This book was nowhere near as dry as I expected it to be. Usually, texts discussing ancient Near Eastern texts read like the nutritional information on the back of a cereal box. This one was different, with a bit of tongue in cheek humour thrown in for good measure. The image of Enkidu 'sticking out' of the rushes made me giggle, perhaps I am weird! The main thing I enjoyed about this book was the author was quick to point out when she thought that previous scholars had imposed their own personal beliefs or the strictures of the society in which they lived on the ancient text. It is extremely hard to be objective and no-one is perfect. The author also acknowledges this. Some parts did drag a little and seem a little repetitive (that may be because a lot of the texts are repetitive!), but overall, it was a well structured analysis and discussion of sexuality in the ancient past. I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in Mesopotamian history or an interest in the history of sexuality/eroticism and its portrayal in ancient society. In the end, it did say a lot without saying anything, which is good, because it means the author allowed the texts to speak for themselves and provided only guidance. ( )