This is probably one of the best academic books of all time. The area of Hebrew beliefs is not really tackled by even the most hardcore of Mesopotamian scholars. I always recommend this book to people who study Hebrew, Canaanite, and Mesopotamian beliefs as well as the people interested in goddess worship of the Ancient Near East and even those who are very critical of Judaism or Christianity. The book covers a plethora of goddesses and even has a chapter on the demon Lilith, with really good references to the demon Naamah and Tubal Cain. So its a plus for Jewish feminists and Goddess worshipers whom concern themselves with the modern image of Lilith.
Patai is very excellent translator of the Hebrew language and his notes in other Hebrew translations (Such as his translations of the Zohar) are worth looking into to explain the translation for the lay people who know little Hebrew. There is a lot that the English language fails to grasp concerning translating Hebrew.
I only have a few problems with it. For example, some of his more controversial assertions don't hold up to modern scholarship where archeology is concerned. The Burney relief is thought with great academic consensus to be Ishtar rather than Lilith. Jacobsen, a very renown Mesopotamian scholar, suggested this was a form of Ishtar in her Ninna (Lady Owl) form. Patai uses Kramer, whom makes great translations from Sumerian, but is outdated concerning that archeology bit and some theories. However, Patai does cite Jacobsen several times over on other things. He seemed to cite Jacobsen more than Kramer... Well, this is a minor problem, really.
The other thing, which is also is very minor, is that the book isn't written so flowingly sometimes. It seems to just kind of go dry. You may find yourself not really paying attention. But this is something that is so overshadowed by the fact that the book contains eye opening and jaw dropping information about Yahweh. I found the book, overall, to be written in such a understandable way that no lay person should have problems understanding it.
All and all this is my favorite book on ancient Hebrew beliefs, and though its been along time since it was written, I highly recommend it for anybody interested in Hebrew and Jewish myths, as well as Israelite worship and the concept of God.
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