Take Off in Japanese (With Audio CD)

Rating:
Summary: Good but a bit slow
Review: This is a rather slow pace course with emphasis on repeating sentences. Some good points include periodical tests to help check on your progress and good quality recordings of native speakers. Not so good points: too verbose on the English side in the recordings, too little grammer covered and no kana.

Rating:
Summary: Good but a bit slow
Review: This is a rather slow pace course with emphasis on repeating sentences. Some good points include periodical tests to help check on your progress and good quality recordings of native speakers. Not so good points: too verbose on the English side in the recordings, too little grammer covered and no kana.

Rating:
Summary: Very basic - but that's not necessarily a bad thing!
Review: Yes, it's very basic. There's 14 lessons divided into small units (or maybe it's the units that are divided into lessons, whatever) and you can easily go through one unit in two days, sometimes even less. There's lots of audio exercises (please, don't settle for buying just the book!) as well as plenty of exercises in the book. Also there's short tests/quizzes for each lesson and four (I think) larger tests every four or maybe five lessons. Completing all the lessons won't make you fluent in Japanese but nobody said you would be either :) I think it's a great -first- book if you're studying on your own or want to do some studying prior to taking a Japanese course in college. If you want to continue I recommend using "Ultimate Japanese: Basic - Intermediate" before buying an intermediate or advanced level book. Ultimate Japanese's also a beginner's book but there's much more grammar and details. Word of warning: if you want to learn kana and kanji from moment one, this is the wrong book for you!