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The First Ghosts

Most Ancient of Legacies

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The First Ghosts

Written by: Irving Finkel
Narrated by: Irving Finkel
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About this listen

Dr Irving Finkel, curator at the British Museum, explores why the belief in ghosts is what makes us human.

There are few things more in common across cultures than the belief in ghosts. Ghosts inhabit something of the very essence of what it is to be human. Whether we personally 'believe' or not, we are all aware of ghosts and the rich mythologies and rituals surrounding them. They have inspired, fascinated and frightened us for centuries - yet most of us are only familiar with the vengeful apparitions of Shakespeare, or the ghastly spectres haunting the pages of 19th-century Gothic literature. But their origins are much, much older....

The First Ghosts: Most Ancient of Legacies takes us back to the very beginning. A world-renowned authority on cuneiform, the form of writing on clay tablets that dates back to 3400 BC, Irving Finkel has embarked upon an ancient ghost hunt, scouring these tablets to unlock the secrets of the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians to breathe new life into the first ghost stories ever written. In The First Ghosts, he uncovers an extraordinarily rich seam of ancient spirit wisdom that has remained hidden for nearly 4,000 years, covering practical details of how to live with ghosts, how to get rid of them and bring them back and how to avoid becoming one, as well as exploring more philosophical questions: what are ghosts, why does the idea of them remain so powerful despite the lack of concrete evidence and what do they tell us about being human?

©2021 Finkel Productions Limited (P)2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Ancient Occult World Haunted Paranormal Ghost Ancient Ghosts
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Irving is a treasure

If you've viewed his lectures and segments on YouTube, you know. He is not only a leading authority on his subject, but exudes a particular brand of irascibility that allows the listener to practically see his eyes twinkling as he reads.

10/10, would listen to him read the phone book.

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The charming grandfatherly cadence of the author/narrator!

What a treat to hear performed by an expert on the subject who clearly thinks very deeply about his field. I appreciate his ability to illustrate a compassionate curiosity - one which takes great care to remind us of an obvious fact sadly easily and often forgotten: that these ancient peoples were as human as we are now. Their hopes and dreams and preoccupations are ours. Irving Finkel sheds new light on dusty tombs using this precise empathy.

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