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The First Ghosts

A rich history of ancient ghosts and ghost stories from the British Museum curator
By Irving Finkel
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The First Ghosts takes readers on a captivating exploration of humanity's earliest encounters with the supernatural. The book delves into eerie stories and artefacts from ancient Mesopotamia, revealing how the first civilisations perceived and interacted with ghosts. With intriguing insights, it uncovers the cultural and historical significance of these early spectral experiences.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by ancient history and curious about how our ancestors have perceived and interacted with the supernatural world. The author delves into the earliest recorded instances of ghost stories, shedding light on the origins and cultural significance of these spectral tales, making it a captivating read for those intrigued by both history and the supernatural.

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Dr Irving Finkel, curator at the British Museum, explores why the belief in ghosts is what makes us human.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

‘It's enthralling stuff, mixing the scholarly with the accessible and placing storytelling right at the heart of the human experience.’ - History Revealed

‘A fascinating journey’ - Yorkshire Post

‘Marvellous... Finkel is an expert in Mesopotamian cultures at the British Museum, and is one of the most clever, and nicest, of people it has ever been my pleasure to encounter... A fascinating journey’ - The Scotsman

There are few things more in common across cultures than the belief in ghosts. Ghosts inhabit something of the very essence of what it is to be human. Whether we personally ‘believe’ or not, we are all aware of ghosts and the rich mythologies and rituals surrounding them. They have inspired, fascinated, and frightened us for centuries - yet most of us are only familiar with the vengeful apparitions of Shakespeare, or the ghastly spectres haunting the pages of 19th-century gothic literature. But their origins are much, much older...

The First Ghosts: Most Ancient of Legacies takes us back to the very beginning. A world-renowned authority on cuneiform, the form of writing on clay tablets which dates back to 3400BC, Irving Finkel has embarked upon an ancient ghost hunt, scouring these tablets to unlock the secrets of the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians to breathe new life into the first ghost stories ever written.

In The First Ghosts, he uncovers an extraordinarily rich seam of ancient spirit wisdom which has remained hidden for nearly 4000 years, covering practical details of how to live with ghosts, how to get rid of them and bring them back, and how to avoid becoming one, as well as exploring more philosophical questions: what are ghosts, why does the idea of them remain so powerful despite the lack of concrete evidence, and what do they tell us about being human?

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The First Ghosts by Irving Finkel receives praise for its engaging narrative and insightful exploration of the historical concept of ghosts. Readers appreciate the author's deep knowledge of ancient cultures and the way he vividly brings the past to life. Finkel's writing is often described as both scholarly and accessible, making complex historical ideas understandable and fascinating to a wide audience.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529303292

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 September 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hodder Paperback

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 257g

Pages: 368

Collections

Ancient & Classical History Health & Wellness History & Archaeology History & Military Irving Finkel Non-Fiction Self-Help & Personal Development

About the Author

Dr Irving Finkel is Senior Assistant Keeper of Ancient Mesopotamian script, languages and cultures in the Middle East Department of the British Museum. He is the curator in charge of the world's largest collection of cuneiform clay tablets, comprising more than 130,000 pieces. His work involves reading and translating all sorts of inscriptions, sometimes working on ancient archives to identify manuscripts that belong together, or even join to one another. With publications, lecturing and broadcasting, Dr Finkel has brought these inscriptions and their writers to a modern audience. He is the author of The Ark Before Noah.

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