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LAST-MODIFIED:20250611
SUMMARY:Book Talk with Joshua Hammer
DESCRIPTION:July 16, at 4:30 pm, Joshua Hammer will be presenting maps, Victorian-era sketches, and photos in celebration of his newly published book, THE MESOPOTAMIAN RIDDLE: An Archaeologist, a Soldier, a Clergyman and the Race to Decipher the World’s Oldest Writing (Simon & Schuster).\nTHE MESOPOTAMIAN RIDDLE is a fast-paced adventure story about the decades-long quest of three free-spirited Victorians to decipher cuneiform, the oldest writing in the world. Hammer’s specialty is exhilarating adventure stories, and readers who loved his previous books will be captivated by the swashbuckling archaeologist, the suave military-officer-turned-diplomat, and the cloistered Irish rector, as they race to decipher cuneiform and reveal the secrets of lost civilizations. Chronicling decades of fierce competition, global adventures, and exciting revelations, THE MESOPOTAMIAN RIDDLE is unputdownable as Hammer takes readers from ancient Mesopotamia to Ottoman-era Iraq to 19th century London and beyond.\nFrom the ruins of Persepolis to lawless outposts of the crumbling Ottoman Empire, The Mesopotamian Riddle whisks you on a wild adventure through the golden age of archaeology in an epic quest to understand our past. \nJoshua 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.\nThis event is free and open to the public.\nClick here to listen to Joshua Hammer on Dan Snow’s History Hit : The Mystery of Mesopotamia\nJun 09 2025 • 38 mins\nToday we journey back 5,500 years to the dawn of urban civilisation, in the mud-brick metropolis of Uruk. We hear how their ancient cuneiform script was lost to time, until being dramatically rediscovered in the 19th century.\nJoining us is Joshua Hammer, a former war correspondent and author of ‘The Mesopotamian Riddle’. He explains how three unlikely characters – a dashing archaeologist, an officer turned diplomat and a reclusive clergyman – raced one another to decipher this mysterious script and unlock the secrets of long-lost empires.\nProduced by Mariana des Forges and James Hickmann, and edited by Tim Arstall.\n
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">July 16, at 4:30 pm, Joshua Hammer will be presenting </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">maps, Victorian-era sketches, and photos in celebration of his newly published book, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">THE MESOPOTAMIAN RIDDLE:</span></i> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">An Archaeologist, a Soldier, a Clergyman and the Race to Decipher the World&#8217;s Oldest Writing</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(Simon &amp; Schuster).</span></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">THE MESOPOTAMIAN RIDDLE</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a fast-paced adventure story about the decades-long quest of three free-spirited Victorians to decipher cuneiform, the oldest writing in the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Hammer’s specialty is exhilarating adventure stories, and readers who loved his previous books will be captivated by the swashbuckling archaeologist, the suave military-officer-turned-diplomat, and the cloistered Irish rector, as they race to decipher cuneiform and reveal the secrets of lost civilizations. Chronicling decades of fierce competition, global adventures, and exciting revelations, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">THE MESOPOTAMIAN RIDDLE</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is unputdownable as Hammer takes readers from ancient Mesopotamia to Ottoman-era Iraq to 19</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">th</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> century London and beyond.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">From the ruins of Persepolis to lawless outposts of the crumbling Ottoman Empire, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Mesopotamian Riddle</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> whisks you on a wild adventure through the golden age of archaeology in an epic quest to understand our past. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Joshua Hammer is the </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">New York Times</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> bestselling author of six books, including </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The Falcon Thief</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Mesopotamian Riddle</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. His writing has appeared in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New York Times Magazine</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">GQ</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Atlantic</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Yorker</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">National Geographic</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Smithsonian</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Outside</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. He lives in Berlin.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This event is free and open to the public.</span></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://lnkfi.re/DSHH" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to listen to Joshua Hammer on Dan Snow&#8217;s History Hit : The Mystery of Mesopotamia</a></strong><br />
Jun 09 2025 • 38 mins</p>
<blockquote><p>Today we journey back 5,500 years to the dawn of urban civilisation, in the mud-brick metropolis of Uruk. We hear how their ancient cuneiform script was lost to time, until being dramatically rediscovered in the 19th century.</p>
<p>Joining us is Joshua Hammer, a former war correspondent and author of &#8216;The Mesopotamian Riddle&#8217;. He explains how three unlikely characters &#8211; a dashing archaeologist, an officer turned diplomat and a reclusive clergyman &#8211; raced one another to decipher this mysterious script and unlock the secrets of long-lost empires.</p>
<p>Produced by Mariana des Forges and James Hickmann, and edited by Tim Arstall.</p></blockquote>

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