Read this when
The Epic of Gilgamesh
The oldest story in the world is about losing your best friend and not being able to let go. 4,000 years later, still relatable.
Who it's for
The world's oldest surviving great story is, at its heart, about a man who loses his best friend and cannot bear it.
Feelings it meets
What it is
The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient Mesopotamian poem. Its Standard Babylonian version is attributed to the scholar Sîn-lēqi-unninni and draws on earlier Sumerian poems. Gilgamesh, the oppressive king of Uruk, meets Enkidu, a rival the gods created, and the two become close friends who kill the guardian Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven.
Where to find it
The poem is ancient, but modern translations (Andrew George's Penguin Classics edition, Stephen Mitchell's version, N. K. Sandars' Penguin prose version) are in copyright; available in print, from lib.
Before you start
Heads up: Mass death in a flood; a slow death.
Age: Ages 14+
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.Matthew 5:4, Matthew 5:4
