Book 40

Gilgamesh the Hero by Geraldine McCaughrean

I'm starting to read books for the next school year. The literature for the girls so far is poetry and included an excerpt from Gilgamesh. I wanted to be sure I understood the story and so read Matthew's book. This story is very similar (as expected) to what I understood in the excerpt. But it starts much sooner in Gilgamesh's life and goes further. I do feel I understand the excerpt better.

Not just in this book, but also in the Ancient Egyptian poems I read, I'm finding stories very similar to what is in the Bible. I'm thinking there is truth to Romans where everyone has revelation of God and they will be judged according to their revelation. The Egyptians had a belief at one point of a single creator god. In Gilgamesh, they tell a rendition of the flood story complete with a boat they call an ark and animals on it. There are of course differences from the Biblical account.

Recommended: yes. It does give us insight to ancient peoples. But I would caution against young teens/tweens who are still easily swayed in their faith. If not fully convinced of faith in Christ, they could easily see the similarities as reasons to see the Bible as just another story ad not the truth.