Social Sciences Books

This series is absolutely fantastic. It's a young adult series but it definitely shouldn't stop anyone from reading it (I mean look at Harry Potter, we all read that, and it started out considered a Middle Grade series. A good book is a good book, no matter the intended age group.)

Claire Danvers is an incredibly bright girl, and at 16, she's already in college living away from her parents. Trouble with one of the mean girls at school and her gang of thugs has caused Claire to opt for living off campus. She lives in the Glass house. A spooky house owned by Michael Glass who is dead, a ghost by day, and alive by night. She also lives with a goth girl named Eve and a normal guy named Shane.

Morganville has vampires, it's like vampire headquarters. In this book they are the vamp equivalent of the mafia. The humans in the town sign up with a vamp for his/her protection. They donate blood. They wear metal arm bands that show they are protected, with their patron's symbol on it. It's all very neat and tidy. For a YA novel, these are some of the creepiest vampires I've come across in awhile.

I really love this series and will definitely be picking up book three as soon as possible. The first book in this series is called: "Glass Houses"

I love this series. It is such a breath of fresh air, in a genre that seems to keep repeating itself as far as plots and character development. In Rachel Caine's vampire world, Morganville, the vamps are pretty scary guys and they have convienant ways of 'hiding' people who go missing. And a lot of people DO go missing in Morganville. An extra curve is thrown to the story line when we realize that the crazy band of vampire hunters, led by Shane's father, are scary and bad too. They don't care who gets killed in their quest to rid Morganville of its vampires. Shane gets swept along in his father's plans and gets captured and its up to Claire and her ghostly friend Michael and his goth girlfriend Eve, to save Shane. Will Claire stop at nothing to save Shane? Michael seems to be making some unholy deals of his own. I encourage everyone to read this series. It has only gotten better since its amazing debut "Glass Houses". There is no lack of action or suspense. The relationships are cute and realistic and as an adult I can easily overlook that this is meant to be a Young Adult novel. I also must reiterate that this book stands out from the Twilight series and in a positive way. There is more action, more plot, and the characters are strong people.

not as great as the first one. i read maybe 100 pages and it didnt get going yet. im sure it will get better as i read on.

THE DEAD GIRLS DANCE {Morganville Vampires Book 2}
RACHEL CAINE
Paranormal YA

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Claire is a brilliant college student stuck in Morganville. With possibly no way out...ever. Living with Shane, Michael and new best friend Eve, she is trying to attend college and live a halfway normal life. With vampires running the town, she gets driven to school and tries to lay low at night. Claire is a personable girl with a catty wit that will make you laugh out loud.

In book two of the series, Claire and her friends are all involved with new problems. Branching out from where GLASS HOUSES ended, Shane's dad is in for a visit after Shane called him. His dad is after blood, and it's not the human kind. With a mad man on the loose and killing vampires, everyone is pointing fingers at Claire, Michael, Eve and Shane. Oliver, the vampire manager of Common Grounds, is plotting revenge and is getting help from an unlikely source. Eve also starts a new job at a coffee shop on Claire's college campus. While indulging in coffee and talking to Eve, a college guy named Ian invites the girls to EEK frat houses' Dead Girls Dance. Michael, still not able to leave the house, makes a choice that will not be easily forgotten and will shock all of his friends in the house. When Shane gets into some trouble, because of dear ole dad, Claire and Eve decide to go to the frat party, with a seat-gripping chain of events all the way to the end.

THE DEAD GIRLS DANCE gripped me from page one, just as much, if not more, than the first book in the series. Ms. Caine knows how to get readers interested and keep them hanging on. From the antics of the spoiled-brat Monica to the ending at the frat party, this book is non-stop fun. It flows smoothly and is very hard to predict what's going to happen next. All the characters are well-developed; you can feel their emotions of having to live in this town that's overrun by vampires. THE DEAD GIRLS DANCE is one of the best vampire stories that I have read so far.

Ms. Caine is the author of another series called `The Weather Warden' and some other stand-alone titles. She continues to write books for the `Morganville Vampire' series. Her website, www.rachelcaine.com, has loads of information on her and her books. She also has a myspace page that includes some wallpaper from the books and a mailing list you can sign up for with the latest information on contests and new releases.


Holly
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
June 2008

I didn't BUY this product so I don't know why I'm being asked to review it.

As a person who tends to stay away from luxury brands though remains interested in this cultural phenomenon, I found this book to be extremely insightful, engaging and a very fair history of the luxury brand market. Dana Thomas takes us through the history of luxury houses as they move from small family owned creators of the absolute best in their field to corporate owned behemoths catering to the nouveau riche and wannabes as they sell a sexy and successful lifestyle image.

I found her in person reporting to be the most engaging as she shows us the people behind the luxury brands and the personality clashes and twists of fate that give us the brands and designs we have today. However, Ms. Thomas takes a somewhat snobby, though not rude tone, when talking about the democratization of luxury goods. Overall, an extremely good book.

this book was overall well written and full of interesting tibits about everything from the decline of haute couture and the rise of globalization. it definatly changed my mind about fashion shopping. probably not going to buy "luxury" items (made in china, supports business tycoons and not the designers/artists) even though i've had in the past. i recommend this book to anybody who wants to be a smart consumer.

I bought this book to read during my vacation. In fact, I finished it when I arrived at my destination!
It gives insight of todays true luxury brands and products as well as the piratry problematic all over the world. Deluxe is very well researched and openly criticises extrentric family run luxury brands such as Prada. Especially the insider information was very much appreciated. Refreshingly entertaining and informative.

Deluxe by Dana Thomas summarizes everything the casual reader needs to know about the history, business, and philosophy behind the luxury goods industry and how it grew from a bunch of family-owned businesses in Europe to the juggernaut of globalization it is today. Thomas takes us to emerging markets like China, isolated corners of the world like Mauritius where the objects of desire are made, the European shops where craftsmen still tool leather by hand, and all other places, from Vegas to Hong Kong to Sao Paulo, where luxury reigns supreme.

In assembling all this information, parts of the book seem disjointed, and even though Thomas weaves a loose thesis it's an easy book to put down. For instance, Thomas squeezes as much excitement as she can from the founding of the great European luxury houses like Hermes and Gucci but the endless parade of founding fathers and grandfathers can get a bit dull.

Overall, it's a largely enjoyable read for the casual reader interested in fashion or business in general.

This is one of the best books Ive read this year. I am not a buyer of luxury items. I didnt even know what that term meant really. But its all clear to me now. This books also explains and illustrates globalization. The writer is professional and the book is a good read. I guess I'll have to go to Las Vegas and take a gander at a Hermes handbag. I do have a Hermes scarf. My daughter gave me a white one.

This book was in the same quality as if i would have bought it at the college book store, but about $10.00 cheaper. It is a good read, and helps create a better idea of how to view a things with cultural relativism.

This (so called) interactive CD is a classic example of 2 unfortunate characteristics of Western anthropology: 1) It sees human beings as specimens to be examined, filmed, held up for cultural di-section, for the interest of westerners with no intention of doing good for these people; 2) It inevitably skews the perception of the culture it depicts. Obviously there are degrees of accuracy with any ethnographic description, but in this case we are left with a very distorted picture. For example, we are not told that the Yanomamo have for decades now been willingly seeking and embracing different methods of conflict resolution - rather than killing each other, resolving issues like who "owns" a woman by negotiation rather than by killing those who disagree with you. Many of these constructive and helpful developments, which the yanomamo have embraced of their own free choice (having had a gut-full of the alternative) were introduced by well-meaning missionaries, and yet it seems the anthropologists want the yanomamo to stay frozen in time and keep killing each other. Meanwhile, Chagnon and others go merrily on their way making big $ out of depictions like this and trying to stop missionaries (and others) from helping these people to help themselves.

For a genuine "insiders" view, see Mark Ritchie's "Spirit of the Rainforest" and discover how the Yanomamo themselves view the arrival of anthropologists with films and notepads, and missionaries with new ideas.

It is naive to think that as an anthropologist you can enter a society to observe it, and the act of observation itself not impact that society. In Ritchie's book, for example, you will see how parts of the footage for this CD were obtained (and how for example they scolded a lady for walking onto the set with clothes on - most Yanomamo were by this time wearing clothes of their own accord ("Who wants to keep getting bitten by bugs?") and yet the anthropologists wanted them to stay naked, at least for the film if not forever.)

I give this CD a good score for interactivity and nice graphics and footage, but I give it a zero in terms of any benefit it has brought to the Yanomamo. (You can read in the updated edition of Ritchie's book what the reaction was of a Yanomamo village leader who actually viewed the CD for himself).

So get the CD if you want to see villagers killing each other, but get Ritchie's book if you want to understand the Yanomamo.

this book is a good introduction to the Yanomamo people of the Amazon rainforest, in Venezuela & Brazil. There's so much literature on these people; this book really is just an introduction. One thing Chagnon communicates very well in it is how terribly tragic he thinks what's happening to them now is, with western influence, especially in the last chapter. Anyway the way he writes is great.

Although an interesting read, it would be so because it is filled with false information. Davi Kopenawa Yanomami claims not only did Chagnon misrepresent the Yanomamo, but also offered them gifts to fight among themselves so he could take pictures and record the sounds of the fight. In a 2001 interview with Janet Chernela he says the following: "To repeat, Chagnon is not a good friend of our relatives. He lived there, but he acted against other relatives. He had a lot of pans. I remember the pans....When he arrived at the village, and called everyone together, he said 'Whoever is the most courageous will earn more pans. If youkill ten more people I will pay more. If you kill only two, I will pay less.'... This isn't good. This kills. Children cried; fathers, mothers, cried. Only Chagnon was happy. Because in his book, he says we are fierce. We are garbage. The book says this; I saw it. I have the book. He earned a name there, WATUPARI. It means king vulture- that eats decaying meat. ... He ordered the Yanomami to fight. He never spoke about what he was doing.
The purpose of an ethnography is to document, not to fill in gaps to make something more interesting to read.

This bestseller ethnography is praised for its detail; Chagnon is praised for unprecedented geneological and geographical data. Chagnon has spent many decades living with these people and collecting data. Cultural ecology, subsistence and political organization seem to be his strengths, but the text is exceedingly masculine. It can be criticized for ignorning women, those with less power, and power differential. The author's depiction of the Yanomamo as warlike and fierce is argued as overdone and jeapardizing of the wellbeing of the Yanomamo. Prior to Chagnon they were a mostly uncontacted people and since they have been enculturated, devastated by mining, and have lost respect due to their fierce reputation. Very thought provoking, informative and controversial, this 260 page ethnography is a must read for anyone interested in the field of anthropology.

Whether you are a seasoned professional or a first-time beginner, Bob Cohen's book will give you a breath of air as you slog through the sometimes smoggy atmosphere of teaching drama. One of the problems a drama teacher faces is that while everybody can act to a certain point--after all, most of us live a life of drama just navagating the simplest everyday experiences. But not all are able to capture that natural ability to adjust to life for use in an artificial environment--ie on the stage or before the camera. Cohen breaks that process down to basics. There are no esoterics here, only common sense . . . and truth. Among the exercises there is advice. Good advice. This is a great place to start before you tackle the various "Methods" that some swear by but often get between the actor and acting. I have been at this for nearly 30 years and still go back to Cohen for that breath of air I mentioned. It makes me want to go back into the darkness of the rehearsal hall to see whether I can make the magic yet again.

This book, by Cohen, offers a good reference guide for begining students. It is comprehensive and well-laid out as it gives a basic overview of most aspects of the theatrical arts.

Before there was comic "Soul Man" etc., there was this 50's investigative memoir about a white male 'passing' as a black man to 'experience' black culture. Also, try Philip Roth's "The Stain" movie and book based on a real life BM passing for WM.

This book is the account of a white man, named John Howard Griffin, who turned himself black to study the real extent of racism. It starts out with his experiences in New Orleans as a black man. He knew about some of the things that are done to black people, but didn't know the full extent of how much white people try to degrade the sense of value or self-worth of all black people. He experiences having to walk miles ot get a drink of water, working for hours and having just eough money to eat that day, and the whites attempts at lowering all black's self worth, including the "hate stare." However, New orleans is relatively nice for Bkacks. When he reads that in Mississippi there was a lynching case the FBI had found tons of evidence for and the White grand jury wouldn't even open the packet of evidence. The mississippe folks claimed they had wonderful relationships with the Negros. Griffin had even met some of them before, and talked about there relationships with the Negros. He saw a whole new side of them when he went as a black man. He was horrified at how inhumanely people could treat other people and shares very insightful thoughts ion what racism was really like.

I would highly reccomend this book for someone to read, although it's not for younger children. it''s more for tenns and audults. It has a plethora of large words that some with smallish vocabularies might not understand. Otherwise this is one of the best boos I have ever read and I highly reccomend you read it.

Though approaching the fiftieth anniversary of the events in this book, reading BLACK LIKE ME today shows both the inroads America has made towards erasing the blight of racial intolerance, as well as the limits that America has in truly educating itself about all kinds of Hate. Indefensible Hate still exists here, and there is no indication that it will make as great a stride in the next fifty years as it has in the last fifty.

Without question, this book should be required reading for all teenagers (and adults) across the country. To understand another's perspective is the first, primary step in eradicating intolerance. This book (which is a slight bit didactic at points) is the remarkable journey of a man who bothered to really try to understand the life of the black man in the American South as best as he could. Of course he could never truly KNOW, but he certainly took pains to do what he could to understand the experience better than anyone before.

Students (eighth-graders) in my Honors Language Arts class are required to read this book, and I hope they will discover from where we as a nation have traveled. Those who easily bandy about epithets or think unkind thoughts about others (whether because of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, heritage, or ability) might get an honest sense of perspective by taking the trip with John Howard Griffin.

Better yet, after reading this book, ask yourself these questions (and I will ask my students): "If given the opportunity to change my appearance so dramatically as to appear to be from a different race for six weeks, would I do it? What would I fear going into it? Suppose I was told after four weeks that it was impossible to change back; how would it make me feel?"

For a country that falsely prides itself on equality for all, I believe that our conversations about racial equality are sorely lacking in our public dialogue. BLACK LIKE ME would be an excellent place to start a meaningful conversation.

Originally published in 1961, Black Like Me is the account of how white journalist John Howard Griffin had his skin medically darkened and traveled through the Deep South as a black man in an attempt to explain the hardships black people in the South faced. It also covers the backlash against the publication of his story.

Black Like Me is a concise, fast and engaging read. The reader is often able to see things through Griffin's eyes, even as Griffin tries to see things through the eyes of others. He does an excellent job communicating the cultures of fear and despair he encountered. The entire account of his travels as a black man is riveting.

If there is any nit-picking to be done, let it be for this: at times, particularly early on, Griffin's descriptions of mundane, everyday objects and details seem forced and do not aid the narrative.

While today's racial tensions are much less overt (and much less publicized), Black Like Me still has quite a bit to say about the universal elements of human nature and the culture of racism.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Here's something that often makes me laugh...

People who seem to have no Black friends, don't know any Black people other than at a distance (say in another department at work), have none in their social circle and who have no knowledge of 'Black' history, the history of racist thought and practice or its persistent legacy of discrimination are quick to say those magic words:

'I'm not racist'.

I've observed this many, many, many times. It often precedes 'but...' and someone saying something that often reveals staggering ignorance. Now I'm no mind reader but I would ask the question of anyone who says 'I'm not racist' - how do you know?

We all have opinions that we would do well to examine from time to time. I've heard people from different ethnic groups, countries etc say the most stupid things imaginable about 'other' people and even themselves. Men say stupid things about women, women say stupid things about men. Let's face it - stupidity is common currency all over the world.

This book, if honestly read and understood, is an antidote to the abject stupidity of racism.

Core Concepts in Health, was a very good purchase. The book came on time and in good condition. The picture provided when purchaseing the book was quite adequate. My only advice, mabe take some pic's of the inside of the book, how the pages look inside etc. Core Concepts of Health was a good purchase overall.

I saved close to 50% by purchasing this from here! I absolutely needed it for my health class and it was in perfect condition!

THE BOOK IS A GREAT TOOL FOR LATINOS WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE OF WHY THE COUNTRY'S OF THEIR FATHERS ARE IN THE STATE THEY ARE TODAY. I HAVE ENJOYED THIS BOOK A GREAT DEAL AND WILL PASS IT ALONG TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

I have to read this book because of my class. However I really enjoyed to read this book. It was pretty interesting and making me to think about Latinos.

Harvest of Empire, a book by Juan Gonzalez, gives a history of Latinos in the United States. The book is divided into three sections entitled "Roots," "Branches," and "Harvest." The first section contains three chapters that provide a brief history of the relationship between Latin America and the United States. The second section is composed of six chapters, each one devoted to one of the major groups of Latinos living in the United States. Each of the following groups are described in this section: Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Cubans, Dominicans, Central Americans, and Columbians and Panamanians share a chapter. Within the six chapters, Gonzalez writes about individuals or families in order to reflect the general migration story of the larger groups. Thus, these individual portrayals serve as representations of the larger collection of immigrants. In the third section Gonzalez discusses several topics relating to Hispanics living in the United States. The topics include politics, immigration, language and culture, free trade, and the state of Puerto Rico.
This book has several strengths. In the first section, Juan Gonzalez provides an informative summary of the history of colonization and expansion in the Americas. The summary is well-researched and easy to read. The main strength of section one is Gonzalez's explanation for why different societies exist today in the United States and Latin America. His theory is that different societies exist as a result of the historical antecedents to our modern society. In section two, the immigrant descriptions help to personalize each of the different groups and allow the reader to identify with their stories. Also, Gonzalez stresses the important differences between each of the various Latino immigrant groups in the United States. Gonzalez combines much historical research with personal interviews he has conducted of various immigrant families. In section three, Gonzalez raises several issues concerning Hispanics living in the United States that are timely. He also asserts six changes he believes are essential to ensure Latino prosperity and assimilation in the United States. The six changes he suggests are thought provoking and stimulating.
Although the book has many strengths, it also has limitations. The most obvious limitation of the first section is its brevity. Gonzalez attempts to summarize more than 500 years of history in less than eighty pages. As a result, much of the history described is generalized and collapsed into short, summary statements. Also, Gonzalez could have better organized sources for further reading and study. He does provide an extensive bibliography, but it is not organized according to subject matter. A better organization of the bibliography would have been more helpful. For example, a list of further readings at the end of each chapter would have been beneficial.
This book is well suited for those wishing to learn more about Hispanics in the United States. It would be ideal for use in a class on Hispanic culture. Also, it would be beneficial for those wishing to learn more about Hispanic immigration to the United States.

I am the Americanized Puerto Rican born in Brooklyn whose parents traded cultural awareness by restricting use of the Spanish language at home for assimilation and greater opportunity educationally. The trade off worked, I earned my BS in Management from Pepperdine University. The trade off didn't work, it is difficult for me to associate in any meaningful manner with fellow Puerto Ricans or Latin Americans in general. My African-American friends consider me white, my Anglo-American friends consider me black, and I am quickly shunned at times by Puerto Ricans just because I don't speak Spanish. Juan Gonzalez with great research and detail identified my subtle undefined (at the time) schizophrenic social engagements. Therapeutically, through historical narrative of US policy towards Puerto Rico, cause and affect of PR vs NYC migratory action from the 1940's through today, viewing the current environment of Puerto Ricans in the South Bronx or East Harlem, I've come to know myself better, appreciate those of my race with greater gravity, and understand that none of these actions are by chance. Macroeconomically, the environmental and immigration impact of US policy regarding the Caribean Basin Initiative or NAFTA that are extensively noted and bibliographed, quite simply created a different perspective on my training in business and foreign investment. Mr. Gonzalez does not stop there. He tackles bilingualism, revisits and reexamines American History in a manner not expressed to me in any classroom...ever...then through citings of other works, backs it up. It is the most refreshing book I've read since the Autobiography of Malcolm X with Alex Haley, due to it's clarity and insight for the human quest for internal and external truths.

It's so ironic to hear US citizens talk about an "invasion" of immigrants, while ignoring the way in which the US has been invading other countries for generations - either militarily or economically. It's great to see Juan Gonzalez analyze this elephant in the empire's living room.
With all of our technology, one would hope that people in the US would learn that there are other people in the world that are being harmed by the tax dollars they invest in militarism - a system of force that includes over 700 military installations in 132 countries, the funding and training of proxy armies, harmful behavior by CIA agents and "economic hit men" and other policies that create misery and refugees.
As Christians, or simply moral human beings, US citizens should welcome our Latino brothers and sisters, and maybe even offer an apology for the policies of this country's masters of war and corporate crime. Thankfully, countries like Venezuela and Bolivia are starting to resist the dictates of the World Bank and other institutions of neoliberalism.
For those who appreciate the views of Juan Gonzalez, you can hear him every day as the co-host of the award-winning "Democracy Now!" radio program.

I would also recommend the DVDs "When the Mountains Tremble" and Eugene Jarecki's "Why We Fight" for an understanding of our militarism and the way it causes suffering in Latin America.

"There is at the head of this great continent a very powerful country, very rich, very war-like, and capable of anything. . . The United States seems destined to plague and torment the continent in the name of freedom." -Simon Bolivar

I think this book was an amazing example of telling history from a certaim viewpoint without forcing an opinion upon someone. It is an excellent choice for anyone with the desire to learn more on the history of race and culture. I found it to be educational, yet interesting at the same time.

There's really no point to owning this book if you're enrolled in a German class, and there's absolutely no reason for a self-learner to pick this up otherwise. There's a lot of people who say this book "is great if you're in a class / using video / using audio / great teacher / etc etc..." and the truth is, when you have that much enrichment anyway, you don't need a very good book (which is the only time when using this book is acceptable). And the "listening comprehension" CD? It's much more useful as a coaster. A coaster that might cost you a whole paycheck.

Gripes:
-Never provides ANY blocks of words/pronunciations in chapters (even when it does, it tends to have whole phrases translated, not word-by-word breakdowns like you need, especially in the beginning). You have to learn 90% of your words on your own, and then try to figure out what's going on in the book based on your own knowledge. This is an almost absurd problem considering the price.
-Randomly tosses around different dialects of German with little division. Without a professor keeping you informed, you might not even notice some of the differences. My fiancee was dismayed to learn that I wasn't learning the same dialect that she knows (and her dialect is High German, which is the one you're "supposed" to learn in an introductory class). I think I'm learning a more Southern or Austrian dialect. Is that the book's fault or my professor's? Since the book doesn't help, I have absolutely no clue!
-The CD is truly worthless. It barely follows the book, and doesn't provide ANY quick access to any necessary elements. It doesn't have access to very much in the way of pronunciation at all- nearly all of the CD is composed of text application of the words with little or no motivation except as practice for what you should have learned before (except there is no "learning before"- in the book or CD). Inexcusable.
-No answer keys. The book might have you learn new phrases with something like "figure out which of the following phrases are greetings or goodbyes", and unless you ask a professor, you might never know. Again, it's just amazing that a book would cost so much and not contain something like this.
-How can you learn a language when the book never really teaches anything new, and just keeps expecting you to apply knowledge that it doesn't give? It makes no sense!

Counterpoints:
-It's... kind of pretty. If you don't mind that a lot of the pictures aren't properly explained. And those pictures are example exercises in the chapter... yeah, you'll mind.

If you HAVE to have this book for your class, just hope it's a good class. This book seems near-worthless for trying to teach yourself, which as any student knows, is critically important to ANY language class. Listen in class, and don't expect the book to be of much help.

So what do I reccomend?
Even if you class doesn't reccomend it, try to find the two workbooks/lab manuals that go along with the book. Frankly, I've found that they sometimes do a better job of teaching than the book does. AND they have answer keys to help you check your progress. Sadly, however, the manuals don't come with the necessary listening CDs, so you're still going to be left out in the cold for most of the experience. Again, just ridiculous.

Overall:
-If you're taking a German class, and this is the book, you don't have much choice anyway.
-Which is to say, if you're not taking a class and you're learning on your own, virtually any other book does a better job.

Basically, this is one of those books that is fine for classroom teaching, in that it's perfectly fine as long as you have an instructor.

But, there is absolutely no reason why it should cost as much as it does (it's way too expensive here on Amazon, and $200+ at my campus bookstore!). And, there's no reason why the publisher should make minute changes every year and call it a new edition.

Oh, wait. There is one reason - it's a racket just like all of these kinds of books.

This is a textbook for classroom use as opposed to self study. My two semesters of german at Penn was quite enjoyable; the textbook introduced a lot of grammar points clearly and you build vocabulary through studying themes for each chapter. I can't wait to go to Germany this summer. If your instructor chose this book for you, it is worth the price. The workbook and lab manuals are pretty easy to keep up with, so you won't feel too lost learning a new language.

I am currently enroled in begining German. This book is not the kind of book you can teach yourself from. You need lots of help along the way - which is fine. But the book does not stand on it's own. Also - the labs were horrible. I think you can do better for the money.

We use this book for german 1 and 2 here at duke. Let me start off by saying that I've never been very skilled in learning foreign languages. As such, I have a tendency to lash out at the books that are assigned the job of teaching me in this area ;) This book, I think, gives the reader every possible advantage in terms of learning the language, I think. The grammar is explained clearly, and in a logical order. I'd give it a 5, but as I said, I don't like having to learn foreign languages ;)