Sages of the Talmud is a collection of biographical information about the authors of the Talmud。 It contains about four hundred entries and hundreds of anecdotes about the sages， all as recorded in the Talmud itself。 An indispensable book for the student of the Talmud， it is not only an excellent practical reference guide， but also a text of general interest that may be read for enjoyment。 This reference work cites the source of each quotation in the Talmud。 The fascinating anecdotes and stories give readers an idea of the kind of social environment in which the sage lived。 The work also includes an appendix with the corresponding general history of the time so that the reader can understand the contemporary political climate。