Handbuch Zur Deutschen Grammatik: Wiederholen Und Anwenden

Rating:
Summary: not all that helpful
Review: I am an American student studying abroad in Göttingen, Germany for the year. I had to buy this book for the last German grammar class that I took in the US.
I do not think this is a very helpful grammar book. First of all, it is not organized very well; it is sometimes difficult to find a specific grammatical definition. Also, the explanations are fairly meagre; just turn to the adjective ending section. There is no chart for all adjective endings (and no example-adjective-ending charts, which MOST grammar books have). Instead, there are two overly-simplified (and not all too clear) 'weak' and 'strong' -endings charts which cover "most cases", as the book says. Grammar is about particulars!! A grammar book which is only partial isn't a good grammar book at all!! I know this book has gotten some good reviews, but being in Germany now has only hightened my frustration with this book. I need German at this point (I am taking classes at Georg-August University in German), and this stupid book is not helping! blah!

Rating:
Summary: Indispensable
Review: If you are a serious student of German, then this book is worth the money. It is a thorough overview of German grammar, written in a not too difficult, but not too "easy", way. For me, it is the only book that covers almost all aspects of German grammar in depth without being too complicated. I am currently studying in Germany and this is the one book I bothered to bring with me from home, because it is just so useful. It is well-organized, easy-to-navigate, and accurate. In addition to detailed grammar explanations there are plenty of varied writing exercises for you, the student, to practice what you've learned. It is definitely not for total beginners, but intermediate and advanced students will find it a wonderful resource for learning the complex structures of German grammar. It would also serve as a great review for someone who completed several years of German but needs to brush up on the formal aspects of the language, as well as those preparing for German language exams.

Rating:
Summary: What I liked about this book and my recommendation
Review: This is an excellent reference for intermediate and advanced students of German. Rules are explained thoroughly yet not too short and not too long. Not intended for beginners, this reference manual is very convenient for the user because of its modular approach. Modules can be approached in any sequence as they are complete self-contained units independent of eachother. In cases where the grammatical topics of one module influence another, the author was sure to add references for the reader in order to go to the appropriate module for supplementary grammatical guidance. In order to improve this book, I recommend providing answers to exercises so that students can check themselves.