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outcolder's review
5.0
The goddess Inanna is a much more admirable supernatural being than most of the jerks you meet in mythology. Wolkstein's translations and glosses grabbed me and transported me to ancient Sumer and I liked it there, at least among the gods. The bit where Inanna hooks up with Dumuzi is sexy in a nice way. The essay where she puts the Inanna stories in the context of other myths and legends got a little confusing. Kramer seems like a great guy, staring at bits of ceramic in museum backrooms half his life and figuring out what it all means. Throughout the book there are images from museum pieces that Kramer explains in notes in the back, and those are awesome. I'd look at one of the pictures, and be like, "cool," and then read what Kramer thinks is going on in there, look at it again, and it's epic. Lion-headed thunder birds tormenting people, naked goddess standing on lion backs, priest-kings and high priestesses in ritual embraces... and lots of wavy lines and rosettes. Any one of them would make a kick-ass belt buckle. I wish I'd gotten a taste of this back in the 70s and 80s when they were feeding me the Iliad, the Odyssey, Beowulf, and the Christian stuff like King Arthur and Narnia. Wondering now if there isn't some Iraqi Wagner out there with an Inanna opera?
sulaluna's review
4.0
Definitely will read this again. And again. I am most intrigued by the story, "The Descent of Inanna," in which we meet Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld. Diane Wolkstein's interpretations are especially helpful. Of Ereshkigal, Wolkstein writes, "This underground goddess, whose realm is dry and dark, whose husband Gugalanna is dead, who has no protective or caring mother, father, or brother (that we know of), who wears no clothes, and whose childhood is lost, can be considered the prototype of a witch--unloving, unloved, abandoned, instinctual, and full of rage, greed, and desperate loneliness." Oh my god. That chilled me to the bone. "In many ways," Wolkstein continues, "Ereshkigal is the other, neglected side of Inanna." Chilled and blown away.
This first reading was introductory for me, leaving me with a longing to dive deeper into the stories of Inanna and Ereshkigal, Inanna and Dumuzi... and into mine.
This first reading was introductory for me, leaving me with a longing to dive deeper into the stories of Inanna and Ereshkigal, Inanna and Dumuzi... and into mine.
cthonautical's review
4.0
I think this book had lots of great information, however I wish it was ordered differently
first comes the poems, and unlike other Mesopotamian myth books, the author filled the gaps where words are lost. This makes the poems easier to read.
next comes commentaries, which i which had been placed right after each poem rather than lumped at the end.
beautiful poetry, beautiful explanations, great read
first comes the poems, and unlike other Mesopotamian myth books, the author filled the gaps where words are lost. This makes the poems easier to read.
next comes commentaries, which i which had been placed right after each poem rather than lumped at the end.
beautiful poetry, beautiful explanations, great read
funnellegant's review
4.0
I loved the story-focus of this interpretation, and I thought the collaboration between a folklorist and Sumerologist was inspired. Great reading for anyone who wants to read about some of the first recorded myths in human history.
kellylynnthomas's review
5.0
This book has both the actual myths, translated from cuneiform tablets, and interpretations of the myths, which make it a well-rounded collection. There are also essays on the translation process, the images used throughout, and extensive end notes. Good for someone causally interested in Inanna, as well as those with more scholarly intentions.
grassandrogers's review against another edition
The last half is all explanatory essays. Some of them were super interesting, some not so much.
dbhiguera's review
4.0
Very interesting....great book to broaden your outlook on what we have been taught or spoonfed religiously. Great to broaden your views if you are open minded. You will see that the bible does not necessarily have its origins where we may have been taught. Also, good to see how ancient Sumerians brought their daily life; sex, weather, explanation of gods and social order into a very poetic form.