Brasil! Lingua E Cultura

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Summary: Addendum to My First Review
Review: Brasil!: Língua e Cultura is probably one of the better Portuguese textbooks on the market despite some of the aesthetic problems that I mentioned earlier. It should be noted that ALL textbooks have some errors or other minor "burps". I would like to again reiterate that the Lingua Text personnel were always very helpful.

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Summary: E otimo!
Review: I've looked for many books to study independently Brazilian Portuguese. I've found that many geared for the tourist don't help someone who really wants to learn the language. Brasil lingua e cultura offers enough grammar and vocabulary for a person to learn Brazilian Portuguese on their own. Another text I have is for Spanish speakers but I find that the vocab is not arranged in any thematic manner which renders studying less interesting and practical. I'm no expert so I can't judge whether or not the cultural information given is correct; but I can tell you that if you are looking for a text to learn Brazilian Portuguese, this is one of the better options available.

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Summary: 3rd edition (2002) is wonderful!
Review: The 3rd edition of Brasil! is a much improved revision of the second edition. The text is now in full color at a very reasonable price and is loaded with new photos, realia, exercises, and explanations useful to native speakers of English AND Spanish. The audio lessons are available online (in a downloadable RealAudio format), which reduces the cost to students. After looking at and using three different Portuguese language textbooks, I can confidently recommend Brasil!.

Furthermore, I have recommended this book to several students who are interested in learning Portuguese on their own. The text and ancillaries allow for such independent study. Finally, LinguaText provides excellent customer service both for professors and their students.