Robert Graves and the Hebrew myths

by Raphael Patai

This book tells the story of the thirty-year friendship between Robert Graves and Raphael Patai, and in particular, the story of the literary collaboration that culminated in their joint authorship of the Hebrew Myths: The Book of Genesis. The friendship between Graves and Patai began in 1947 when Graves, having read Patai's book Man and Temple, wrote him a "fan letter" full of remarkable scholarly comments and reflections. It was the beginning of an exchange of letters between the two authors that led to their participation in each other's books and studies, joint public appearances in lectures and interviews, mutual visits, and a lasting friendship. In addition to the nearly two hundred letters they exchanged that are published here for the first time, the book contains the full recorded texts of a long conversation between them about the Hebrew myths, a joint lecture in New York City, and a radio interview.^ It also includes the lecture Graves gave to the London Hillel Foundation on