Spanish in 10 minutes a day AUDIO CD

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Summary: This is a good place to start if you're learning Spanish!
Review: This book is just right for the beginner or someone that took Spanish in high school or college, but never really got off the ground with it. Now, years later, you really want to take it seriously, but what about all those verbs and odd sentence structures? Well, this is a good way to get back into it or learn it for the first time. The book is colorful, easy to read, contains crossword puzzles and other creative exercises for review. When I finished this book I called the publisher to see if they offered an intermediate-level version of the book. I was sorry to hear that they currently do not. Hey, it's well worth the money and will help you get off to a good start. Try it, you'll like it!

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Summary: I found it irritating
Review: This was the text used in a beginning Spanish class I took recently. Unlike the other reviewers, I found it patronizing and irritating. The basic concept--that by using pictures and a mixture of Spanish and English beginning students can gain confidence--is not necessarily a bad one, but I found myself frustrated by the very limited amount of information actually presented. The book has lots of dull English text, written in a pseudo-sprightly style, with random Spanish words sprinkled over the surface. There is no progression from the beginning of the book to the end. For me, it was a waste of time. In contrast, some of the bilingual storybooks that are now available, have provided me with both the feeling of support beginners need -- and some genuine Spanish. Also, the pictures are awful.

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Summary: These books are the real deal...
Review: This whole series is a great way to get started on what you'll need to know as a traveling tourist. I've used the German and French versions, and was able to make hotel reservations, buy train and plane tickets, ask directions, and order dinner. In most cases, people in foreign countries will try to speak to you in English, if necessary, once they've seen that you are trying to speak to them in their language. You may need to supplement this book with a tape to hear the pronunciation, but even so, this book is a wonderful way to get started...just paste the stickers everywhere around you and jump in!