Gilgamesh: Man’s First Story

“Gilgamesh is the oldest known legend. In this beautiful, full-color version, the distinguished author and artist, Bernarda Bryson, has created a richly moving interpretation of the mighty deeds of Gilgamesh, the great hero-king, part god and part man. First written down in Sumerian cuneiform 3,000 years before Christ, the story of Gilgamesh tells of a great flood and of one man, befriended by the gods, who survived by building an ark. In the feats of Gilgamesh and his companion, Enkidu, a monster-man who becomes gentle and loves and respects the King, are found the sources of the great mythological heroes, Hercules, Jason and Theseus. In addition to its importance in the history of children’s literature, Gilgamesh is an exciting, dramatic and often amusing tale–setting jealous god against jealous god, and man against man in remarkable battles of wit and strength. Bernarda Bryson has set down a stirring epic accompanied by exquisite prints which impart to the reader her own lifetime fascination with the myth of Gilgamesh.”