Jealous Gods and Chosen People: The Mythology of the Middle East

Here, David Leeming offers the first comprehensive narrative study of the mythology of the Middle East. Leeming offers an in-depth discussion of the mythology of the region, covering individual pantheons, cosmic myths, mythic heroes, and much more. He ranges from prehistoric figures such as the Mother Goddess of Çatal Hüyük to Mesopotamian gods such as Marduk and mythic heroes such as Gilgamesh, to the pantheon of Egyptian mythology, including the falcon-headed sky-sun god Horus and jackal-headed Anubis. The author also offers an illuminating exploration of the mythology of the three great monotheistic religions of the region: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In a provocative Epilogue, Leeming notes that fundamentalists in the area's three religions all see their way as the only way, forgetting that myths represent truths that are spiritual and philosophical--not historical events that can be used to justify acts of violence. With key maps, illustrations, bibliography, and index, Jealous Gods and Chosen People provides an inclusive, authoritative, and captivating account of a mythology that remains a potent--and often destructive--force in the world today.


Author: David Leeming
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 06/02/2005
Pages: 160
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.40w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780195182521

About the Author

David Leeming is Emeritus Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of Connecticut. His many books include Myths, Legends, and Folktales of America, with Jake Page, A Dictionary of Asian Mythology and Myth: A Biography of Belief. He lives in Riverdale, New York.

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