"Erudite and accessible, this is a book for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the centrality of the Talmud in Jewish scholarship and life." --Tova Mirvis, author of The Book of Separation: A Memoir "The best possible introduction, within the confines of a single volume, to the experience of Talmudic study." --Daniel Boyarin, Los Angeles Review of Books "Wimpfheimer does a brilliant job telling the story of the Talmud. Excellent and highly recommended." --David Tesler, Association of Jewish Libraries "Thought provoking." --Sergey Dolgopolski, Reading Religion "Wimpfheimer takes the reader by the hand and walks through the many hair-splitting complexities of the Talmud, its evolution and its impact." --Patrick T. Reardon, Chicago Tribune.