The Mesopotamian Riddle

“[An] epic intellectual adventure… Mr. Hammer’s ability to skip from philology to Great Game intrigue, from biblical sources to the ‘Assyria fever’ that swept London, is extraordinary.” —The Wall Street Journal“Written with brilliant characterization and edge-of-your-armchair suspense. As in the best detective novels, the story of those who uncover the mystery is as intriguing as the mystery itself.” —Julian Sancton, New York Times bestselling author of Madhouse at the End of the Earth“This tale of dusty scholars could have been as dry as the desert. But… Mr. Hammer makes dead languages speak again.” —The Economist“Joshua Hammer is a marvelous storyteller, and he has grabbed hold of one of history’s great yarns. His rollicking tale, combining intellectual heft and fast-paced vigor, places readers ringside as rivals struggle with a deciphering mystery that had stymied the world for two thousand years.” —Edward Dolnick, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing of the Gods“Stirring…. [An] elegantly written, fascinating account.” —Pittsburgh Post Gazette  “An adventure tale for puzzle lovers and Indiana Jones fans alike.” —Washington Post“Riveting… sumptuous… abundantly deserving to be read.” —Moment Magazine“The Mesopotamian Riddle is equal parts enthralling and erudite, a story of linguists who battled marauding bandits, diseases and disasters … with nothing less than the veracity of the Hebrew scriptures and the roots of western civilization at stake.“  —Barbara Demick, author of Eat the Buddha “A riveting and revelatory story of rivalry, secrets buried for centuries, and the long quest for the truth.” —David E. Hoffman, author of The Billion Dollar Spy “Joshua Hammer tells a splendid tale.” —Barry Strauss, author of The War That Made the Roman Empire

Joshua Hammer is the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu, The Falcon Thief, and The Mesopotamian Riddle. His writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, GQ, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and Outside. He lives in Berlin.