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The Epic of Gilgamesh (Penguin Classics) Kindle Edition

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,607 ratings

The ancient Sumerian poem The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest written stories in existence, translated with an introduction by Andrew George in Penguin Classics.

Miraculously preserved on clay tablets dating back as much as four thousand years, the poem of Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, is the world's oldest epic, predating Homer by many centuries. The story tells of Gilgamesh's adventures with the wild man Enkidu, and of his arduous journey to the ends of the earth in quest of the Babylonian Noah and the secret of immortality. Alongside its themes of family, friendship and the duties of kings,
The Epic of Gilgamesh is, above all, about mankind's eternal struggle with the fear of death.

The Babylonian version has been known for over a century, but linguists are still deciphering new fragments in Akkadian and Sumerian. Andrew George's gripping translation brilliantly combines these into a fluid narrative and will long rank as the definitive English
Gilgamesh.

If you enjoyed
The Epic of Gilgamesh, you might like Homer's Iliad, also available in Penguin Classics.

'A masterly new verse translation'
The Times

'Andrew George has skilfully bridged the gap between a scholarly re-edition and a popular work'
London Review of Books

Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download
Popular Highlights in this book

Editorial Reviews

Review

“It’s among the oldest surviving works of Western civilization, from before literature was literature. It’s my go-to whenever loss and life have tumbled me (often). Amazingly, and perhaps depressingly (When will they ever learn?), Gilgamesh tackles all the issues we are dealing with today: a bad leader and how he becomes an enlightened one (here’s hoping), environmental degradation, class and race — i.e. who gets to be called human — lust and love; loss and death. The language is haunting, incantatory, at the border of song and silence.”
—Julia Alvarez

"Andrew George has skillfully bridged the chasm between a scholarly re-edition and a popular work”
London Review of Books

“Humankind’s first literary achievement...
Gilgamesh should compel us as the well-spring of which we are inheritors...Andrew George provides an excellent critical and historical introduction.”
—Paul Binding,
Independent on Sunday

“This volume will endure as one of the milestones markers...[George] expertly and easily conducts his readers on a delightful and moving epic journey.”
—Samuel A. Meier,
Times Literary Supplement

“Appealingly presented and very readably translated...it still comes as an exhilarating surprise to find the actions and emotions of the Sumerian superhero coming to us with absolute immediacy over 30-odd centuries.
Scotsman

“Andrew George has formed an English text from the best of the tablets, differentiating his complex sources but allowing the general reader a clear run at one of the first enduring stories ever told.”
—Peter Stothard,
The Times

“An exemplary combination of scholarship and lucidity...very impressive...invaluable as a convenient guide to all the different strands which came together to produce the work we now call
Gilgamesh.”
—Alan Wall,
Literary Review

About the Author

Andrew George is Professor of Babylonian at SOAS (the School of Oriental and African Studies) in London. His research has taken him many times to Iraq to visit Babylon and other ancient sites, and to museums in Baghdad, Europe and North America to read the original clay tablets on which the scribes of ancient Iraq wrote.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01ESELZNO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin; Rev Ed edition (June 2, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 2, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 20705 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 263 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,607 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,607 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the translation attentive and well-organized. They describe the book as an interesting read with a good story and historical significance. Readers appreciate the helpful background information and vivid imagery. However, opinions differ on whether it provides good value for money.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

60 customers mention "Translation"44 positive16 negative

Customers find the translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh to be a careful and thoughtful one. The introduction is well-written and helpful, with great annotations. The book contains multiple translations of the story, each based on various variant tables. It's easy for readers to understand and read, with vivid storytelling that resonates with them.

"...Stephen Mitchell did a great job translating the text and "filling in the gaps" where there were gaps...." Read more

"...The epic's timeless themes and vivid storytelling continue to resonate, offering insights into human nature and the pursuit of meaning. "..." Read more

"excellent edition with great annotations- although the cover is rather flimsy and I wish this came in a hardcover edition..." Read more

"...I am not going to pretend it's a well written story, but I am also not going to ignore its historical significance. Thus three stars." Read more

48 customers mention "Readability"46 positive2 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They describe it as an interesting classic that everyone should read, no matter their age or language. The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered one of the best works of its type and a great human accomplishment.

"...This is really a fantastic book, and it can be read for enjoyment or for study...." Read more

"I have to get this book for English class. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. "..." Read more

"...The book is worth a read for those interested in more than just the story." Read more

"...It's repetitive, bland, and quite outlandish. However, a good read is not why anyone should read this book, it's historical significance to human..." Read more

25 customers mention "Story quality"21 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the story quality. They find it rich, foundational to literary storytelling, and a fairy tale. The book provides insights into the culture and storytelling ability of early man. Readers describe it as an amazing epic entails the life of Gilgamesh, a king by birthright who is two-thirds divine. The short, striking, and memorable prose results in a single, cohesive story that flows well.

"...The result is a single, cohesive story that flows well and leaves the reader with as close an approximation to the arch of the Gilgamesh story as is..." Read more

"This, in my opinion, is probably the first recorded story...." Read more

"An amazing epic entailing the life of Gilgamesh, a king by birthright who is two-thirds divine, as he encounters his only equal...." Read more

"...Very cyclical, covers a lot of territory. Very rich and foundational to literary storytelling, and like so many great saga's it's ending is..." Read more

18 customers mention "Historical significance"18 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's historical value. They find it an authentic account of human history, providing insights into ancient civilizations. The book offers a fresh perspective on ancient civilizations and is recommended for history enthusiasts and epic fans.

"...The epic's timeless themes and vivid storytelling continue to resonate, offering insights into human nature and the pursuit of meaning. "..." Read more

"...It was present in ancient Sumer, then in Akkad, and told on clay tablets with cuneiform writing...." Read more

"The author has done a great job providing the history of the writers of the Gilgamesh story and where the tablets the story was written on were found..." Read more

"...read is not why anyone should read this book, it's historical significance to human history is. The thematic parallels are endure to this day...." Read more

15 customers mention "Information quality"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for research. It provides useful background information and interesting pieces of knowledge. They appreciate the clear translation, appendices, and glosary of proper names. The notes and forward provide additional information and insights into human nature and the pursuit of meaning. Overall, it's a good tool to help understand the poetic version of the tale.

"...I highly recommend the Stephen Mitchell version as a great primer for anyone interested in or unfamiliar with the Gilgamesh Epic...." Read more

"...themes and vivid storytelling continue to resonate, offering insights into human nature and the pursuit of meaning. "..." Read more

"...I found this book to be really helpful for some ongoing research I’m doing." Read more

"...I congratulate the author and Penguin on producing this helpful and economical volume." Read more

6 customers mention "Visual style"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the visual style of the book striking and memorable. They appreciate the vivid imagery and excellent presentation of the epic. The book provides good background information and maintains all the virtues of an original poetic work.

"...read The Epic of Gilgamesh, you're missing out on some of the most vivid imagery in all of literature...." Read more

"...Either way, this is an excellent presentation of the epic, and it also gives some other interesting information of the times." Read more

"...English of these ancient texts displays all the virtues of an original poetical work, while maintaining throughout an unaltered sense of antiquity..." Read more

"Just getting into this book. Looks interesting." Read more

9 customers mention "Value for money"4 positive5 negative

Customers have differing views on the book's value for money. Some find it interesting and enjoyable, producing excitement and wonder. Others consider it disappointing and not worth the cost.

"...So, who should read this book? Everyone should. It's not exactly a fun read, but there is something comforting knowing the people of a few thousand..." Read more

"A great story, and a fun (though difficult) read...." Read more

"book sucks but fast shipping and needed it for school so I cant complain" Read more

"...long as it has and that the content is still an epic that produces excitement and wonder." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2020
    If you haven't read The Epic of Gilgamesh, you're missing out on some of the most vivid imagery in all of literature. In my opinion, this Epic isn't famous for the reasons that it should be famous. You've probably heard about the flood episode, but have you read about Humbaba and the Great Cedar Forest? Do you know where the sun goes at night? Have you plunged into the depths of the waters at the center of the world to find the flower that, when eaten, returns a man to his youth? Could you pass (my personal favorite) the test of the seven loaves of bread? And did I mention the serpent? There's a serpent.

    What's remarkable about The Epic of Gilgamesh is how complex its characters are, how broad and deep their geography and world is, and yet, how everything in it is delivered in such short, striking and memorable prose. You could read the entire story is an hour or two, or savor a piece of it for a day.

    On translations: I came across the Epic of Gilgamesh after searching on Google with the question, "What's the earliest piece of literature that we have?" I've listened through the Stephen Mitchell translation on Audible several times, and then moved onto reading the Andrew George translation. (Sadly, there is no audio version of the AG translation that I've been able to find.) My understanding of Gilgamesh is that the English translations are made from a series of cuneiform tablets, many of which have gaps in the text.

    Stephen Mitchell did a great job translating the text and "filling in the gaps" where there were gaps. The result is a single, cohesive story that flows well and leaves the reader with as close an approximation to the arch of the Gilgamesh story as is currently possible. I highly recommend the Stephen Mitchell version as a great primer for anyone interested in or unfamiliar with the Gilgamesh Epic.

    What I love about Andrew George's translation (which Stephen Mitchell references as a source for his translation) is that it doesn't fill in those gaps. Andrew George only translates the exact text from the tablets, and his translation feels more like a deep dive into the text itself.

    The biggest notable difference here is that this Penguin Classics edition of the Andrew George translation comes with the following:
    1. the Standard Version of the Babylonian Epic
    2. the Sumerian Poems of Gilgamesh
    3. Fragments of the Old Version of the Babylonian Epic
    4. Misc. Babylonian Fragments

    All of these together really helped me develop a better understanding for how the people in the Sumerian culture made sense of the world around them.

    There is also a great intro on the history of the text, as well as several illustrations of the original tablets and early depictions of the characters in Gilgamesh. This is really a fantastic book, and it can be read for enjoyment or for study.

    Buy this book, along with the Stephen Mitchell version, and enjoy the journey.
    50 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2022
    I have to get this book for English class. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

    "The Epic of Gilgamesh" is one of the oldest known literary works, originating from ancient Mesopotamia. This epic poem tells the story of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, and his journey from tyranny to wisdom.

    Gilgamesh's transformation begins with his friendship with Enkidu, a wild man created by the gods to challenge him. Their bond and adventures, including battles with mythical creatures, highlight themes of friendship, bravery, and the search for glory.

    The narrative takes a profound turn when Enkidu dies, prompting Gilgamesh to confront his mortality. His quest for immortality leads him to Utnapishtim, who survived a great flood and was granted eternal life by the gods. Through these encounters, Gilgamesh learns about the inevitability of death and the value of human life.

    The epic's timeless themes and vivid storytelling continue to resonate, offering insights into human nature and the pursuit of meaning. "The Epic of Gilgamesh" remains a foundational piece of world literature, celebrated for its depth and enduring relevance.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2024
    This, in my opinion, is probably the first recorded story. It was present in ancient Sumer, then in Akkad, and told on clay tablets with cuneiform writing. There appear to be a variety of versions, and the author shows a lot of them and also tells of the problems in bringing the story to the present. Leaving aside the fact it is a poem and poems generally do not translate well there is another major problem: most clay tablets are broken. Fortunately, the story has been recorded very many times so often the breaks are in different places, and also there is a tendency in the poem for repetition, so lost spaces can be estimated given the bits we can see.
    There is no point in discussing the story as it was written up to 5000- years ago, and in my opinion, it is even older, back to the filling of the Black Sea. The book gives several versions, but oddly enough I have seen one version that is not included, although much is the same but merely with some minor twists. I have no idea whether these came from yet more tablets, or whether the translator either added something or saw something different in the text and translated it differently. Either way, this is an excellent presentation of the epic, and it also gives some other interesting information of the times.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2021
    The author has done a great job providing the history of the writers of the Gilgamesh story and where the tablets the story was written on were found. The various copies of the story, whether complete or not are also provided along with a section on how the author went about his translation of the story. The book is worth a read for those interested in more than just the story.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2025
    Poetry of neolithic men creating civilization very intresting disecting the world of sumer

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Break for Fun
    5.0 out of 5 stars HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
    Reviewed in Canada on June 14, 2024
    Great Book! Very well translated
  • M
    4.0 out of 5 stars No en mejores condiciones
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 26, 2024
    El libro llegó rápido, pero un poco maltratado, nada muy grave, pero vale la pena mencionar.
  • Alister Aers
    5.0 out of 5 stars goede kwaliteit en op tijd geleverd
    Reviewed in Belgium on April 5, 2024
    een leuk boek over een van de oudste literaire werken
  • Suraj Lama
    5.0 out of 5 stars A whole new world
    Reviewed in India on February 16, 2024
    The Epic of Gilgamesh and the literature from the ANE takes you to a whole new world. Just the introduction is worth more than the price of this book. Andrew George's scholarship is Top notch.
  • Andreia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinante
    Reviewed in Spain on December 18, 2023
    É um livro extremamente detalhado, talvez demasiado para o que eu pretendia. É um estudo exaustivo do conto, o que o torna repetitivo.

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