As an informal researcher of Sumer, Ur & Mesopotamia I have purchased and read several books on the subject. This is one of the better though it is not as thick or heavy as I would have thought. I could wish that I had started with this one as some of the others could have used a bit more ... preparation. While it is not a massive tome of dry information, it still imparts an awful lot of knowledge in a way that is easily readable and could be interesting to an interested high school student while still being quite useful to someone in a more collegiate setting.
The manner in which the author has broken the various cities into "chapters" makes it easier to follow the information being laid down. As far as I can see she doesn't try to extrapolate information that doesn't seem to belong in the context. While she doesn't go into quite the depth that others do, she covers the topics quite throughly.
I found that I could read this easily in bites and chunks and digest the chapter before moving onto the next one. Since each chapter is pretty much a history of one place over one general timespan, it makes it relatively easy to put a "pin" in the mental map of my mind.
If you are looking for a very in-depth and scholarly work, this is probably not the best book although it is very good. If you are looking for a book that is easy to deal with and is quite comprehensive without being overly pedantic then I suggest that this is a great place to start.
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2015
- Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2019
- Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2014
- Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2018
- Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2025
Top reviews from other countries
- ZazaiReviewed in the Netherlands on September 26, 2023
Read waaaay better history books. Didnt like how this one was written.
- Angela SungReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2023
Mesopotamia in 10 cities
This book explains the concept of Mesopotamia in 10 cities, starting from Eridu and ending with Babylon. From my experience, history books go in two directions, chronologically or geographically. This undoubtedly falls into the latter category.Angela SungMesopotamia in 10 cities
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2023
I feel that if you are not very familiar with the topic, or if this is your first book on the matter, you will get quite confused about the timeline and the events. Especially with these geographically and politically related entities, you have to understand they were not isolated from one another in their courses of history. It is somehow like the Greek city states. While they were developing individually, they also interacted with each other. Thus their history were inseparable. One thing about dividing chapters by cities is that the timeline got messed up. One may think that the first city rose and declined before the second flourished. But this is absolutely not the case. They happened at the same time. Readers have to bear it in mind when reading the book.
Besides, all chapters started with an archaeological record with names and years. It increased the difficulty of understanding. It is very easy to get lost in the archaeological accounts and forgot what you are looking for. If this is your first book on Mesopotamia, I suggest you to go through it once quickly to get a brief knowledge and then go for another book that explains everything following the timeline. After that, if you come back to this book you will find it much clearer and easier to digest the information.
Lastly, the font is a bit too small. If will be better if they are slightly larger. Plus the descriptions do not match some of the pictures. They were put in wrong order if you examine carefully.
Overall, I quite enjoy the book though it seems I am not recommending it with my comments above. As I have a solid understanding on the subject, I have no difficulty finishing it and found the details very interesting and informative. It is up to you whether it is something for you.
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- Djilly L.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2019
Lonely Planet 2000 BC .. lots to soak up
Very much enjoyed this excellent book. But it might not be the best introduction to the topic.Djilly L.Lonely Planet 2000 BC .. lots to soak up
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2019
In a remarkable manner Leick choses to discuss the history of the Mesopotamian cities through a detailed, vibrant overview of its various cities and their stages of development. This suited me well. However I must say that I’ve read quite a few books on the topic and from this background I found this approach highly interesting and refreshing.
It begins with almost mythical Eridu from there you’ll be taken on a journey to Ur, undiscovered enigmatic Akkad, Nineveh ect to eventually conclude with Babylon the cosmopolitan metropolis. One city is covered per chapter and each chapter starts off with the site’s archaeological backdrop. For each city you’ll learn about culture, specific local customs, known leaders and preeminent inhabitants Each section concludes with the religion and gods worshipped in the city.
In general the book covers a myriad of Mesopotamian everyday life aspects. Poets, traders, priests and business-women all get proper attention. The author also discussed the subsequent immigration waves that the region saw, like the Elamites, Medes, Aramaeans and Semitic tribes. Needless to say I learned a lot from this work, I was just constantly soaking up the information.
It’s a book from 15 years ago and despite the tragic destruction in the region, knowledge and insights must have progressed. So I’m very curious for an update.
Next this I would point to the lack of illustrations. The centrefold photos are a helpful visual aid, but it was disappointing that they weren't in colour and it remains pretty minimal. Books like these would massively benefit from timeline graphs, dress examples and schematics of cities, buildings and art - just to bring the imagination to life even more. After all pictures and graphs often say more than a 1000 words. Yet, this appears to remain a taboo in academic circles even in this digital age where digital books defy costly and complex printing restrictions.
Nevertheless a highly fascinating, enlightening book.
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