Intro to the Talmud and Midrash by Strack and Stemberger
Strack (1848-1922) was a Professor of the Old Testament at the University of Berlin. His classic introduction to Rabbinic literature was revised and updated by Gunter Stemberger, an established expert on Rabbinic history and literature. This book is the only comprehensive one-volume introduction to the subject that I know. I think will be invaluable as a textbook and reference guide for students and scholars of Jewish history and literature alike. It's an excellent and compact resource outlining rabbinic texts.
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