Book review- The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon by Stephanie Dalley

This book by Stephanie Dalley is simply excellent. Please have a look at my review which will also be published in GDJ.

Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-966226-5

The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon. An Elusive World Wonder Traced

By Stephanie Dalley

Over 18 years of research has gone into this work; which has disproved accepted thinking by eminent scholars. As such, Dalley experienced considerable opposition to her findings. This work is the result of painstaking and substantial research, a good deal of which could not be carried out by anyone but Dalley. Her study, deciphering and understanding of ancient 7^th Century BC Assyrian inscriptions cross referenced with later Greek text was pivotal to her work. Dalley’s obvious passion for the subject comes through in the book as does a wealth of knowledge and commitment to the conclusive evidence.

Some may consider an academic work like this difficult to read, dry and soulless, a cure for insomnia; but be reassured the writing is fluid, and interesting, suiting specialist and non-specialist readers alike. The book is the equivalent of drinking a high energy drink, no sleeping once opened. Dalley is a Miss Marple and Sherlock Holmes all rolled into one brilliant investigative mind.

The book shows how accepted thinking on the creator and location of the Hanging Garden must change. In her own words Dalley states,’ this book has shown that the hanging garden was built at Nineveh, not Babylon, by Sennacherib, not Nebuchadnezzar, or Semiramis’. The whole reasoning behind this is clearly and understandably defined.

I whole heartedly recommend this book.