Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem

(Paperback)

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Reflections on a lost poem and its rediscovery by contemporary poets Gilgamesh is the most ancient long poem known to exist. It is also the newest classic in the canon of world literature. Lost for centuries to the sands of the Middle East but found again in the 1850s, it is a story of monsters, gods, and cataclysms, and of intimate friendship a

Reviews

"For anyone interested in language, history, or the power of a great story, this biography of a poem assures endless discoveries."---Jeva Lange, The Week
"A brilliant book, brilliantly executed. Michael Schmidt's unparalleled love for poetry, ancient and modern, brings to life the continuing vitality and importance of the world's earliest surviving poem, with fascinating new insights on every page. A real treasure."--Ruth Padel, author of Darwin: A Life in Poems
"A great pleasure to read. In this illuminating book, Schmidt sheds a kaleidoscopic light on Gilgamesh, its journeys, and its possible futures. All in a way that is seemingly effortless and without strain, a rare thing in critical discourse."--Philip Terry, author of Dictator
"Michael Schmidt's book is a lively and instructive read, full of insight and response that bring a new voice to the poem's reception."--A. R. George, author of The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic
"This is a remarkable and hugely worthwhile book. I cannot imagine a better introduction to Gilgamesh, but it is also something more than that. Schmidt has written a stimulating literary study that makes this oldest of poems feel new, exciting, and on the move."--Peter McDonald, translator of The Homeric Hymns

Author Bio

Michael Schmidt is a literary historian, poet, novelist, translator, and anthologist as well as an editor and publisher. His books include Lives of the Poets, The Novel: A Biography, and The First Poets. Twitter @4Michael7