Mythology Books

This is one of a very small number of esoteric rune books that contain credible researched information about the runes and their history. King is a Heathen and writes with great respect for the Northern traditions. Unlike the majority of New-Age authors, he has gone to the academic sources.

The first half of the book covers the historical information in quite a bit of depth. The second half covers practical techniques of divination and other uses. Although the very last chapters are necessarily speculative, he makes no unfounded claims about historical rune use.

I would recommend this as one of the few books I would give as an introduction to someone interested in learning about the esoteric side of the runes.

Sweyn
The Rune Primer

This book is a really great guide for a person just begining to learn about rune magic and some of the history of the runes. It futher explains the runes and their meaning and how to cast them .

This is one of the better modern books on runes. It's historically accurate and also covers the esoteric uses of runes quite well. I recommend it for beginners, and for those who have already gained a good knowledge of runes.

This is one of the first books about the runes I ever read. I am really pleased to see that it has been re-released, as it was out of print when I first read it. King has a wonderful sense of humour, and provides a strong basis for building upon, in addition to sparking interest in the faith of Asatru and the myths of the North. This is a definate must have for anyone starting on the runic journey.

Very useful when reading other works on Angels of Light and on Fallen Angels. I have found everything I have needed so far. Thank you.

Yolanda Galo

I haven't had a chance to really go through the book as of yet, but what little I did seemed interesting.

I must start off by saying that normally I find books of this nature to be quite disappointing. Normally, they offer only a brief description of a limited number of topics and I soon find myself looking elsewhere for research material. This was not the case with Rosemary Ellen Guiley's book and I was pleasantly surprised. Guiley has provided a very thorough (not to mention useful) tome that covers a multitude of entries regarding angels and similar spirits. Additionally, she covers many other resources, such as films and books, that deal with the subject matter of angels (as well as spirits and angel-like beings). I consider this particular aspect useful because it provides "jumping points" for readers to locate other sources of material or ideas. Most importantly, the revised second edition of this book provides a wealth of information related to apocryphal texts such as 1 Enoch and the story of the Watchers and the Nephilim -- topics that I have found extremely interesting and thought-provoking. While conducting the research for my own book, I often found myself referring back to Guiley's work for more information or to look up references to other texts. It was truly indispensable and probably the best book that I can recommend not only as a general reference for readers interested in angels, but for anyone conducting more scholarly research as well.

When I ordered this item, I didn't quite know what to expect - but I was absolutely blown away by this book. Of all the books on angels I've ever read, it's the most comprehensive, the most objective, and the most beautiful. The author covers just about anything and everything that has come from any tradition that embraces them, and the book is copiously illustrated with appropriate paintings, manuscript illuminations, statues, and any other form of visual depiction of these intriguing but elusive beings. I strongly recommend this book not only for angel enthusiasts, but for serious scholars as well.

It's a collection of tales featuring Brer Rabbit and many other critters. Plus there are numerous tales about people.

Hurston collected the stories in the 1920s, and the language used is slave vernacular with plentiful occurrences of 'nigger.' I grew up with the language and enjoyed reading it and hearing it in my mind.

I find it odd that Joel Chandler Harris is villified for collecting the old Brer Rabbit tales, and Hurston is applauded for doing the same thing. And I'm glad that both people preserved these treasures. The tales are funny and delightful.


Back then people were able to laugh at themselves.

If only Zora Neale Hurston could've published this book during her lifetime! Luckily her papers containing her research were rediscoveredand we now have this gorgeous collection of stories. Some of them were familiar to me from listening to my grandparents tell tall tales, others were completely new. These stories are funny, frightening and enlightening. Our elders and ancestors were amazing people with a tough and even cynical sense of humor. If we are lucky more of Hurston's research will be found and more will be published.

Kimberley Wilson, author of 11 Things Mama Never Told You About Men

If you grew up hearing older folks get together and swap wild stories, or if you have an academic interest in folklore, then this is for you! Essentially, the great Folklorist Zora Neale Hurston spent 1928 and 29 among rural Blacks in Florida and Alabama jotting down their folk tales and witty sayings. Being a Black Southerner herself gave her an insider's access that made her interviewees comfortable in sharing with her. The final manuscript, "Negro Folktales of the Gulf States" remained unpublished till now. Some of these tales were published in 1935 with a framework story of Miss Hurston's adventures among her interviewees entitled "Mules and Men." But here, the stories exist in their orignial, uncut form without a framework story. Once the modern reader becomes accustomed to the printed approximation of Southern African-American dialect, you can sit back and enjoy the folk wisdom and humorous tales. So imagine that Grandpa, Uncle Wille, and all the others are gathered around your porch with a pitcher of lemonade on a pleasant afternoon and enjoy this African-American equivalent to "Aesop's Fables" and "The Arabian Nights."

It was said from those that knew her best, that African-American folklore was Zora Neale Hurston�s first love. The ability to manifest in, and excel within the margins of her own people�swapping lies, telling tales, and giving unique meaning to life from the backhand side. Thus, if any part of her legacy is to prevail, one should pay close attention to this side of her that I feel truly helped to define her writing style. No doubt, the genesis of it all goes back to her Eatonville, Florida roots sitting on the porch of the neighborhood story listening to the older men adhere to the aforementioned. Subsequently as a Barnard student of Anthropology under the guidance of Franz Boaz, she embarked in 1927 on a two-year effort to collect samples of African-American folklore. This sets the stage for Negro Tales From The Gulf States, which can boast of an interesting evolution. This is a book written by Zora that was almost an afterthought, until recently discovered after lying in obscurity for nearly 30 years. All of this time, it was stored in a basement at Columbia University, and 20 more at the Smithsonian before coming to light at the urging of the author�s estate and others.

What we have here in borrowing Zora�s own words � �authenticity to preserve the tale-tellers way of speaking�savoring the boiled-down juice of human living�. The book is well written and organized by subject. Read it and revel in how the author used and presented vernacular that would be recognized today as Ebonics�everyday idiomatic expressionism. You will witness improvisational wordplay and given an apt explanation of how these folktales were collected, lost, found, and examined for the deep significance they hold today. These lost southern tales are brought to life by Zora�s commanding use of syntax mixed with a sense of urgency. Most of them are infused with humorous stories making a point that we can all identify with. She makes it pointedly clear that folktales were a direct link to our ancestral background, and served a purpose. I marveled at how she was able to use stories made famous by others in how they were reworked and related from a black point of view, giving them a special cross-cultural ring. For instance, to the story of a woman who promises the devil that she will break up a marriage in exchange for a pair of shoes, or how she gives reasons why God gave women keys to the bedroom, the kitchen, and the cradle. You will die laughing, and you will definitely be amused by the punch lines and the Zora penchant for comedic timing.

If there�s a reason to want to understand folktales told from the mind of this unique storyteller, you�d want to be enlightened in digesting this type of wit that the author seem to make timeless. In accumulating this body of work, Hurston clearly placed as much emphasis on imagination as on truism. Often she got both. With all the other offering of late alluding to Zora Neale Hurston, you might as well add this book to your collection. You won�t regret it!

I registered for this book for our infant, and I can't wait to read it to her (a few years from now, obviously...). Unlike some Aesop's Fables (which are rewritten or dumbed down) this one is a 17th Cent. trans by L'Estrange with engravings. It's clever and amusing (so many of the fables have to do with avoiding court flattery! Obviously quite a concern for them...) If you're looking for a picture book for young children, this probably is not what you're looking for, but if you want to fill your child's library with educational classics, this is a great choice.

This 17th century translation by Everyman's Library, while at times difficult because of the Elizabethan English, contains expanded reflections that explain the moral behind each story. This edition emphasizes the importance of character building and morality rather than mere entertainment. Presented in a schoolbook style, this text is a wonderful book for adults as well, especially those concerned about the education of their children. Be sure to read the Preface. Includes a lengthy introduction to the life of Aesop.

Legend has it that Aesop lived during the sixth century BC. He was born a deformed slave and in some of the early stories was said to of had a speech impediment as well. In his lifetime he supposedly was owned by two different masters before the latter of which gave him his freedom as a reward for his wit and intelligence. As a free man it is theorized that he then became involved in public affairs and traveled a lot, telling his fables along the way. His fables went on to be among the first printed works in the vernacular European languages, and writers and thinkers throughout history have perpetuated them to such an extent that they are embraced as among the essential truths about human beings and their ways. All fables told before him came to be attributed to him, and all fables told after him were said to be influenced by him. At the beginning of this book are some short stories about Aesop the man, from the time he was a slave up through when he was freed and became a philosopher. The later parts of the book then contain the actual fables themselves that Aesop told (I believe there are 84 in all). Although I liked some of the earlier stories, I still enjoyed the later parts better.

In the early stories Aesop seemed at times like a detective using his wits and intelligence to help solve cases. A lot of it just seemed like common sense, but some of the other stories had morals in them as well. In the very first story for instance (pg. 18), which also happened to be one of my favorites, Aesop and his fellow slaves are upon a journey to Ephesus. When given a choice of burdens to carry Aesop chooses a pannier of bread that at first was twice as heavy as any of the other parcels, and this made all of the other slaves think him a fool. By the time they had all eaten from this pannier for lunch and dinner however, Aesop then had the lightest burden of all to carry at a time of day when they were all at there weakest. This showed them that he had a lot more sense then they had first given him credit for. The main moral expressed here was that you can't judge a man's intelligence just by this appearance. (I'm sure in more modern times this went on to became "You can't judge a book by it's cover".)

The fables themselves were then split up into three parts. "The Story", "The Moral", and then "The Reflection". The Story and the Moral I believe expressed Aesop's initial writings and were usually very short and straight to the point, while the Reflection I believe was added on by the translator Sir Roger L'Estrange in 1692. While helpful at times, The Reflection on occasion seemed redundant and unnecessary in instances where it just reworded each of the morals.

Aesop's fables tried to teach man what behaviors they should not do as opposed to teaching them what they should do. Over the years movies and television shows have touched upon many of these themes and many religions have drawn upon and adopted these teachings as well. The Greek gods (Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Juno, Hercules, etc...) are well represented in quite a few of these fables. My favorite of these was "Mercury and a Carpenter" (pg. 219). Part of the story involves a carpenter who dropped his axe into a river and prayed to Mercury to retrieve it for him. Mercury shot down and first brought up a golden axe out of the river, but the carpenter refused it admitting that it wasn't his. Mercury then brought up a Silver one, and again the carpenter refused it because it was not his. The third time Mercury brought up one with a wooden handle that the carpenter recognized as his own and accepted. Mercury was so impressed with the carpenter's honesty that he gave him all three axes, by this we are supposed to learn that Heaven loves Men of Truth and Integrity.

Almost every fable uses what now would be considered common metaphors (the sly fox, the loyal dog, the rogue wolf, the traitorous snake, the innocent lamb, the kingly lion, the stupid jackass, etc...). A brief listing of the fables I liked the most and the morals learned in each are listed below:

In "A Dog and a Shadow" (pg, 53) we learn that all who covert are lost. Later I'm sure this became better known as "a bird in the hand is better then two in the bush".
In "A Lion and a Mouse" (pg. 70) we learn that the Great and the Little have need of one another.
In "A Wolf, Kid, and Goat" (pg. 92) we learn that there is always some mark to tell a hypocrite so disguised. Use prudence, caution, and obedience (a wolf in sheep's clothing will always be revealed).
In "An Ax and a Forest" (pg. 116) we learn that nothing goes nearer a Man in his Misfortunes, than to find himself undone by his own folly, or be an accessory to his own Ruin.
In "A Fox and a Sick Lion" (pg 126) we learn that the kindnesses of ill-natured and designing People should be thoroughly considered and examined, before we give credit to them.
In "A Boy and False Alarms" (pg. 154) we learn that he must be a very wise Man that knows the true Bounds, and Measure of fooling, with a respect to Time, Place, Matters, Persons, & c. But Religion, Business, and Cases of Consequence must be excepted of that sort of Liberty.
In "A Boy and His Mother" (pg. 182) we learn that we are either made or marred in our Education; and Governments, as well as private Families, are concerned in the Consequences of it.
In "A Gnat Challenges a Lion" (pg. 309) we learn that Its in the power of Fortune to Humble the Pride of the Mighty, even by the most Despicable Means, and to make a Gnat Triumph over a Lion: Wherefore let no Creature, how Great or how little so ever, Presume on the One side, or Despair on the Other. There is nothing either so Great, or so Little, as not to be Liable to the Vicissitudes of Fortune, whether for Good or for Evil.

The Everyman Library deserves congratulations for reprinting the L'Estrange translation, which has been a much loved, much abused, and highly influential collection of Aesop since it first appeared in 1692. Its merits have little to do with its translation, since L'Estrange translated from a Latin translation of the Greek fables, and translated freely at that. Instead, it's the lively retellings, and the shamelessly opinionated "reflections" (usually longer than the fables themselves) that make this volume engaging and unique.

Modern readers will need a good dictionary in order to make sense of the obsolete vocabulary. For instance, this from "A Wolf and a Fox": "The Fox had a fetch in't, and when he saw it would not fadge; away goes he." Readers who want only the fables should look elsewhere, but readers who are interested in how the fables were interpreted, or readers interested in overlooked classics of English literature, will enjoy this.

The edition is enhanced with illustrations by Stephen Gooden, which originally appeared in a limited edition (London, 1936). Readers should note that this edition includes only 197 fables; L'Estrange's editions included 500, but these books are rare and now sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Most of the famous fables--"Hare and Tortoise," "Fox and Grapes," "City Mouse & Country Mouse," "Boy Who Cried Wolf," "Lion in Love"--are here, but "Ant and Grasshopper," "Mice, Cat, and Bell," "The Sun and the North Wind," and "The Two Pots" are not.

The icing on the cake is the inclusion of L'Estrange's LIFE of Aesop, a feature absent from other current editions. The LIFE is largely a legend (as L'Estrange admits), but it's nice to have the legend available.

What do C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, William Morris, George MacDonald, Washington Irving, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle all have in common? They all have written fantasy novels/stories in one form or another, and in one type or genre or the other.

This massive book gives an excellent detailed history of Fantasy fiction, including the writings of all the authors mentioned above. Moreover, the text is accompanied by some great illustrations, actual book covers, magazine covers, and art all aiding in the detail of the history presented.

This book is quite thorough in its history, making mention of classics such as the Iliad and Odyssey, Greek, Roman, Celt, and German mythology, as well as Arthurian mythology and tales. What is more, the book details fantasy fiction from the early 1900's to the present day (the actual date of publication for this book).

There are chapters devoted to the Pulps written from the early teens to the late fifties. H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and many more are detailed in the Pulp section of this work. The book also details what is known as 'High Fantasy' with works by Tolkien, Lewis, Terry Brooks, Peter Beagle, Piers Anthony, Terry Pratchett, and the like. All have works that are either historical sword and sorcery set in imaginary worlds with hybrid creatures, dwarfs, elves, warriors and the like. A genre which has become so popular that it dominates the fantasy market today.

This book is a must for all fantasy fiction fans, collectors of fantasy novels and old pulp magazines, as well as for those who just love reading history and fantasy. The book is over 250 pages, filled with color art work, reads quite well and keeps the reader's attention throughout, all making it a wonderful addition to any library.

This is a very interesting book. I think the illustrations are easily enjoyed by collectors, enthusiasts and just the average reader alike.

The commentary in addition to the images really gave depth to the Illustrated History. In addition, the formatting of the book, having sections for different strains of the fantasy genre, was very convenient.

Overall, a very fun and visually stimulating book.

Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century deserves ongoing mention as an outstanding fantasy reference guide which should be a 'must' for any serious collector and reader. From the earliest fantasy mythology epics to later publications and modern authors from H. Rider Haggard to Robert Howard, Fantasy Of The 20th Century surveys the major publications of the 20th century. A highly recommended reference, this is packed with color photos and insights alike.

Solid fans of fantasy writing and the genre's history will appreciate Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century, a superbly presented survey of fantasy creators and their worlds. Full-page color photos of fantasy publications from magazines to pulp fiction accompany a coverage of notable authors, plots, and series titles alike. This will prove an especially inviting gift for that avid fan who 'has everything'.

wonderful, excelent, perfect. Cortazar is a GENIUS. That's all. (I recomend "Don't blame anyone")

Final del juego es uno de los primeros libros de cuentos de Cortazar, en este se encuentran cuentos ya clasicos como "No se culpe a nadie", "El rio" y "Axolotl". Cortazar tiene la maravillosa propiedad de hacerte llevar a un lugar magico, que va mas alla de los sueños y este libro lo refleja. Si le gusta cortazar, compre este libro o aun mejor, compre "Cuentos completos 1" que contiene a este libro. No hace falta decir que la obra maestra de Cortazar es "Rayuela", asi que si este libro le gusto, "Rayuela" lo atrapara aun mas.

Es uno de los mejores libros que he leido nunca. Me gusta la literatura latinoamericana en general y creo que Cortazar es uno de sus mejores representadores. Los Venenos, Final del Juego y El Rio son los cuentos que mas me gustaron. Recomiendo.

"Final de Juego" (or Endgame) is one of the most remarkable books in Julio Cortazar's vast bibliography. A collection of 18 short stories, this book is a clear example of Cortazar's genius and mastery as a story teller. All the stories are gripping to the end, but "No se culpe a nadie" (Do not blame anyone), "El rio" (The river), "Axolotl" and "La noche boca arriba" (The night facing up), deserve special mention. Cortazar's style was truly revolutionary, and he managed to shake the literary establishment becoming an obligatory reference and an influence on many writers, both in Latin America and in the rest of the world. This volume constitutes an excellent way to approach one of the best writers of the Twentieth Century.

This book, also if is not so take in consideration in the critical analysis of M.Yourcenar, is the more next at my opinion, to the sensibility of this extraordinary writer. The tranfiguration of the reality in the world of the grecian mytology (except the episod of Maria Magdalena) is a very suffer parable of the human condition. This is a little book that sould follow you for the life. (From the same author and in the same way: "Anna, soror; with, An obscure man; and, A lovely morning" by Published by Harvill

"I hope this book will never be read." So begins Yourcenar's Fires...a richly dense collection of famous myths and legends stunningly revitalized through the voices and eyes of the heroines. Intertwining the stories are excerpts from Yournenar's own journal taken from the time during which she had written the stories. Achingly familiar to anyone recovering from a broken heart, Yourcenar marries the heartache of this century's woman to women throughout the ages.

Love is a punishment, says Yourcenar, and in some intellectual and emotive way this book is one. I've read all of her books, and this is her most felt, chirurgically precise, passionate and torn aproach to what love is and represents in all the roles we - human beings - play at one time or another in our lives. All the possible deceptions, miscommunications and broken hearts are hold in these pages, through the reconstruction and modernization of some greek myths such as Antigone, Achilles and Patroclus, Sapho, and Maria Magdalena (ok, she was not greek!). Along with "Memoires of Adrian" and "Zenon", this is a must-have from Yourcenar.

"Fires" is a collection of hybrid love stories. Most are taken from real or mythological ancient Greece. Ms. Yourcenar does a spectacular job giving these old stories a modern flavor without losing their original context. I also recommend "A Blue Tale & Other Stories" by her{The University of Chicago Press}.

Go where the love is. Although in some remote cases it can be a struggle (i.e. Romeo & Juliet; Hamlet), love deserves to be accessible, humane, and democratic. Be not afraid to Love/Live.

This collection of poems, stories, narratives, folktales, oral histories and essays very aptly portrays the vital importance of salmon to the native peoples of the entire northern Pacific rim - not just as a food resource, but as a basis for their culture and a component of their identities. Several of the contributions, particularly an essay by Jeanette Armstrong, note how sustainable yield was applied in salmon fishing for thousands of years and how the discarding of this principle in modern times has led to the excessive depletion and near extinction of this species. Since I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, I am more or less familiar with the importance of salmon to the local economies and the Native American cultures of the region, so I found the sections of the book dealing with the Ainu of Japan, the Ulchi of eastern Siberia and the Nyvkhs of Sakhalin particularly informative and enjoyable. It is also a bit depressing to learn that like the U.S. and Canada (although not nearly as brutally), Japan and the USSR/Russia similarly mistreated the local populations by, among other things, limiting or restricting their access to traditional salmon runs and/or trying to force them to adopt non-traditional ways of life (assimilation). "First Fish, First People" may be attractively published, with striking cover art and attractive photos and illustrations, but it is not a coffee-table book - its diverse contributions, taken together, outline a philosophy of respect for and wise use of natural resources, as well as (and just as importantly) respect for different cultures and different ways of life. It is almost a cliche to say that it is high time that such lessons sink in at all levels of our modern globalized and hyper-industrial societies.

Aba book of the Year!!

Buy it especially for the Sherman Alexix poen at the beginning. It's touches the core of the Salmon environmental and cultural dilemna in the Northwest.

This book is a work of art, and provides evidence that the University of Washington Press, through its cooperation with other smaller publishers (such as One Reel) is doing the work that needs to be done in Northwest history and cultural studies.

This book is a collection of perpectives on salmon from representatives of the peoples around the pacific rim whose lives have centered on salmon for thousands of years. The contributors are talented indigenous writers from the United States, Canada, Japan, and Siberia. The engaging text is amply illustrated with historic and contemporary photographs, as well as drawings. The historic photographs are not the same ones that usually appear. For example, nearly every book on salmon in the nortwest has a twentieth century photograph of Indians fishing at Celilo Falls. Most books use the same photo. This book uses one that features in the forground the cable system that was used to get down to the fishing platforms, with the fishing platforms themselves in the background.

Some of the work in this book has been published elsewhere. But the context it is given here accentuates it in useful ways. For example, Sherman Alexie's poem, "The Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump," is engraved into a sculpture in Overlook Park behind the Spokane Public Library and is published in _The Summer of Black Widows_. But in this book it appears beside a nice photograph of the falls as it appears today, and a photo of Mr. Alexie standing on the footbridge above a section of the falls pointing downstream.

I have been collecting and reading the Foxfire series for several years now and I consider them as some of the best reading that I have found.I think that they are a direct link to our mountain heritage as well as American history. I have learned many skills and lost arts from these books and I would highly recommend them to anyone who has such interests.

It's a great deal of fun to read about the historical needs and solutions of the Appalachian people that applies as well to my own history. There are great reminders of a simpler and maybe happier life.

Both my husband and I enjoyed this book. He is from W.N.C. and enjoyed reading about areas near where he grew up. I liked it also, having lived there for four years.

The Foxfire books are a wonderful thing and we are so lucky to have them. Many of the ways, crafts, planting lore, animal lore, and as the book says "affairs of plain living" are preserved here. This particular volume includes oral histories of the Great Depression, CCC Camps and their impact on the local areaa and ecomomy, folk art, chair makeing, and of special interest to me, gourd art. This is a wonderful recording of life the way it was and probably never will be again. The book is quite well written and has faithfully recorded even the dialect of these wonderful people, from which so many of us sprung. That is a big part of the charm of these works. This book includes actual interviews with folks from that region of the country which I am sure are long dead now. Their knowledge would be completely lost without works such as this. Another generation or two and it will all be completely gone. This book will cetainly be of great interest to those, like me, who are interested in the depression era and in the CCC in particular. Thank goodness we have recordings such as this. Recommend this one highly.

Foster's work is a collection of literature from the ancient Near East. With little commentary, Foster provides the reader with a variety of genres that are useful for seeing the parallels between ancient Mesopotamia and biblical literature. As a university instructor in ancient history, Foster's work is required reading. It is eye opening to most students as they reconstruct what they think they understand about life and culture in the ancient Near East. A recommended reading for serious students of the ancient world and biblical literature.

This has just about everything, although, as the author notes in his preface, this is an abridgment of an earlier work, Before the Muses: Anthology of Akkadian Literature. The selections are arranged by type, beginning with myths and epics--the Enuma Elish and a composite Akkadian flood story--and working its way through deeds of kings, hymns, prayers, proverbs, magic spells, elegies and celebrations. There is also some satire--a land deed drawn up for birds and a curse against a bleating goat.

Foster provides an introduction to each piece, and to sections of the longer pieces. There are gaps in most narratives, and Foster notes them. He also provides footnotes explaining the more obscure points and allusions, as well as some issues with translations. At points, it is less than a leisurely read, but Foster seems determined to present the material in plain but telling language.

I have quoted often from the book and return to it frequently. One piece, an elegy for a woman who died in childbirth, has always moved me. It is told from the point of view of the dead woman. After remembering a happy life with her husband, she says that the day she went into labor, her face "grew overcast." Despite her pleas and the pleas of her husband to Belet-illi, the goddess of childbirth, "shrouded her face" She concludes:

[All... ] those days I was with my husband,

While I lived with him who was my lover,

Death was creeping stealthily into my bedroom,

It forced my from my house,

It cut me off from my lover,

It set my foot toward the land from which I shall not return.

FROM DISTANT DAYS : Myths, Tales, and Poetry of Ancient Mesopotamia. Translated by Benjamin R. Foster. 438 pp. Bethseda, Maryland : CDL Press, 1995. ISBN 1-883053-09-9 (pbk.)

I currently have three anthologies of Sumerian-Akkadian literature on my shelves: Stephanie Dalley's 'Myths from Mesopotamia' (1989), Thorkild Jacobsen's 'The Harps That Once' (1987), and the present book. All three are by specialists and are designed for the general reader; all, within the limits of their shared conventional viewpoint, are excellent; and anyone with a serious interest in this remote and fascinating literature will want to have all three.

Of the three, Dalley's is the most 'technical' translation, in the sense that it has far more extensive footnotes, and that it wisely prefers to retain original terms such as "Kurnugi" (page 155), instead of offering essentially misleading equivalents such as "Netherworld" (Foster, page 78) or "Hades" (Jacobsen, page 207 ff). Her translations also seem to me to be the most vigorous, but that's just a personal feeling, and all three of these tranlations are wonderfully readable.

Foster tells us that the present book is "a selection, rearrangement, and abridgement of 'Before the Muses, An Anthology of Akkadian Literature' (Bethseda, MD : CDL Press, 1993)" (page vii). His substantial anthology is organized as follows : 1. Gods and Their Deeds; 2. Kings and Their Deeds; 3. Divine Speech; 4. Hymns and Prayers; 5. Sorrow and Suffering; 6. Love and Sex; 7. Stories and Humor; 8. Wisdom; 9. Magic Spells.

As is the case with the Dalley and Jacobsen anthologies, all texts have been provided with their own brief introductions, and all gaps and losses of text in the original tablets have been indicated in the translations, though Foster's texts are much more lightly annotated. His book opens with a short 8-page Introduction, and is rounded out with a Glossary of Proper Names, but lacks both a Bibliography and an Index.

The book has clearly been designed as a reader's edition, with minimal impedimenta in the way of notes and so on that might interfere with the reader's enjoyment of the texts. Foster tells us that those who want to learn more about these texts, or to read further in Akkadian Literature, should consult his much fuller 2-volume work, 'Before the Muses.'

The book is well-printed on excellent paper in a large clear font that might have been a bit heavier, is bound in glossy wrappers, and has one of those abominable glued spines that crack when opened. I wonder what happened to stitching?

Here, as a brief example of Foster's style, are the opening lines of his 'When Ishtar [i.e., Inanna] Went to the Netherworld,' with my obliques added to indicate line breaks :

"To the netherworld, land of n[o return], / Ishtar, daughter of Sin, [set] her mind. / Indeed, the daughter of Sin did set her mind / To the gloomy house, seat of the ne[therworld], / To the house which none leaves who enters, / To the road whose journey has no return, / To the house whose entrants are bereft of light..." (page 78).

Those with access to the Dalley and Jacobsen will find it interesting to compare Foster's version with theirs. His rhythms seem a little more stately and relaxed, a little less vigorous, and he seems less sparing of words. But, as I've indicated, all three books, though differing in flavor, are intensely readable, and we should be grateful to Professors Dalley, Jacobsen, and Foster, for the enormous labors which must have gone into them.

What I said in my review of Jacobsen applies equally here. The limits of Foster's book are the limits of the official point-of-view. Within these limits his book becomes a labor of love, a wonderfully readable literary treatment of some of the world's most ancient, fascinating and beautiful literature by a noted authority, and one that can be strongly recommended to all sensitive readers.

Readers, however, shouldn't take Foster as gospel but as something vastly more interesting, since what Ishtar/Inanna may well have been visiting was not the "Netherworld" but the mines of Africa. But to understand this you'll have to read linguist and scholar Zechariah Sitchin's 'The 12th Planet.' Only he provides a framework in which all becomes intelligible.

Benjamin Foster's book contains many original compositions from the major literary genres of Sumero-Akkadian culture: myths, king epics, omen literature, prayers, lamentations, love lyrics, wisdom literature, magic spells, and even humor. Indeed, although the Epic of Gilgamesh is noticeably absent, "From Distant Days" is one of the most comprehensive Mesopotamian anthologies available for the general reader.

Foster's introduction lays down the organization of the book and describes many of the structural markers used in Sumero-Akkadian literature. Each presented composition is also accompanied by an appropriate description that gives context for the modern reader. The translations in this book are very readable, with lacunae and omissions clearly marked. Also, the translations are current as of 1995, and include versions that are considerably more complete in some cases than ones available in other widely available anthologies.

My favorite parts of the book focused on the wisdom literature and lamentations, since the subject matter dealt primarily with human feelings and experiences, rather than monotonous praise of the gods. I was amazed at how the feelings expressed in these 3000-4000 year old compositions still managed to strike a chord of resonance with me. One also cannot help but notice the many parallels that exist between the Bible and the older literary corpus of Mesopotamia.

For the reader who is looking for a good anthology of Mesopotamian literature, I would readily recommend "From Distant Days". Furthermore, I believe this book along with two others would form an authoritative collection of Sumero-Akkadian original compositions translated into English. The two other books are "The Epic of Gilgamesh" by Andrew George (ISBN 0140449191) and "The Harps that Once..." by Thorkild Jacobsen (ISBN 0300072783).