{"product_id":"adapas-ascent-authors-mesopotamian-9781908936578","title":"ADAPA's ASCENT: The First Story","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eDATING BEFORE THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH, 'ADAPA's ASCENT' HAS CLAIMS TO BE THE VERY FIRST STORY EVER TOLD\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe story of Adapa's Ascent was known in Mesopotamia, Egypt and beyond. Abraham himself will have been acquainted with the story of \u003cem\u003eAdapa -\u003c\/em\u003e a mortal faced with an ultimate choice by God\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEven 'Gilgamesh' (whose epic dates back almost 5 millennia) refers to the '\u003cem\u003eSeven Sages\u003c\/em\u003e', of whom \u003cstrong\u003eAdapa\u003c\/strong\u003e was one. Indeed, Gilgamesh intends to continue their beneficial works\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn fact, it appears that the \u003cem\u003every first oral forms of the story\u003c\/em\u003e of Adapa's Ascent may date back almost 1500 years before the bible account of 'Adam and Eve' (\u003cem\u003ec.\u003c\/em\u003e1000 BCE) immortalized in the \u003cem\u003eBook of Genesis\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eADAPA's ASCENT, IN ITS WRITTEN FORM, EXISTS IN SOURCES DATING BACK ALMOST 4000 YEARS - IN THIS NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION IT SPEAKS TO 3rd MILLENNIUM READERS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book presents the \u003cstrong\u003emost complete version ever\u003c\/strong\u003e of the miniature epic of the Mesopotamian hero 'Adapa' - an exorcist priest offered \u003cem\u003eImmortality\u003c\/em\u003e by his Supreme God - \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003ethe most difficult decision of his entire existence. \u003c\/em\u003eContemporary poet Edouard d'Araille has forged an integrated version of Adapa's Ascent based on all surviving cuneiform tablets - the first form of writing - on which its episodes are written in \u003cem\u003eSumerian\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAkkadian. \u003c\/em\u003eBased on the most recent interpretative work in Assyriology and never departing from its original sources, Adapa's Ascent presents the most complete vision yet of this heroic '\u003cstrong\u003eMyth of Man \u0026amp; Immortality\u003c\/strong\u003e' - a \u003cem\u003e\"Story for All Ages\".\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAdapa's Ascent\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e is the tale of the 'First Man', Adapa, a survivor of the Great Flood who has succeeded in setting up human civilization. However, all does not go well after Adapa is near-drowned by one of the Gods. He strikes them down with a powerful curse and his presence is demanded before Anu - God of all Gods - who will offer him a choice that could change his life forever: Eternal Life. Faced with his ultimate destiny, Adapa must decide whether or not to follow the stern advice of his father Enki, God of the Waters, who foretold to Adapa the scene that would face him in Heaven.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresented in 17 Poetic Chapters - with a \u003cem\u003ePrologue\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eEpilogue\u003c\/em\u003e - Adapa's Ascent tactfully intercuts between the different characters, episodes and locations of this legendary tale from the ancient world\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIllustrated throughout by the artwork of acclaimed painter Odilon Redon, who dedicated a whole series of paintings to the legend of 'Oannes' (an alternative name of 'Adapa').\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWere it not for a series of exceptional excavations in the 19th Century - that also unearthed ' Gilgamesh' - \u003cem\u003ethen Adapa's Ascent would still be unknown!\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eDISCOVER A STORY THAT WAS BURIED IN SECRET FOR OVER 2500 YEARS - A MYTH OF MAN AND IMMORTALITY\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor those wishing to learn more about the narrative, its meaning and origins, the International Library Edition contains critical materials including the essays 'The Birth of Fiction', 'Recreating an Ancient Classic', Character Glossary, Photographs of the Source Tablets and a Select Bibliography, among other featured extras.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Authors Mesopotamian, Edouard D'Araille\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1908936576\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781908936578\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Living Time Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/20\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 82\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.16lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 6.00h x 4.00w x 0.21d","brand":"Authors Mesopotamian","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47244536316159,"sku":"9781908936578","price":26.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_f0baff9b-5d1c-4782-b8c0-7c276edb84df.jpg?v=1758135976","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/adapas-ascent-authors-mesopotamian-9781908936578","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}