Berlitz French Today

Rating:
Summary: The most complete French study guide for any level!
Review: It doesn't matter whether you're a beginner, who has not spoken a work of French, or an advanced learner, who can manage to throw bits of conversation in the language here and there, the techniques employed in this study guide set prove to be invaluable in your study of French. Guided by four of Berlitz's French books (learner's guide, course book, verb handbook, and phrase book), you can easily breeze your way through the four 60-minute cassettes. It works best for me when I listen to the tapes per lesson unit twice before going through the same lesson with the study guides. Once I finish the lesson (with tapes and books together), I listen to the tapes again until I master--repeat, master--the lesson. Then I go to the next. At this pace, you can complete up to two lessons a week; a month for the whole set. I tell you, you will get your money's worth with this books/tapes set. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Poor coordination
Review: It was very difficult to follow along in the book while listening to the CDs. The activities often times did not match what was shown in the book at all. This was very frustrating! The book could have done a much better job at explaining what you were hearing on the CD.

Rating:
Summary: Very well elaborated, but does not make you think in french
Review: This is an excellent book, especially for the beginner. It is richly illustrated, and there are a lot of situations and topics explained. But, personally, I think this kind of method helps you only to a certain extent. I prefer the books like Langenscheidt's French in 30 hours or French without Toil by Assimil, which make you think in the language, by means of repetition and extensive use of grammar structures and vocabulary, in humorous and interesting situation lessons. I was a little disappointed since I intended to improve my French and I though this one would be more advanced. All I managed to get was a brush-up on a few topics. It is a pity...