Language Arts Books

This was a required book for a Russian class at SUNY Brockport.It was in good condition and delivered in a timely fashion.

I have the 1974 paperback edition, and I can't give it enough praise. It's simply awesome! It gives a unique insight into the customs of Russian people as related to their history, their land, and their language. In the preface, the author states that her goal is to "explain in what physical ways the Russian world differs from [the American], both the given world of nature and the world of objects the Russian and his forbears have created to cope with it." In this she has succeeded beautifully. In many ways, everyday Russian life is powerfully affected by environment and tradition. Here is everything you need to know before you go. One of my travel tourguide books claims that many American visitors are "ultimately disappointed" by Russia. This is because they do not experience the *real* Russia, nor even know what to expect. If you are planning a vacation trip, read this book first and your visit will be much enhanced. If you stay there with Russian friends and associates, this book will enable you to understand and appreciate their quite different customs. And if you are learning Russian, this book gives a fascinating insight into the relationship between the language and the people who speak it.

Having lived in Russia for the last two years, and dealt with Russians and Russian life daily, I believe the author has accurately summarized everything you should know prior to arriving or doing business here. Useful for both the unstudied tourist and students of Russian language.

It cannot be easy to describe an entire country, its People, its culture and its customs, in 400-odd pages. Nonetheless, that is exactly what Ms. Gerhart has done here.

She covers not only the basics, the "everything you want to know about Russia" -- she delights her readers by covering several things they may not have realized they wanted to know. For instance, the intelligentsia ordinarily shies away from discussing slang and "mat", perhaps thinking it beneath them. Yet Ms. Gerhart recognizes that, as a practical matter, this is something that simply has to be covered for people visiting or living in real-world Russia. You may not want to use bad words yourself, but you certainly want to know when the gentlemen in the flat-top haircuts and leather coats, walking towards you outside the metro station, are using them towards you... So in a completely proper and not at all vulgar manner, she tells you everything you really need to know about cursing in Russian -- along with a clear injunction to "not try this at home" yourself.

Personally, my favorite part of the book was her discussion of tools used in woodworking, a hobby of mine. I found the translations of these words, not commonly needed by a tourist in Russia, invaluable when I went on a short shopping spree seeking locally forged axes and chisels in podmoskovia. This section may not be for everyone, but it is demonstrative of a point I wish to make about the book as a whole: While not everything in the book may interest everyone, everyone who reads the book will find something that interests them -- perhaps something they never expected to find there.

This book can be used by students at any level form beginner to advanced as well as by tourists or other travelers to Russia who don't speak the language, but want to understand the people. The author touches on sensitive issues while remaining relatively non-judgemental, which is unusual and refreshing to find.

I enjoy the dictionary very much but if trying to learn Samoan on your own you are going to need more than just this dictionary. It is pretty good with the English to Samoan part incase you are traveling to the Islands. Its not quite pocket size, but I carry it with me without a problem.

this is a great book to have it is very easy to read and learn the samoan language.

I have personally used this book many times at work to find the meaning of Samoan words. It is written very well, with all of the diacritical marks - including the ÿokina (glottal stop) and kahako (macron), to allow for correct pronounciation. The book is beautifully bound in a neat hard cover, with burgundy red as the main colour, and with a yellow flower motif running down the side, and a yellow title line, "Samoan Dictionary". Go check it out! Itÿs worth the price. Soifua! -Kaliko Trapp, Hilo, Hawaiÿi

This is the best Samoan dictionary I've used! Besides its qualities already mentioned, it also has sample sentences for each word. It gives all definitions for the words, and definitions are precise. Don't settle for anything less!

25 years ago, I arrived at my school site as a Peace Corps volunteer in Samoa. I soon figured out that the key to having a good experience was to learn Samoan. This dictionary was a dear friend in that process. While I was immersed in Samoan every day, I used this dictionary and whatever written matter I could find for a couple of hours every day to supplement the spoken Samoan I was learning. My Samoan eventually got to be pretty good for a Palagi, and this dictionary was a great help. Faafetai tele lava ia G. B. Milner.

A beautifully written novel about love between a white British woman and a black man from Senegal. The two meet in school, and against all odds and family and cultural prejudices, finally marry. When things go wrong deeply held beliefs are challenged and the reader is shown the "other side of the story." Paradoxes are revealed, allowing the reader to think critically about serious issues of race, prejudice, marriage, fidelity, and more.

This novel was recommended by an IB DP English language teacher I work with, and I agree. I highly recommend it for high school (age 16 & up) and university reading lists. Translated from the French.

This is a book club in Boston, MASS-USA of women of color and we focus on books written by "African Female Writers"...... thats how we found ourselves reading Scarlet Song by Mariama Ba... here below is a little synopsis of the book club meeting we had in November 2007.

Since some folks had problems getting the book, we offered a what was intended to be a short synopis - you know ten minutes - well when you get women of color from the diaspora to recap what they read, you will hear editorials, dramatizations and disagreements, that a ten minute synopsis turned into an hour of laughter and a market style conversation.
We all learnt about how our own backgrounds and perception of societal roles influence how we experience the world e.g. some thought that Mirielle did a good job with the meal she was sending her father in-law in an effort to be dutiful daughter in-law..... while quite a number of us did not understand what was going on in her head - like how dare she sends "a piece of chicken" for only her father in-law.... when in actuality he lived in a compound hence he had to send for all. In an African setting your generosity is in quantity not frugality. Yaye Khady was well within her rights to snub at her because for the first time it seemed as if there was a clush of cultures and no clear expectations were outlined. Being that she was the one that was in the foreign land she had to learn the ways of that land and adopt to them rather than the land adopting to her foreign ways. At this point you can clearly see that inspite of Mirielle prior stay in Senegal as a Diplomat's daughter, she experience Senegal through different lenses. Her interaction with the locals left alot to be desired because when she returned she appeared to be clueless about the expectations of the land.

Feminist notions aside ---- All of us were in awe of Ouleymattou's strategy in hooking Ousmane. Girlfriend can be an army general - she has perfect execution and got what she wanted..... and we are all in search of that incense / perfume... read the book to understand the new-found fascination. Our fascination with her was in context of trying to understand what it takes a woman to chase a married man, and a married man to court another woman in instances where polygamy is allowed. So we could not necessary judge her because it was ok in her setting to be a second wife.... as courtship goes its a GAME!

We all agreed that it was just a tragic story - the whole relationship was just naive and it had tragic consequences - I think everybody in the room drew from personal experiences, lessons related to interracial, inter-class, inter-caste --- whatever the social lines are. what needs to be acknowledged in order for things to even remotely work. I was personally enriched by the immerse diversity of opinions that were in the room, how thoughtful and insightful everybody was.

Please dont take this as a book review but just a report back on the discussion we had. As we read more books, I will take the time to do write-ups on the website because I realise that African Female writers are not the MOST explored writers hence any write-up on them would help somebody.

KEEP ON READING

its a wake up call, it was my first book on the subject of interracial marriages I ever read, it sure widened my horizon.

Mariama Ba brings to life the true realities and complexities of interraccial marriage. She writes poignantly and beautifully. She is a master narrator, and will amaze you with her fabulous storytelling. I have read "Scarlet Song" numerous times, and wrote my senoir thesis about this book.

Scarlet song is the story of two lovers, Ousmane Gueye and Mireille De La Valle who are in an interracial relationships. Both set of lovers endured their parental opposition to the relationship with Mireille receiving the raw end of the deal ... her father disowns her after her secret wedding. Unpeturbed by her father's repudiation, she relocates with her husband to his country, Senegal. Unfortunately, their story book romance is unable to withstand some of the traditions and expectations of her inlaws. Her mother inlaw mocks her and calls her a jinee. Ousmane, a weak willed fellow is gradually drawn into his culture, abandons his wife for his once secret crush, Ouleymatou, who had spurned his advances during their teenage years because of Ousmane's devotion to his mom. The two embark on an illicit romance with the approval of their family and a union is produced from the relationship. When Mireille gets wind of the illicit relationship, now legalized by the society, she suffers a breakdown and at the end of the novel, she is about to be deported back to France by the French Embassy.

Scarlet Song is another classic from Mariama Ba. The novel is very deep and intense, the literary qualities is superb, she writes with panache and at the end of the novel, the reader comes out with the conclusion that the narrator of this novel was adept at weaving the story consistently. She would have been a contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature if she was still alive.

Highly Recommended.

From the first line - "Your stories are all yours and waiting to be told" - I loved this book. The tone is so warm and welcoming, inviting aspiring teen writers into the fellowship of those who love the written word. I have read many books on the craft of writing, and none is better than this one, in terms of giving extremely clear directions on every subject from plotting, character development, dialogue, point of view, showing vs. telling - all with abundant, concrete examples of common writing mistakes. Each chapter begins with an inspirational writing quotation; the book concludes with interviews with fifteen well-published, award-winning teen authors; readers will love the actual reproduction of a small section of one of Hanley's own much-scribbled-over first drafts. Although the book is targeted at teens, it would be equally helpful for all writers, at any level. As someone frequently asked to teach writing seminars, I plan to rely on this heavily in my own teaching - in fact, I'll be tempted to tell prospective students: "Skip my class and just read this book!"

Victoria's experience as an award winning Young Adult writer, and as a teacher of teens, shows in this book. She knows how to address teen writers without being condescending or boring. Few craft books are able to pull off the feat of giving pragmatic and insightful advice without becoming text-booky and dull, but this one does it. The chapters have an effective combination of insights, craft points, and exercises, that will not only help you write better, they'll make you want to write more. Although the book is aimed at teens, I think many adults (especially adults who want to write for teens) will find it useful as well. In addition to Victoria's extensive advice, she's interviewed and included excerpts from several other published authors (like me --I'm in there!). It's a great gift for aspiring and accomplished writers alike.

Where was this book when I was a struggling wannabe writer at the tender age of thirteen? I winged it on my own. After a dozen or so rejection slips I gave it up and let my dream remain a dream, the rejection slips having come close to turning that dream into a nightmare.

Unlike so many instructional books I've seen, Victoria uses a tone and style that creates a friendly "you can do it" atmosphere that makes the reader feel more like it's coming from a learned friend than a published writer.

Well organized and presented in a logical sequence, this is the perfect book for the beginning writer.

And to top it off, towards the end of the book, Ms. Hanley devotes a section to questions and answers with other successful writers which gives the reader different points of view on how to succeed at writing.

My only regret regarding this book is that it was published fifty years too late. If it had been written during the fifties it would have helped me fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a novelist, propelled me, perhaps, to reach into the heavens and pocket a star or two.

Quick disclaimer -- I'm one of the authors interviewed for this book, BUT, even if I weren't, I would heartily recommend it! At teen writing workshops I do, I'm often asked for recommendations for creative writing books geared toward teens... and finally, I have the perfect book to recommend. Seize the Story! teaches you how to write great fiction-- it covers dialogue, descriptions, voice, beginnings, middles, and ends, setting, plotting, point of view... and it does so in an incredibly readable, friendly, humorous, personal way. Hanley's insights are based on her own fiction-writing experiences (award-winning fantasy) and years of doing workshops with teens- and her wisdom really comes through! She uses plenty of vivid examples to illustrate her points, and gives fun writing exercises at the end of each chapter. This book isn't just for teens-- it's for people of all ages starting their own fiction-writing journey.

What works about this book so well is that Victoria Hanley shares the same kind of information adult writers need but in a way that's sassy and spry--appealing to younger writers and equipping them like professionals. She does a great job of letting teens know how to access the power of the pen and take risks on the page. I wish this book had been around when I was a preteen and first started writing. I would share this book with any budding author.

So goes the famous ad lib from Robin Williams.
Silver Boomers is full of pieces about our "sixties salad days".I'm known for writing funny poems and picture books. (Such as Texas Aesop's Fables.)
Silver Boomers gave me a chance to publish something a little different. I used to write more stories like "Electric Lunch at Granny Bow's", and these nice folks allowed me space to do it again. That may be good or bad, according to your point of view, but the wonderful poems of Sheryl Nelms, alone,are enough to make me want a copy.

Every reader will connect with these stories. I laughed out loud, got misty-eyed with memories, and was brought face-to-face with the fact that life still has much more on my agenda. Thanks Silver Boomers!

Starting off with a capturing cover,simple/abstract picture within a picture of more than a thousand words, those words within the pages of Silver Boomers.

The mixture of story/poem/story kept the pages turning, but not turned before enjoying the marquee ticker tape running along the bottom of each page through the entire book.

Memories reminded and were made throughout this masterfully edited anthology. Kudos to all involved.

I purchased this as a gift for my mother but decided to peruse it first. I found it to be a wonderfully reflective look at the past, present, and future...
Of course I was drawn in immediately (Its kind of like giving a box of chocolates but on the way tasting a few to make sure they are ok - however, not arriving with an empty box!) and found myself not in the company of my mother's peers but in the close comfort of a creative group of writers that understand and explore life and the impacts of society.
The wonderful part of reading a collection of different writers is the broad range of emotions and intellectual thoughta that are evoked as each page turns.
Yes - I know my mother will like this too as there is a flavor for everyone!

I read this book, though it reads fast, you want to go back and re-read everything in it. I have officially read through it four times since I got it because you can find a new little tidbit each time that you missed the times before. It is a gem of a read, with flashback like memoirs and shorts, and beautifully timed poems. I get the feeling of a Chicken Soup book, but this is much better because nothing seems to drag on, you can tell each piece was carefully selected, not just thrown in to fill pages. This book is not JUST for baby boomers, but for anyone with a baby boomer in their life, or anyone who enjoys that era. I hope to see more from these authors soon! I will recommending this to alot of my family and friends.

Lynn Quitman Troyka's Quick Access is a useful and accurate guide to many elements of good writing for high school and college students. As a college student, I found that the book was a straightforward tool that I could turn to for any type of assignment to critique and improve my own writing. It is very well organized and covers many relevant topics in a concise, but in-depth form.
The color-coded dividers and table of contents outline everything that is covered in the book in a way that makes things very easy to find. The dividers mark chapters and writing tactics such as sentence and word structure, research, documentation techniques, and many grammar basic and advanced rules.
The examples used by the book ranged from simple to complex and were all labeled clearly and had comments about the examples nearby in bold.
There are two parts of the book that stand out in my mind as being the most helpful; chapters 26-28 and the "Punctuation and Mechanics" section. Chapters 26-28 summarizes the most important techniques covered in the MLA Handbook in approximately forty pages. The "Punctuation and Mechanics" section is quite helpful, too. It not only discussed some basic grammar rules, but also detailed etiquette regarding when to use capitals, italics, and abbreviations that I was unaware of.
The book works well with its companion website, which I thought supported many of the book's concepts very well with additional examples and explanations. The site was not functioning every time I tried to use it, but that has nothing to do with content.
I would recommend the book for any student or writer, for that matter, who is trying to learn to achieve their best writing possible, both in style and in form.

Ignoring all of the aesthetic appeals that writing possesses, a writer must think about the proper format of the paper as part of the presentation of the writing. In particular, students as writers, such as me, must follow certain guidelines for writing assignments. The requirements for proper format, though, are constantly changing and are often difficult to attain. However, Lynn Quitman Troyka has composed the Quick Access (QA), a reference book that provides student writers with guidelines to the writing process and proper formation techniques. Because it presents the technicalities of the writing process in a user-friendly fashion, the Quick Access aids student writers in writing mechanically accurate compositions.
In outlining the actual format of the QA, the writer is able to see that the QA takes its readers through the entire writing process. The first section of the QA, entitled "Thinking and Reading Reflectively" discusses the way in which readers turn themselves into writers by extracting something meaningful from the text that they read into something even more profound on paper. I found this section particularly useful with eliminating writer's block. Troyka encourages her readers in this section to actively read by taking notes along the margins of the book. This technique helps to later trigger the mind of thoughts that were derived from the reading that can later be reflected on in writing.
Continuing on to the next section of the QA, the writer is introduced to the "Writing Process", which includes instructions on processes such as brainstorming, outlining, thesis and body composition, transitional topic sentences, and formatting conclusions. By applying all of these techniques to my writing, I was able to compose much more organized papers with coherent ideas that weren't lost in my overall message.
The next two sections of the QA, "Sentences" and "Words", continue to discuss the details of the writing process. The following sections of the QA elude into the mechanics of writing. Research techniques are noted along with the proper methods of citing and composing bibliographies. For instance, in dealing with bibliographical citations, Troyka provides a list of all of the possibilities of bibliography entries on pg. 139 and then continues on to offer an example of each possibility, a reference technique that has proven to be extremely helpful to me in particular. I am currently a freshman at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In living in D.C., I have been introduced to several new sources for research, including the Library of Congress where I was required to research an article from 1837. Upon having to cite this source in my bibliography, I was able to find an example of how to do so in the QA without having to look at any other resources. The final sections of the QA are pure reference that center on grammar rules.
While this appears to be an abundance of information, the QA is easy for writers to direct through. Each section of the QA is labeled and contains a list of contents on the inside cover of the information in each section. The actual information in the QA is broken down into sections that highlight specific points that Troyka wants to emphasize. After explaining certain techniques, Troyka always includes random examples of what she was just explaining. For example, after explaining transitional sentences, Troyka includes a list of words that aid in using this method on pg. 36 of the QA. By doing this, I was better able to understand the concepts that Troyka was discussing and more easily apply them to my own papers.
Quick Access is an extremely useful source for college students. I have been able to use the QA as a guide that has helped me transfer from "high school writing mode" to "college writing mode" in which writing is more of a thinking process. The QA is also a reference book that applies to any subject for any paper. I've used the QA for both History and English papers, and I will most likely continue using the QA as a source for further writing assignments that I'll encounter in the future.

I found the Quick Access manual very useful as a guide to me in the development and expansion of my own writing ideas and in the growth of my ability to read texts more actively and closely. Although there were only certain sections of the manual assigned to my freshmen English class to read, dealing mainly with the writing process and reading more effectively, the manual also addresses grammar, documentation, and multilingual topics. Quick Access's step by step instructions on the writing process is organized in a logical manner that can be helpful to anyone who is beginning to write a paper yet still needs some guidance. Many people will have written papers before entering college; however, this manual refreshes one's memory by listing definitions and examples of key terms, and suggestions on how to get past writer's block. The format of the manual makes it easy to flip through to find a specific definition or example in which I need further clarification on. For instance, the manual does a good job of narrowing down a thesis statement that is too broad into one that is specific and to the point. In addition, the thesis statement's listing of basic requirements is an effective tool for one to use when approaching their own thesis.

Another section of the manual that is worth reading are the strategies to overcome writer's block. The suggestions are interesting, such as writing from the center of the essay out instead of from the beginning to the end, or pretending you are writing an email to a certain person. In one paper I recently wrote, I took the manual's suggestion of writing starting from the center. It was actually easier for me to write down the main points of the body before worrying about an introduction.

Quick Access helped me prepare my rough drafts by preventing me from spending too much time worrying about the points of grammar to put in sentences. Rather, as I wrote a sentence that I was not sure was grammatically correct, I put a note in the margin so I would remember to go back to it later. This process enabled me to get all of my ideas down in a free-flowing manner so I would not lose my train of thought.

For those of us who struggle with grammar, there is also an editing checklist which gently reminds us of common punctuation mistakes that people make when writing. For example, the checklist asks if commas have been used correctly and references the chapter to refer to if having difficulty in this area. The grammar basics section is easy to refer to and understand within seconds of locating the page number.

Having a good comprehension of active and close reading can make a world of difference in grasping written material. By following the book's example of highlighting important terms and relating readings to my own experiences helped me to understand topics more fully. Annotation is a strategy that can help everybody to stay focused, by allowing one to figure out their own ways of engaging the texts.

Quick Access is not your ordinary type of reference book for writers. Most of the main points in this manual are stated concisely no more than a few paragraphs which requires less time reading and comprehending, and allows more time to work to refine your own papers. This manual is not time consuming to read and, if followed correctly, will most definitely expand one's writing horizons. The time saved can be used for tackling other challenging course requirements. Quick Access is a handy resource that students can refer to throughout their college years and beyond.

The Quick Access book by Lynn Quitman Troyka is an easy way to help both students and non-students in their writing. I used this book in my college freshman English class and while I did not use every aspect of the book, it did provide me with exactly what I needed to get make sure my writing skills were up to par. It's easy to use format and to the point sections made this writing reference book better than those I have used before
Because it was my first writing class in college, I wanted to make sure that my grammar and MLA documentation were correct. In many cases I was familiar with the grammatical rules, but was not completely sure about the specifics. Clearing up these uncertainties without devoting large amounts of time to searching and reading about the rule was very easy using the Quick Access book. The large colorful tabs allowed me to flip to the section I needed with great ease. I could easily discern whether I was looking for help with sentences, documentation or punctuation. Whether I needed to check my comma splices or my works cited page, it was very simple to just open to the section you needed and follow the index to find the correct page. Then after flipping to that particular section, the indexes about each section lead the way to your particular interest. Each specific section included several different types of help. The overviews about the area helped me discern if I should in fact be using the punctuation mark that I chose. Also, there were many examples which helped me use the tool correctly. Not only did it clearly show the correct usage in a sentence but often there were many different examples. After using this book on my papers I felt confident that my grammar was correct. However, this book did more than help with grammar. I also used the sections on thesis statements and on MLA documentation. Both of these areas typically cause me problems, so it was extraordinarily useful to have an easy reference at my fingertips.
I believe that the most helpful aspect of this book, at least for me, were the examples that came with each area. After the brief description of the area, as well as some general frequently asked questions concerning the topic, the examples are added. These examples, which include anything from the progression of a weak thesis statement to a strong statement or a sample works cited page, make it certain that the reader will understand the concept. The examples cover each and every type of usage and often multiple examples on one point so to be sure that there is no mistaking the correct usage.
This book served its purpose for me in all the areas for which I needed it. I intend to keep this book for all of my other classes so that I will be able to refer to it when I am again in a quandary about the correct way to cite a website. I would strongly recommend this book to all high school and college students. I would also however recommend this book to all those who may have questions about particular rules of grammar and who do not want to waste large amounts of time searching for an answer.

Quick Access is truly a reference for any writer whether they are just beginning to write or have been published. I have found the content to be searchable and user-friendly as a reference for a college student, and I plan to keep the book as an aid for writing papers for school or job reports.

The information is organized in a concise, logical format starting with tips on how to begin writing and later concluding using the Modern Language Association's (MLA) approved format for citing sources. However, even if I did not need advice on how to begin writing or citing sources, I would still find this guide useful. Included in the guide are explanations about sentence structure, paragraph structure, and even basic word usage (for example, the difference between accept and except is defined). Quick Access covers the slight differences which can make a writer stronger and proficient.

Quick Access is designed to be read as a reference book and not cover-to-cover. The table of contents located in the front of the book helps to locate general information quickly and the index in the back helps to locate specific information. No matter which topic you have questions about, there is a corresponding section which can be found with ease.

There are several sections which can be of use to certain writers with various skill levels. For students, reference to MLA format is extremely useful. But students not only find MLA format useful, but also the section about writing a research paper. For the beginning writer, thesis structure along with sentence and paragraph composition provides insight about where to begin and how to continue. And for the experienced writer attempting to hone their skills, the sections regarding punctuation and mechanics, and document design would further develop their writing. No matter which level you consider yourself, Quick Access provides references to improve your talent as a writer.

For the business professional, the Document Design segment contains helpful suggestions and guidelines for creating professional writings that are not research papers or essays. Electronic email and memorandums have become a readily used form of communication in today's information age. Although there is no set standard format, Quick Access guides writers in writing a clear, logical, and professional document which can impress any reader whether they are a boss or a client.

Among the many sections, one is devoted to suggestions for multilingual writers. This section advises speakers of foreign languages on the technical aspect of the English language. The book continues in the same logical order by stating the rule and then proving and exemplifying its use. While this does provide some insight into how to develop skills for writing in English, Quick Access does not dedicate itself to instructing multilingual writers in the English language. It is primarily a reference, which severely limits the depth in which it is able to explain the fundamentals. A writer of another language may find the guide too brief in the multilingual section and therefore, find Quick Access not as useful as English speakers.

In today's information age, writing is important. Expressing ideas can be difficult and tedious, but Quick Access has the information to guide and direct any writer in the direction of an expert. I recommend this book to all those student, business, and professional writers who wish to enhance their abilities.

I arrived in Nairobi in 1981 for a two year stint with a multinational. When I voiced a desire to learn Swahili, my boss' wife recommended this book.

In one month I was speaking Swahili well enough to deal with any situation that could possibly arise. This would not have been possible without this book. Other sources, such as "Teach Yourself Swahili" aren't anywhere near as good. This book was originally written for the settler, missionary or expatriate who came out mainly from the UK, had to learn Swahili fairly well and fairly fast in order to cope in the area, and didn't have the time, money or inclination to sit in a classroom or hire a tutor. As such it is not written for the academic, traveler or dilettante, but is still designed to be thorough and move along at a reasonable pace. On completion of this book you will be able to deal with street situations, read the local newspaper and understand the radio, and yet also have a sufficient grasp of the structure of the language to move into more esoteric things, such as medieval Swahili poetry.

The copy I have was printed in Kenya, and I don't know whether or not it is being printed anywhere else. Anybody interested in learning Swahili should try to get a hold of this book, and I hope that Amazon will manage to track down a source, if possible. My copy's not for sale!

I have read the reviews, and agree completely and wholeheartedly--this book is the best one you could possibly find to learn Swahili. Hands down. Rather than reiterate what everyone else has already said, I would like to mention that it has an additional benefit that most people would not realize before they go to East Africa:

It will also simultaneously teach you British English.

East Africans use British English, and this book uses all the same verbs and phrases that East African English speakers use. Americans have no idea how much idiomatic language and slang they use until they go someplace like East Africa and people understand about half of what they say.

So if you are an American who says "when I get back" rather than "when I return," then you should get this book so you can ALSO learn which words of British English to use.

I lived in Tanzania for two years, and even now, when I meet someone from a former British colony in Africa who is in the US, I switch back into British English, and they understand me a hundred times better than when I use American English.

Just something to keep in mind.

I used this book throughout my 8-year stay in Tanzania, East Africa. Because Peter Wilson uses a step-by-step approach which fits well with the logical structure of Swahili, this book was most helpful in getting started. Later on, as I gained more language skills, the book helped me learn the finer points of vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure. For any traveller to East Africa who plans to stay a while in Tanzania, a good book to add to your library.

This book makes Kiswahili rahisi sana kufahamu. The lessons are very well organized and it's extremely easy to use. I stayed in Kenya for three months and with the help of this book (and a lot of babbling) I was able to communicate quite well.

This is the best book I ever used to study Kiswahili. And I've tried a couple... It is not apt for tourists who just want a quick insight into the Swahili language, but it is perfect for people interested in staying in an East African country. It contains good explanations on grammar, lots of vocabulary and lots of exercises. It teaches you, how to read, write and speak the language in correct grammar using the right words. In short: thumbs up and very recommendable!

This series fills a vital niche in the ESL world where too many teachers and professors continue to act as if English were a static language stuck in the past. I've had several young college students, often in IEP programs, approach me for advice on how to learn "real" slang and modern idioms. The Slangman Guide works - although it will not help students on TOEFL exams or academic essays.
Yet we, and I speak as an ESL instructor at a private university, need to recognize the diverse desires and needs of our students. While I would never use this book as a textbook for a wide variety of reasons, the casual and hip tone encourages, even cajoles, many young students into studying more and living better inside the English language. Better for the 15-25 year old crowd than the older adult population, David Burke deserves far more respect than he has been given in the ESL world.
Good job!

I purchased this book so that I could help one of my high-intermediate students understand American slang. I have been nothing but pleased with this book and have used it with several of my students. THE GOOD: Each chapter has about 10 new slang words (or phrases) to really concentrate on. The pictures are hilarious and help the students to relax and have fun as they get started on each chapter. After introducing the words, the book then incorporates them into a delightful dialogue. Each chapter also has a section entitled "A closer look at 'real speak'." This is my favorite feature and helps students to understand how American slang is really produced. For example, it explains when a "T" is really pronounced like a "D" (or flapped). The rest of the chapter then has TONS of practice for the students in all four skills - reading, writing, listening and speaking. THE BAD: There really isn't too much to say here. If anything I would say that the book doesn't cover a lot of slang words. There are only 10 chapters, so students really only learn somewhere around 100 new words and phrases, but they really learn those 100! The only other bad thing that I have noticed is that my more advanced students seem to pick up the slang more quickly and then find the remaining practice to be redundant. But hey, it could be worse! OVERALL: A wonderful book of current and useful American slang that I would recommend to anyone - teacher, tutor or student! I would suggest that you buy the cassette tapes if you are going to use this book as a self-study guide.

It's a very good book.It teach you not only the words but it teach you how to use words. You can learn the correct grammar, the accent and most important the context.
Advice: Buy also the CDs( not included with the book) or you have to order again !!!!!!

I would like thank Slangman David Burke for his wonderful books. Actually, this series helped me a lot to understand American culture and daily conversations , especially with its comical pictures.May be the main attracting feature of this book which also has differentiated it from other similar idiom books is its nice division of slangs into some daily topics with pictorial format.
Now when I listen to radio or watch TV, I feel like hearing something new I couldn't have heard before.

Ali
Montreal,Canada

I recommend this book "BIG TIME"!! It's the most useful book I have found on American slang and idioms. I have spent a lot of money of other books to learn how Americans REALLY speak (what they teach us in school is not the real language). They are more like dictionaries, and use old terms that Americans don't use any more. David Burke, who calls himself "Slangman," has created a series of books that are really great for ESL students who are
trying to learn American English. I showed Street Speak 1 to an American friend and he said that the words in the books are very popular. In the book, Slangman gives many examples of the everyday slang words and expressions using dialogues in context. One of the BEST things about it is that he also shows you the dialogue on the next page rewritten as it would actually be spoken by a native!! This is so important because American pronunciation is very strange to non-native speakers. For example, instead of "We are going to have a blast at the party," the rewritten dialogue shows "W'r gonna have a blast 'it the pardy!" The audio CD follows the books exactly which I thought was really important. It's the only way to speak like a native. The exercises in the book were also very useful. It only takes about an hour to finish a chapter and after doing the exercises in the book, you really remember everything. The exercises were really fun too and the illustrations are very funny. They help you to remember the words. It's just a really fun book. I'm "HAVING A BLAST!"

From one-on-one situations to presenting before a group, from face-to-face encounters to talking on the phone, Schloff and Yudkin cover all the bases.

Sections I recommend to those who attend my networking seminars (which are designed for people who think they're too shy to network effectively) include "People Don't Think I Mean Business When I Speak"; "I Can't Remember People's Names..."; "How Do I Break Into a Group of People Talking?"; "Can I Tell Beforehand If Someone Wants to Talk to Me?"; "Some People Can Begin Conversations Anywhere: Why Can't I?"; "I Hate Small Talk"; "I'm Never Sure Whether Someone Wants to Keep Talking to Me"; "My Conversations Always Seem to Die"; "I Don't Know How to End a Conversation"; "I Hate Calling People I Don't Know"; "Is There a Quick Way to Get Rid of Nervousness?"; "I Can't Stand Having to Sell (a Product, Service, or Myself)"; "People Say I'm Standoffish, But I'm Really Shy"; and "I'm Not a Good Listener."

Written in an engaging, lively style that makes for easy reading. Recommended.

For some, speaking before a large group - or even attending a small business meeting - is an overwhelming experience. Do your palms start to sweat, just thinking about it? Whether it's a job interview or a cocktail party - YOU are on-stage and in the spotlight.

At some point in our lives and careers, each one of us experiences tough situations or awkward moments. Times when we are nervous and wish we could communicate better. Who hasn't wondered: Do I talk too fast? Too slowly? Is my voice too nasal? During a meeting, do you ever think: How do I excuse myself to go to the restroom? Why does someone else always say what I was going to say? What if someone asks me a question I can't answer? What if I forget someone's name? What if I dribble salad dressing on my shirt in front of clients? Why do people always interrupt me? Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me? Am I a good listener? The office manager told me to call, but now she doesn't remember who I am! People think I'm standoffish, but I'm really shy.

Regardless of your profession, background, or level of experience, "Smart Speaking" provides an abundance of "60-Second Strategies" that will help you become more confident and a more effective communicator. (Reviewed by Marion E. Gold, author of the "Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU" and "Top Cops: Profiles of Women in Command.")

Very fun to read. SMART SPEAKING covers: "Tough Situations," "Awkward Moments," "We're Not Communicating," "Meeting Headaches," and so many more DO's and DON'Ts from a senior consultant with the Speech Improvement Company.

Everything about this book is quick to read and easy to apply. It is loaded with simple, practical tips covering angles and strategies for more than 100 communication problems. I especially like how it also covers social and performance fears that people need to address in order to communicate more effectively.

If one is looking for a comprehensive communication strategy reference, this isn't it. Instead, this is a series of short, peppy essays providing easy-to-remember, motivating advice for any speaking occasion - from formal to informal. It's smart. It's fun. It's indispensable.

I must admit I had low expectations when I first picked up this book. Just check the title: "Smart Speaking: 60-Second Strategies for More Than 100 Speaking Problems and Fears." Come on! That sounds a little gimmicky to me. How could one little book treat over 100 speaking problems? And what's a 60-second strategy anyway?!

The book is organized into chapters such as "My Presentation is Next Week - Help!," "Meeting Headaches," and "Awkward Moments." It's easy to look up your specific issue with catchy problem titles like "People don't think I mean business when I speak," "I've forgotten the name of someone who obviously knows me," "What if they ask a question I can't answer?," and so forth. ... I guarantee there's a problem in here (and a solution) for everyone!

As for the solutions, I think the authors call them 60-second strategies because it takes you about that long to read each one. Implementation will take far longer, of course... CAVEAT: This book does offer very practical tips for very common speech and communication problems. That said, the tips are short and sweet. Some people will want a more in-depth look at their particular speech needs.

So use this book as a springboard. It's a handy reference for anyone desiring to improve general communication skills and belongs on the shelf of any speech professional.

This is the book every middle and high school english teacher has been waiting for, a complete guide to sports writing for beginning writers. Craig, a veteran sportswriter, tells it like it is in simple language and covers a lot of ground. From reporting, to notetaking, from news stories to feature stories, from keeping track of scores to interviewing, this slender book is jam packed with practical information. Though written for a teen age audience in mind, Craig never talks down to his readers and this book could easily be used as a College Textbook .

In Sports Writing: A Beginner's Guide Steve Craig draws from his years of experience as an awards winning sports writer and sports editor to present a simple, practical introduction to the craft of sports-related journalism. You don't have to play the games to write well about them; Sports Writing covers the basics of getting the facts, making the most of an interview, the difference between game, feature, and sidebar stories, and much more. Sports Writing is a very useful and highly recommended basic primer filled with tips, tricks, and techniques for aspiring sports journalists.

This is the book every middle and high school english teacher has been waiting for, a complete guide to sports writing for beginning writers. Craig, a veteran sportswriter, tells it like it is in simple language and covers a lot of ground. From reporting, to notetaking, from news stories to feature stories, from keeping track of scores to interviewing, this slender book is jam packed with practical information. Though written for a teen age audience in mind, Craig never talks down to his readers and this book could easily be used as a College Textbook .

A great book for high school and introductory college journalism courses, full of practical examples. This book clearly teaches the basics, stresses reporting as the key ingredient to any news story, and points out how to avoid many of the real-world pitfalls that slow inexperienced sportswriters' development.

This concise, well-organized book enables aspiring sportswriters to understand the mechanics of superior sports coverage, and lays out what they will need to know to effectively contribute to a publication. The book is excellent at describing not only what reporters face when covering events, but also how to translate knowledge so that editors and general readers get the most from the story. The book is especially good at providing tips on preparation, and it deftly diagrams how different types of stories are composed. The book also includes many useful definitions, abbreviations, and checklists. All in all, Steve Craig's book is just what a young writer needs to bring his or her talents from aspiration into print.