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Title: A Scholarly Anthology
Review: An excellent anthology of stories from ancient Mesopotamia presented with a high degree of scholarship. Some readers may find the stories difficult to read due to frequent gaps in the text that have resulted from damage to the original cuneiform clay tablets, but it is a small price to pay to ensure accuracy and authenticity in the translation of ancient texts over 4000 years old. While all the translations are based on the various Akkadian versions of the stories, it would have been nice to read the Sumerian versions of these stories where they are extant. Each story is preceded with an introduction and historical context followed by copious technical notes. A detailed glossary is also included to assist the reader. A chart showing a timeline of the stories would have been helpful especially when making comparisons to other ancient stories from biblical, Greek, Middle Eastern, and Arabian traditions.
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