Book recommendations for middle eastern mythology?

[Starman]

Can anyone recommend some good books on myths and legends of middle eastern cultures? I'm not looking for a particular culture at this point, so anything for mesopotamian, persian, arabic, etc. societies would be great.

Starman

 

[Maerdwyn]

Start with The Thousand and One Nights, for the classics.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0415045436/qid=1097885831/sr=8-7/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i7_xgl14/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

That's a 4 volume set - and a good one. You can find anything from a couple hundred page paperback with just a few of the several dozens of stories, to lavisly illustrated multivolue tomes that contain more than just the actual canon. Most public libraries have some edition or another.


Arab Folktales, published by Pantheon, is a fantastic collection of oral traditions:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0394751795/qid=1097885489/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books&n=507846


The Enuma Elish is the source for Tiamat and other Babylonian myths:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1585090433/qid=1097885546/sr=2-2/ref=pd_ka_b_2_2/002-2873179-9740841

The Bible

For Persian literature, there is the Shahnameh.

That should get you started, but I can give you more (probably to the point of boring you to death) if you want it.

 

[Starman]

I suppose I should have mentioned I've been looking at The Thousand and One Nights and Old Testament stuff all ready. Those were the only two sources I knew of.

Thanks for the other suggestions. I'm going to hit up my local library and check them out. I'd gladly listen to anymore recommendations you had.

Starman

 

[CCamfield]

If central asian isn't too far east, you could try The Book of Dede Korkut. There's a Penguin edition.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...103-1521771-9452646?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

As a reference, I have a copy of A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology by Gwendolyn Leick. Lots of little snippets and a fairly long bibliography.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...e_p/103-1521771-9452646?v=glance&s=books&st=*

The price seems steep, though, as it's not a big book. I suppose it's published for use as a textbook in universities. I got a remaindered copy for $15 Canadian (about $12 US)

 

[Maerdwyn]

Good survey of Mesopotamian myths:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0192835890/qid=1097949221/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

A nice site showing how Jinni are depicted in the Qur'An:
http://muttaqun.com/jinn.html

Zoroastrianism
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1842121650/qid=1097949848/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0415239036/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books&st=*

Mithraism, and other mysteries religions:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/081221692X/qid=1097949995/sr=2-3/ref=pd_ka_b_2_3/002-2873179-9740841

Canaanite Myths:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0567023516/qid=1097950293/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_8/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books

A book for younger readers, but still excellent, with very good illustrations, on jinni and other mythological figures:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0872269248/qid=1097953617/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books

Creation stories from the region:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1853026816/qid=1097953713/sr=1-16/ref=sr_1_16/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books

 

[Starman]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. This will give me plenty of good stuff to check out.

Starman

 

[Farganger]

Good survey of Mesopotamian myths:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0192835890/qid=1097949221/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-2873179-9740841?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Good recommendation - Stephanie Dalley was one of my instructors at University. The other, who sadly died recently and untimely, is the co-author is this equally useful book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/103-1651689-2405426?v=glance&s=books