of tea to read books that was written during the age of cuneiform. I do advise however reading this book simply for the references you'll see in modern culture.