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The Epic of Gilgamesh

Anonymous

Start date: July 1, 2019

Finish date: July 31, 2019

Discussion: Current Group Reads

Why we're reading this: July 2019 Old School Group Read
[close] July 2019 Old School Group Read

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Showing 2 of -1 topics — 475 comments total

Current Group Reads

* The Republic of Plato - No Spoilers
By Sara , New School Classics · 18 posts · 50 views

last updated Nov 01, 2025 11:29AM

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last updated Oct 31, 2025 03:09PM

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What Members Thought

Apr 07, 2025 Erin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-before-common-era, favorites, iraq, epic, catching-up-on-classics-group, _world-literature, language-akkadian

While short compared to other epics, Gilgamesh weaves together a rich tapestry of themes, including what it means to be human, love, death, and the enduring power of stories. I highly recommend the translation by Sophus Helle, which I found deeply engaging. I appreciated the inclusion of spaces where lines are missing, inviting the reader to pause and imagine what might once have been there. Helle’s word choices and overall presentation felt right to me, making for an enjoyable read, and his ess ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 28, 2011 Kathleen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A great story. Not quite The Iliad, but that's not a fair comparison, is it? ...more

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Feb 02, 2023 Winter rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: the-great-conversation-roger-maxson, 2023-read

3 Stars

While I can see the impact this has had and I admire how much has been preserved, it’s still to fragmented to really be enjoyed properly. I feel like I might have enjoyed it more without all the translation explanations unfortunately.

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 02, 2025 Alisa added it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, region-mena, audio, 2025

Even though the story is about the two strongest guys in all the land, in the end the story reveals how fleeting and fragile life is... I liked it overall and I am glad I finally got to read it.

1 like · Like · see review