jjares reviewed Ancient Mesopotamia: An Enthralling Overview of Mesopotamian History, Starting from Eridu through the Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, Hittites, and ... Alexander the Great (History of Mesopotamia) on + 3307 more book reviews
It is exciting to sit back and start reading 7400-years old history. This is the story of early Mesopotamia, the lands between the Tigres and Euphrates Rivers. We learn about early life; how empires developed, ruled, and dissolved. Enthralling History turns their lens on life from the Neolithic Age until the conqueror, Alexander the Great. The editors have rewritten scholarly texts on the subject into highly-readable information for just about anyone.
Since Mesopotamia was where "it all began," it was the home of many firsts. Enthralling History makes sure the reader understands these firsts (for example -- the first city was Eridu; the Sumerians created the first civilization, Sargon was the first ruler, and so on). Watching independent city-states grow to develop kingship over others and eventually form into multi-ethnic empires is excellent reading. It is also fascinating to read about 'the flood" that occurred long before Noah and the Bible.
Another positive feature of Enthralling History is their penchant for spending time explaining kingly pursuits and life for the everyday person. As a result, readers see a more complete view of these early civilizations. In olden times, they rebuilt their cities precisely on top of previous cities. This rebuilding makes excavating the earlier civilizations and peoples much more difficult. Another thing I love about these books is their comprehensive nature. For example, Enthralling History brings in the changing climate issues (catastrophic floods, earthquakes, and centuries-long droughts, are some) that caused people to migrate elsewhere. These issues combine to create a fascinating historical view of life long ago.
Since Mesopotamia was where "it all began," it was the home of many firsts. Enthralling History makes sure the reader understands these firsts (for example -- the first city was Eridu; the Sumerians created the first civilization, Sargon was the first ruler, and so on). Watching independent city-states grow to develop kingship over others and eventually form into multi-ethnic empires is excellent reading. It is also fascinating to read about 'the flood" that occurred long before Noah and the Bible.
Another positive feature of Enthralling History is their penchant for spending time explaining kingly pursuits and life for the everyday person. As a result, readers see a more complete view of these early civilizations. In olden times, they rebuilt their cities precisely on top of previous cities. This rebuilding makes excavating the earlier civilizations and peoples much more difficult. Another thing I love about these books is their comprehensive nature. For example, Enthralling History brings in the changing climate issues (catastrophic floods, earthquakes, and centuries-long droughts, are some) that caused people to migrate elsewhere. These issues combine to create a fascinating historical view of life long ago.
