Customer Reviews

The Epic of Gilgamesh (Penguin Epics)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Note that the other comments here (both professional and consumer) are for the Andrew George version of "The Epic of Gilgamesh." Amazon does note this above with a disclaimer stating that the "comments are for an out of print or unavailable edition." But you might miss if you don't read carefully. The edition that I received is a translation by N.K. Sandars. There is a brief half page introductory note, but nothing else in the way of commentary, notes, or references. If you are looking for an annotated version, you must buy a different edition. However, if you are just looking for a translation of the story and are able to do your own research, then this is the edition for you. The four stars are for the work itself and its place in history.

First off, this is the N.K. Sanders translation, the one widely used in textbooks (particularly Prentice Hall) for almost thirty years. And there's a reason why it has endured for so long.

This translation is accessible to all levels of students. The language is easily negotiated without losing the overall intent of the original Sumerian. Not that I actually read cuneiform, but I've read enough translations of Gilgamesh, not to mention critical writing on the subject, to know what a good translation sounds like.

Unless you've read anything in ancient Sanskrit, this will most likely be the oldest thing you will ever read, and that includes the Old Testament. In fact, once you consume this powerful epic, you'll probably know where the Hebrew flood story came from, not to mention the inspiration for the Lazarus tale, and the snake whose actions deny key characters immortality.

Used this edition with High School students. Not only was this accessible for them, but they loved it. It inspired all sorts of amazing conversations. GET IT and READ IT.

This is a review of The Epic of Gilgamesh (Penguin Epics) published 2006. This is a prose translation by N.K. Sandars, which was first published in Penguin's 1960 edition of Gilgamesh, re-printed here sans the book-length editors introduction. Just the meat, no potatoes or desert. It took me about 2 hours to read as an average reader, was clear and easy to understand. The book is physically tiny, 4x8 inches and a quarter-inch thick, it would disappear on a book shelf.

I purchased this at the same time as The Buried Book: The Loss and Rediscovery of the Great Epic of Gilgamesh, however I wished I had waited, as 'Buried Book' has a good overview of more recent translations available. However I am not disappointed as Sandard's translation is good and easy and understandable - it may not be scholarly level, but perfectly acceptable for most readers who just want to read the epic and enjoy it.

Since it is the first Epic to come to us from the Middle East, I have to say not that bad. We don't really know how it ends since that has been lost to time, but the story up to there is well, epic. Full of stange names and places Gilgamesh goes on a quest to find himself and ultimately finds a freind. To bad the friend dies, so it would seem that Gilgamesh is the first epic tragedy. The real tragedy is we don't know how it ends, unless somebody uncovers some cunieform tables with the ending.

So, is it epic? In a word, yes.

I had heard a lot about this story and knew something of what it was about. The particular rendition in this book seemed to leave some points made by other reports of other translations in doubt.I am reading another book about this epic ("Buried book") which I hope and think will cover more than this translation. If it doesn't satisfy my interest I will look for other translations.

Overall it was an interesting book.