>
> At the moment I am looking around for a manageable version of the
> Talmud and have just figured out that probably what I am looking for
> is the Mishnah with just early commentaries, the Babylonian Talmud, a
> very early version. It seems the Venice version was already something
> like fifteen volumes---busy critters, these arcane scribblers. So I
> am trying to figure out what is the basic minimum. From a very limited
> search it seems to come down to The Living Talmud, trans, Goldin J.,
> New American Library, (1957)---better suggestions, anyone?
>
If it were manageable, it wouldn't be Talmud, though, would it? It's a large subset, but about 14 volumes of Adin Steinsaltz's _Talmud_ (1989-ongoing) have been translated into English. Few are in print, but I think many libraries have picked these up as volumes were published. There is also an English version of his _Essential Talmud_, (1976,1992) which is brief. For Torah/Bible commentary, Maimonides (Rambam)'s _Mishnah_ has been mentioned. It is usually easy to get a _Torah_ (first five books) or _Tanach_ (OT) with commentary by Rabbi Solomon ben Issac (Rashi) included.
One of the Venetian imprints is called the _Soncino Talmud_, and I think its English translation is still in print. If not, many libraries seem to have it.
Dive in!
Chris