Product Description
This book has large pictures for looking and talking, surrounded by small, labelled pictures of 1000 of the most familiar things, to build up and practice German vo cabulary. This is backed up by an alphabetical word list wit h pronunciation guides. ' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Awesome vocabulary book for all ages!
I bought this picture book for myself to refresh my German vocabulary as well as a book for my son( thirteen months). He enjoys looking at the pictures and pointing to the several words he recognizes. This book is a great way for an entire family to begin learning German and the Internet-linked guide is a wonderful addition!

Where's my stuff?
Hi, I did not receive these book yet, could you please help me to know where is it? Thanks and best regards.

Brilliant concept
These books come in many languages.Each 2-page spread is a scene - a city, farm, kitchen, etc. -- the scenes themselves are so detailed and interesting that you could spend a lot of time just using imagination to make up story lines to accompany them.Around the perimeter of the pages are thumbnail sized images pulled from the scene, along with the description of the item in the language chosen.The scenes are the same in all the books, but of course the language changes.Not only is it a brilliant way for the publisher to print more cost efficiently, but it's a great way to learn how to say the same word in several different languages.We have the Japanese book, are now enjoying the German and will soon get French.The kids love it because of the detail in the photos, and because it kind of works like a 'seek & find' book in reverse.I recommend this series highly.

Great book for all ages!
I am a grandmother who wants to teach German to my grandchildren. This is the best language series I have seen.It helps me review my vocabulary and with young children, it has the pictures to go with the words.Pronunciation is listed in the back for the beginners of German.
We have this series in French, German and Polish.Highly recommend for everyone who wants help with vocabulary in the language. You have to begin somewhere!

An excellent guide for adults AND children
I've been learning German for a few years now, and this is a great book.I'd like to emphasize it's excellent for adults and children, particularly.Don't let the colorful drawings fool you into thinking its just for kids.A very handy book! ... Read more

Product Description

FREE 25 Language Phrasebook: German, French, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Russian, Croatian, Turkish, Hebrew, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Malay, and Thai. Navigate from Table of Contents or search for words or phrases.

Customer Reviews (13)

I'd hate to need a phrase in a hurry
This electronic phrasebook has a lot in it. It doesn't seem to be specifically for Kindle, let alone K3. The database doesn't seem easily searchable and even the table of contents is difficult to access. Just because it has a lot of phrases in a lot of languages doesn't make it worth traveling with. I'll keep it in my Kindle and study unfamiliar language phrases at home before traveling, but I will continue to carry a paper phrasebook in foreign lands. The 25 Language Phrasebook will help with more obscure languages like Hungarian, Catalan, Finnish, Malay, more than the 'mainstream' Spanish, French, Italian, German.

Happy Travels!

Great free phrasebook
For a free phrasebook, this thing rocks. I travel a lot, and even knowing a few words helps. With the 25 languages, it's essentially a must download for any Kindle user. Granted, this book won't even come close to making you fluent, but it will teach you some words, give you a grasp of the grammar, and will hopefully make you more confident when traveling or even trying to impress someone. Phrasebooks are plentiful, but there rarely stands a good one out there. I like this - I can read this anywhere and learn on the go.

It's wide in scope but limited in depth. That's what additional language books/CDs are for.

Very Handy Reference Tool - or Just If You're Curious About Words
This kindle offering replaced a hefty book on my reference shelf. I do a fair amount of writing, as well as teaching history courses, and being able to look up words and phrases in other languages is invaluable. It's also fun!

What I like: the width and breadth of the offerings. Just about any language I could want represented is here.
the price! Hard to beat free.
Having it at my fingertips.

What I don't like: I'm finding it a bit clumsy to navigate, but that may be my own relative inexperience with the Kindle.

All in all, I'd recommend this to anyone working - or just interested in - words and phrases on a global level.

Perfect for traveling, unbeatable price!
We just finished traveling around the world, and I wish I'd seen this before we left!No, it's not a thorough language guide, but I just downloaded it to my iPhone and now have several phrases plus background information on pronunciation and grammar in 25 languages!We could've used it for Spanish, French, Arabic, Indonesian and Korean all in this one trip.For one cent (yes, that's what they billed my credit card!), I can't complain a bit.

Helpfull, but could be improved.
We tested it while on holydays and it proofed usefull, especially if you already have a basic foreign language knowledge.
What we missed very much where foreign alphabets, like kiryllic for Russian! ... Read more

Product Description
Approximately 5,000 words are presented in 41 separate categories, including politics, military terms, business terms, communications terms, medical terms, scientific terms, household terms, and dozens more. English-speaking readers will find ready help in translating German words and phrases sometimes too specialized to be found in ordinary alphabetically arranged bilingual dictionaries. Here's a fine school supplement for language teachers, students, and language labs, and an aid for anyone who must sometimes get information from German journals and other publications. Line art illustrations, charts, and a comprehensive alphabetical word index enhances this volume's usefulness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Good Book
Its a good book, has lots of words and it actually uses the words in a sentence..I like that.

Big mistake
This book was a big mistake. While the book has some nice features, there is no index of English words, only German words -- which makes looking up specific translations and usages of English words very difficult and time consuming. I would not recommend it for this reason.

Worth Every Penny!!
I bought this as I am currently trying to learn German and needed a book that was exclusively vocabulary. This book is divided into categories such as health, eating, shopping, education, government etc, and has a ton of information in it. I like it because while it gives the basic vocabulary for each category, it has much more than a basic textbook. Its much easier to have all the words grouped together in categories rather than having to look them up in a dictionary. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to expand their German vocabulary.

Learning A Lot!
I've started studying German six months ago, starting from scratch--I'm taking Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, Berlitz and I went to an immersion class in Germany for a few weeks, I've been watching movies in German... etc and now this book--I read the words into my computer with their meanings and then play it back and my mind retains the info. It's great the way the words are arranged into themes, it makes it easier for me to recall when my mind can group them like that (e.g. school supplies: ruler, books, pencils, etc.)

Last night, I was watching a movie in German and this time, without subtitles in German, and I could understand what they were saying. It's pretty exciting and I know this book (I'm about half way reading and recording it to my computer) is helping me learn/understand/remember many of the words normally used in every day conversations.

It's a helpful book, and for the price, it's excellent!

excellent brush-up
I hadn't studied German in years, though I still had a pretty good handle on grammar etc. This book made an easy way to get back into idiomatic usage, expand my vocabulary with very practical words, and review grammatical points ("Oh, yeah, separable verbs!") enough to get by while traveling and read local magazines. Yes, I'd like it better if it listed plurals for the nouns, but the little dictionary that lives in my pocket while in German-speaking countries can take care of that. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great book to carry with you in Germany
I am an American service member living in Germany and I rarely walk out of the house without this book. It does not tell you everything about the language but it does enough to make communicating what you need worth your while to have with you. If you are planning a trip to the "Beer Capital" of the world don't leave home without it.

Useless Book
I just returned from a 2-week vacation in Germany.This dictionary was totally useless.Every word I tried to look up, both in German to get the English translation, and vice-versa was not in the dictionary.Most of the food/menu items we tried to look up when dining were not in the restaurant section.Our travelling companions, unfortunately, had bought the same book.I would NOT recommend this book at all.

Handy, but....
This compact little phrase book is packed with useful words, phrases, and interesting cultural notes that should be more than sufficient for most tourists and business travellers.I especially enjoy the part about food(that's the most important thing, isn't it?) But of course it is not asubstitute for learning German formally.In fact, I wonder if I wouldappreciate this book as much if I had not already taken 2 semesters ofGerman.Also, perhaps it's time for a revision.Some new referencesconcerning the EMU, the internet, mobile phones, etc. would be useful. ... Read more

Product Description
A German reader for intermediate students

Das Max und Moritz Buch (Busch and Meier)—satirically written and illustrated—has captured readers’ imaginations for more than 100 years with the merry pranks of Max und Moritz. It includes exercises, vocabulary notes, and German-English vocabulary. This reader is softcover, 6” × 9”, and 136 pages in length. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great book!
This is great! I actually bought it for my husband, and didnt realise it was a language book...but its great because it helps english speakers to understand the funny german stories. It arrived quickly and in fantastic shape!

Max and Moritz with language notes
Max and Moritz, the turn of the century German bad boys in the tradition the South Park kids, and The Simpsons: the fun way to learn German.Something like Kenny, Max and Moritz die but live on in our memories as obnoxious heros.Forget those crusty phrase books and stuffy texts.This is good for the advanced beginner or intermediate learner. I remember the pictures from childhood and it is fun to learn to read the German words now.The exercises are somewhat helpful; the text has been cleaned of any turn of the century idiom that might confuse.I have found reading German children's books to be the funnest, most engaging way to learn German.Pictures are always good.Most of those unfortunately do not have dictionaries in the back like this copy of Max and Moritz does.Not a whole lot of material, but a fun and effective learning tool.

Morality Plays
This book is part of a genre of cautionary tales that was big in Europe, especially Germany, around the turn of the century that had its roots in fairy tales (the REAL ones, told by old wives living in dark forests, not those that were collected and sanitized by Perault, Disney, et al.)What distinguishes these stories from more traditional fairy tales is that punishment is not meted out by supernatural forces or angry Kings. Instead, the characters meet their just desserts as the result of some sort of irony.Like most books in this genre, Max and Moritz begins by accounting the cruelties committed by a couple of sociopathic children in cute rhyming verse (adding to its effect) with accompanying illustrations, then towards the end shows how their actions backfire, leading to their own horrible demise.Although these books were innocently meant to scare children into behaving, the ironic nature of the villians' demise actually suggests that they are not being punished for their actions, but are just victims of a cruel, chaotic world themselves.If only they put more thought into their cruelty, they could have gotten away with it.However, this is the reflection of an adult.As a child, this book both fascinated and scared the (...) out of me, making it far more effective than any fairy tale.

This book is of particular interest because the characters of Max and Moritz are the clear inspirations behind the Katzenjammer Kids, a newspaper comic strip that was popular throughout much of the 20th century.This book is considered a classic of this genre.

As an adult I still love it.
This is one of the novels I read as a child over and over again.When I lost it years later I was so happy when my mother purchased the book for me again on one of her visits to our relatives. One of the easy ways as achild (adult) to learn a different language is through stories. ... Read more

Product Description
German

A Self-Teaching Guide

Learn German at your own pace

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Now you can learn how--quickly and easily--with a practical guide that gives you the tools you need to speak and understand German.

Completely revised and updated with applications of the newGerman spelling rules, this user-friendly guide provides you with the basic vocabulary and grammar you need to start speaking German right away. It includes more than 1,000 of the most frequently used words in both German-English and English-German lists, clear explanations of German grammatical structures, entertaining mini-dialogues from real-life situations that demonstrate modern usage, and cultural notes that give fresh insight into contemporary German society.

Like all Self-Teaching Guides, German allows you to build gradually on what you have learned--at your own pace. Questions and self-tests reinforce the information in each chapter and allow you to skip ahead or focus on specific areas of concern. Packed with useful, up-to-date information, this clear, concise volume is a valuable learning tool and reference source for anyone who wants to improve his or her understanding of basic German.

See inside for CD and audiocassette ordering information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

ok guide
a good guide for the cheap price -- a little dated (still talks about east and west germany) but grammar and vocab never age -- good exercises, moves quickly, sometimes assumes you know more than has been taught in the chapter -- there are probably better systems/guides out there, but i like this publisher, so...

Great Book
Great Self teaching book if you can find the time to sit down and read it and do the activities

Very good guide - Not for the absolute beginner
I found the book extremely helpful in studying German. There are a few caveats, though. First, you probably would want to start with a simpler book, as the pace picks up pretty quickly in this one, and it can leave you behind.

One thing that annoyed me was the way some terms and structures were introduced out of the blue - not always properly explained. One such example is case declension - the meaning of "cases" wasn't defined at all, as if the book was meant for reviewing the material, rather than learning it for the first time.

For the most part, I like it
As someone who's just trying to brush up on my German before I need to use it this fall, I have found this book really helpful at covering vocabulary and grammar points. It often bothers me, though, that the answers in the back sometimes directly contradict instructions in either the reading or the exercise itself. Also, there have been several times when a word used in an exercise was not in either the end-of-chapter vocabulary, or in the German-English dictionary at the back of the book.

As I said, though, for the most part, I do like this book. Just make sure you take it with a grain of salt.

This guide will surely guide you!
I have found this book's layout to be very clear and easy to follow.The introduction teaches in detail how German spelling are supposed to sound by providing english words that appoximate the sounds.This book seems tocontain grammar lessons that are more extensive than those found in thepopular "Teach Yourself" course.This book serves duly as aworkbook in that you can write your answers to the exercises in the spacesprovided and refer to the correct answers in the back of the book.Mybiggest gripe about the book is that there were no pictures.I lovepictures! ... Read more

Product Description
35,000 entries and 6,000 color images from the arts, science, nature, industry and more.

Do you know what that comb with the uneven teeth is called? Do you know the Spanish name for it? With The Firefly Five Language Visual Dictionary, finding and translating the names of thousands of objects, animals, and plants in five major languages is fast, simple and fun.

The Firefly Five Language Visual Dictionary is an unparalleled reference to the world around us. Six thousand color illustrations are labeled in the five languages showing in color what other dictionaries can only describe in text. All the clear, concise illustrations are organized into a series of fully indexed sections.

Each key word and phrase is connected to the detailed illustrations making identification and translations quick and accurate.

The scope and depth of this reference are immense, covering an incredibly detailed range of terms for:- Astronomy and Earth- Flora, fauna and humans- Food, kitchen and around the house- Gardening, clothing, articles- Arts and architecture- Communications, transport and machinery- Energy, science and society- Sports and games.

This edition is ideal for anyone learning Spanish, French, German and Italian or those learning English as a second language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Great Purchase
This book is one of that you keep your entire life. It's the best bookto assimilate subjects from others languages in a simple way. It's not the best gift for your son, but no doubt, is the most useful.

An ocean of nouns for the aspiring polyglot, but not for the faint of heart...
I am a teacher of foreign languages and own a number of visual dictionaries, including the Firefly Five Language Dictionary, the Firefly Spanish/English Dictionary, the Firefly Mini Spanish/English Dictionary, and the DK Five Language Visual Dictionary. I prefer the Firefly dictionaries because they tactfully include the gender of words as a superscript after the word rather than as an indirect article, as in the DK dictionary. The latter has the ill-effect of creating ambiguous genders in instances where the indirect article is truncated:

For example: garlic - l'ail - der Knoblauch - el ajo - l'aglio

The size of this hardcover edition make it more appropriate for use as a desk dictionary rather than a pocket edition. The Firefly Five Language Dictionary contains almost twice as many pages and words as the Firefly Spanish/English Visual Dictionaries. Given that the image layouts used in all of the Firefly dictionaries are from a common master, the page count is a very good indication of the word count. The faint of heart may want to consider getting a bilingual version in order to avoid confusion between languages. Although words are consistently listed in the five languages in the same order, it can still be overwhelming and confusing at times when words are very similar across languages.

As with any visual dictionary, this one focuses on nouns. Students of the Spanish will still want to have a quality pocket bilingual dictionary.

Bring back the previous edition!
The current edition is such a disappointment.The book itself is smaller (instead of being 8x11) and the type is much smaller.It is very difficult to read especially since the page is cluttered with five languages rather than just English.Please lobby the publisher to bring back the previous larger edition with its clean layout.It *could* be such a great teaching tool but is too frustrating for beginning readers in its present state.I wish I had bought it before it went out of print :(

Astonishingly good book
This book is awe inspiring.I have never been so amazed by a purchase before.The two most amazing things about it are: it's astonishingly high quality, and it's astonishingly reasonable price.If you want to see beautiful, highly detailed, full-color pictures of nearly all the every-day objects in our world, from parts of the body to types of fishes, animals and birds, sumo wrestlers, fire fighters, household items, manufacturing machinery, computers, clothes ... these are just random selections from over 900 pages.Each picture is labeled in all 5 languages, most pictures are further analyzed into parts, which are also labeled.What it is NOT: it is not lightweight; it is not a travel companion; It is not for people who just want to learn one or two hundred words of a foreign language.It IS for people who really like to know the names of lots of detailed items (many of which I don't even know yet in English) in English, Spanish, French, German, and/or Italian.5 stars isn't enough.This is a *spectacular* buy.

A Good Visual Guide for Everyone
This is a must-have for those who are willing to know the correct name of things instead of giving that always extemporized description that, sometimes, goes nowhere. Excellent book for the children, for the language learner and for anybody who looks for an educational yet fun way to improve vocabulary. It is very well organized into topics and its respective variations and has crystal-clear pictures as well, which is a plus in comparison to other visual dictionaries that is based mostly on drawings. Worth the money. ... Read more

Product Description
It’s easy to become intimidated by the prospect oflearning a foreign language, and many consider German to be the mostdifficult of all. The Everything® Learning German Book has eliminatedthe stumbling blocks of learning a language to bring you quick andeasy success.

Whether you’re a first-time learner, a re-learner, or an internationaltraveler, The Everything® Learning German Book effectively teaches theGerman language through step-by-step instruction, practical exercises,and cultural information that make it both simple andentertaining. Readers learn pronunciation, parts of speech, and basicvocabulary and usage that can benefit students, travelers,restaurant-goers—and anyone seeking to learn the language uponwhich English is heavily based.

Learn how to:
·Understand verbal etiquette
·Order in a restaurant
·Ask directions
·Communicate efficiently when traveling
·Greet strangers properly

Supplemented by both English-to-German and German-to-English dictionaries, The Everything® Learning German Book is the perfect way to learn—or relearn—the language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

i need to get back into this book.
i really likethe set up of it, i am just too lazy after a day at work i dont want to LEARN anymore. not the books fault.

Very good book to start with.
This was the first book I picked up when I started to learn German. I've found to to be quite an excellent tool for learning German. There are so many programs and books out there for language learning that it's hard to sift through it all & find something worthwhile. This book is definitely worth buying & reading. There are helpful exercises at the end of each section & I believe it to be well structured. But if you want to play it safe you're always likely to find it at your locallibrary. While I very much recommend this book, I must also say that no one book or program is a reliable source on it's own. Invest in several other tools. I quite enjoy many of Ed Swick's German-learning books & I would also highly recommend the books he's had published in the "Practice makes Perfect" series.

Practice Makes Perfect: German Vocabulary (Practice Makes Perfect Series)

Practice Makes Perfect: German Pronouns and Prepositions (Practice Makes Perfect Series)

After working through this book I very highly suggest checking out Living Language's Ultimate German Beginner-Intermediate, & Ultimate German Advanced.

Ultimate German Beginner-Intermediate (CD/Book) (Ultimate Beginner-Intermediate)

Love, love, love it!!!!!
I own several German books because I get bored easily. The Everything book is my most recent purchase and I have to say, in every single book I own there is always some "piece of the puzzle" that did not exist in other books. In this book, it was the fact that the author was the FIRST one to say that memorizing the appropriate definite article (the= die, das, der) for every single noun was a rather ridiculous notion. I paid top dollar for this book where I found it but it was worth every penny for the tips on which word endings will ALWAYS belong to a certain definite article. Just knowing that any German word ending in -ung will ALWAYS be feminine (die), etc.was worth its weight in gold!

No, it is not a complete resource, but it is a heck of a companion!

Excellent companion for German software
Many of the German software out there does not even go over basic grammar usage thinking to model learning language at a young age.For German there are certain rules that make understanding the language essential to learn.I bought this book to learn basic parts of speech.This book broke it down perfectly.I think it was well organized and a must have for learning German.No other book comes close to this one.

Everything learning German Book
Looking for a book to help me learn to speak and understand German.As I read thru the first few pages I was totally confused.Nothing to actually help me to learn to speak German.I made it thru the lst 30 or so pages and quit.Not what I was looking for ... Read more

Product Description
Language has always been a major marker of cultural identity in the German-speaking world, and the reunification of Germany, with its dramatic political and cultural consequences, has led to an upsurge of interest in contemporary German. In this collection of essays, German linguists consider a wide range of topics, including language change, language in political discourse, language in Berlin after the wall, language and gender, the speech styles of youth subcultures, and language and television. ... Read more

Product Description
Never feel like a stranger in Germany again!

On entering a restaurant, should you find your own table or wait to be seated? What is a suitable topic for small-talk with a stranger? In what circumstances might you ask to borrow ein Handy? All these answers and more can be found in When in Germany, Do As the Germans Do, a fun and intriguing book that teaches you about Germany's culture, language, and people.

It features 120 intriguing multiple-choice questions that are cross-referenced to fascinating articles on pop culture, customs, behavior, history, consumer trends, literature, tourist sights, business, language, and more. Also included are key terms and useful expressions, informative charts, and websites for further reference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A little dated
Some of the things in this book are dated. I believe the publication was 1999, and in 10 years things have changed in Germany, especially with the adoption of the Euro. Having said this though, there are lessons to be gained, and I still would recommend this to expats to read.
The format is very good. Basically, the book is a set of written articles. I would think it would be very boring to read straight through, but the author did a very good thing by putting this little quiz in the front. Each question corresponds to an article in the book. Again, I enjoyed that very much.
Recommended for expats...just dont let it be your only guide to living in Germany because of some out of date information.

Familiarizing yourself with German ways
I had hoped this would be a sort of "Year in Provence" set in Germany, but it's more of a book of facts. Once I accepted that, I liked it a lot. It gives some German history and politics, but also covers things like dealing with recycling or what to call the "bathroom." Very useful.

Undertones of disdain towards the German culture
Having lived in Germany for a year now, I decided to finally flip through this book, given to me as a parting gift in April 2005. As I read, I was appalled at Mr. Flippo's seeming dislike for Germans. The book is more of a warning for all the traveling American's to be on their guard rather than an informative guide. My favorite quote is, "This "pushy" behavior is not limited to Germans. It's a European thing" (p.31). This extraordinary generalization is quickly followed by the warning that you must either bring your own shopping bags or purchase one in a German grocery store and, as stated by Flippo, "to add insult to injury, you usually have to bag your own groceries". Gee, reducing waste by encouraging the reuse of shopping bags and keeping prices low by simply putting your Müsli in your own bag instead of hiring some prepubescent bag boy to do it for you is a pure abomination and should be henceforth considered "insult to injury" (I'm hoping you're noting my sarcasm). The book continues in this fashion, with hardly a bright comment to be had about this amazing culture. The only reason I'm giving this two stars instead on one is because the author does have a few nuggets of truth and interesting observations woven within his cleverly placed one-liner biases. If you still purchase this book, remember to read critically and differentiate opinion from facts.

60% of contents are useless facts.
just on principle, i have returned the book even though it was only $9.it's definitely not for someone looking for a guide to german ways; the book should have been updated since 2002.

Useful
This book is a good reference for anyone planning on spending any time in German Europe.At the very beginning of the book there is quiz to test your knowledge, of which the answers are provides at the back of the book.Flippo uses culture and history to explain the German way of life.He covers all the main travel subjects such as entertainment, food and drink, language, and transportation.He also talks about other topics not often found in the common travel book; such as business and economy, health and fitness, and education.

Flippo makes it very easy to read.I would suggest reading the whole book because although some areas may not interest you, the articles are brief and provide a good cultural understanding of the German way of life.Due to the variety of topics discussed in this book, I would recommend it to anyone who plans on spending a little extra time submersed in the German culture.While the book is very enlightening and should be read by everyone traveling to Germany, it covers more than just the basic travel information.
... Read more

Product Description
Treasury of 42 great poems includes important works by Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Hölderlin, Brecht and many other masters. Complete German texts plus expert literal English translations on facing pages. Also a wealth of biographical and critical commentary on each poet. Introduction. 34 black-and-white illustrations (portraits).
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Sehr schoene Gedichte mit guten Uebersetzungen
Es ist nie leicht, Gedichte in eine andere Sprache zu uebersetzen, aber es ist diesem Buch ueberwiegend gelungen. Man bekommt schnell einen Einblick in die Schoenheit der deutschen Sprache!

Wenn man seine Sprachkenntnisse im Deutschen mit einem lustigen Text vertiefen moechte, ohne dass eine englische Uebersetzung dabei ist, dann empfehle ich das Buch Der, die, was? So lernt man eine Menge ueber die deutsche Sprache und hat viel Spass dabei!

Basic book for German Poetry
This book has good German poems in it with their English translation close at hand.It is a great introduction to German poetry and poets, not to mention a great vocabulary builder.It is a helpful tool on the road to learning a new language.

Not really an "introduction"
I don't know if I would call this an introduction. It's more of a introductory source anthology by which I mean a compilation of poems by major poets with very little in the way of commentary, explanation, or analysis. This book has no footnotes, a three page introduction, and- despite claims to the contrary on the back cover -no substantial critical apparatus. There is no substantial discussion of German poetic form or ways in which it differs from English poetry. Most poets get a half page biographical blurb- which I guess the editors thought was sufficient criticism -before you are thrown into their poetry. The half page blurbs aren't even dense as far as half page blurbs go: the pages are '5 x '9 with inch wide margins and the font is about 10pt font size. This review is longer than all the bios save perhaps Goethe, who gets a page and a half biography.

I'm not competent enough in German to test the "literal English translations" that oppose the German verse, but I have my doubts.

Even as a source anthology this book has faults. First and most glaringly, there are 34 poets covered in this 169 page anthology. That means, at maximum, the authors could give each poet five pages. Since each poets poems are given in both German and English that means that each poet usually gets a half page biography and one poem. Heine and Goethe get three poems a few others get two. I don't know how they expect us to understand anything about the poet based on one poem. Another problem is the failure of the authors to cite sources. I was impressed when they included a poem by Nietzsche, and I wanted to check that poem out in the context of his work, but alas Mathieu and Stern don't tell us where they pulled the work. Is it in the "Gay Science"? Maybe "Will to Power" or "Dionysius Dithyrambs"? Who knows!? The mystery is half the fun, I suppose.

Overall, this book has the feeling of an appetizer that's supposed to come before a larger and more through "introduction to German poetry": it's enough to get one interested, but you're still hungry.

German and English poetry
This is a good book just for the nice german poems in it. It is also great for building german vocabulary

The joy of German poetry
"Introduction to German Poetry: A Dual-Language Book," edited by Gustave Mathieu and Guy Stern, is a wonderful anthology.It contains the work of thirty-four poets, mainly ranging from the 18th to 20th centuries.For the most part each poet is represented by a single short poem or excerpt, although some are represented by two or three pieces.The poems are presented in bilingual format, with the German and English versions on facing pages; this makes the book especially useful for those who are learning, or brushing up on, German.A note on the copyright page indicates that this book "is an unabridged and updated republication of the work originally published under the title _Invitation to German Poetry_" in 1959.

This is a diverse and enjoyable collection which shows how, in the hands of a skilled craftsman, the German language can be an instrument of great power and amazing beauty.The poems cover many topics and are varied in tone.Some of the poets whose work is represented include Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, Rainer Maria Rilke, Hermann Hesse, and Bertolt Brecht.For each poet there is a picture and a short biographical note; I found this supplemental material to be very informative.

Some of my favorite pieces in this collection are as follows.Heinrich Heine's "Ich wollte, meine Lieder" ("I Wish That All My Songs"): a delightfully witty and funny variation on the love poem.Viktor von Scheffel's "Altassyrish" ("Old Assyrian"): a humorous story-poem about a drunkard in an ancient tavern; it has the delicious flavor of a drinking song.Detlev von Liliencron's "Die Musik kommt" ("The Music's Coming"): uses wonderfully rich language to evoke the sights and sounds of a military marching band.Christian Morgenstern's "Der Werwolf" ("The Werewolf"): a funny and clever satire of German grammar.Erich Kastner's "Die Entwicklung der Menschheit" ("The Development of Mankind"): a witty satire of humankind, full of funny lines and written with a remarkable, scientific-sounding vocabulary.

Also worthy of note is Franz Werfel's Whitmanesque "An den Leser" ("To the Reader"), with its sweeping embrace of humanity.But my favorite of all is Stefan George's "Du schlank und rein wie eine flamme" ("You Slim and Pure Just Like a Flame"): a passionate, exquisitely constructed, and hauntingly beautiful love poem.For the best experience of this book, I recommend reading the poems out loud, and sharing them with a friend. ... Read more

Product Description
Simple, yet effective, the Learn in Your Car[registered] foreign language series is designed to teach - in your car, or anywhere - without a textbook. This step-by-step method begins with key words and phrases, and basic grammar concepts, so that your ability to comprehend and converse develops within an amazingly short period of time. This best-selling series is a proven way to learn to speak and comprehend a foreign language. You will rapidly join the millions of people who can arrange accommodation, order in restaurants, change money, and feel more at home when traveling abroad or communicating with foreigners. Features: Easy to use while driving, walking, or working around your home; CDs prepared by dialect-free professionals; Grammar basics learned through recorded examples; Listening Guides present complete recorded text plus grammar notes. Level 3 offers expanded vocabulary, advanced grammar, and more detailed sentences to extend your conversational skills.Amazon.com Review
Look ma, no textbooks! The Learn in Your Car series treats youlike a child--in the best possible way--starting with one-word phrases("please," "good-by"), counting exercises, and simple nouns ("bus,""train") designed to imitate a child's learning process. First youhear the words in English, then they are repeated slowly in clear,unaccented pronunciations. The method is extremely effective for thosewho don't know a thing, or for those who want to brush up by testingthemselves when the English words are spoken. The tapes emphasize thebuilding blocks of communicating in a foreign country rather than rotephrases that only apply on the tape and not in real-lifeexchanges. Level 1 painlessly covers basic verb forms, essentialprepositions, near future and past tenses, as well as shopping, hotelreservations, and other travel-related situations.The seriesincludes French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish inthree levels that can be purchased individually or in boxed sets. Eachlevel contains two 90-minute cassettes (or CDs) and an accompanyingbooklet (not for use behind the wheel) with helpful explanations andscripts for the lessons. ... Read more

Product Description
The German Language Today shows the linguistic variety that exists within the German speech community as well as describing the main systematic linguistic features of the language. Covering the factors which produce competing forms in German, Charles Russ describes the sounds, inflectional processes, syntactic structures and different layers of words in language.

The text is detailed in its coverage of both sociolinguistic and linguistic topics, use of illustrative texts and examples, and the application of modern linguistic concepts to German. Giving recognition to the fact that languages are constantly changing, always accumulating new words and meanings, Russ provides the first analysis of the implications of German unification upon the German language and its speaking community--East and West alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good resource, impossible read
This book was a required textbook for a Germanic linguistics class I had just recently. Forget about any sort of enjoyable reading, like some textbooks. No, this one does not qualify as "engrossing." Rather, though chock-full of linguistical information including an interesting chapter on German spelling reforms, the book is written in a scientific, flat, shall I say "boring?" and distincly British fashion. It has the feeling it was written in the 1940s or 1950s, and I was surprised to find it was written in 1994.

If you have a short, or even medium-length, attention span, I'd recommend finding backup tutoring, because you will have trouble reading this one cover-to-cover. Its unfortunate, because the information contained therein has potential to fascinate, but written about in such style has little potential to motivate one to puruse further into the world of linguistics. In a word: awful! ... Read more

Product Description
The introduction to this excellent book gives an overview of the language (Pennsylvania German, Dutch or Deitsch) developed by the settlers brought to Pennsylvania from the Rhine Valley by William Penn....This book is a must for the researcher, especially the novice whose ancestral lines lead to this area where a language barrier can certainly be discouraging or in some instances even terminates the search. -The Genealogical Helper"The dialect used by the German settlers of Pennsylvania requires special study if it is to be understood. In this volume Mr. Haag has provided a learning aid which is both a reader and a grammar." -The Virginia Genealogist"The outstanding book contains twenty-three excellent reading selections in lively dialect by Haag on subjects such as school, house, farm, town, as well as dates, weather, body parts, and clothing--each with translation on the opposite page--a practical, invaluable feature." -Journal of the Pennsylvania German Society ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Haag's Reader and Grammar
Haag's Reader is a worthwhile book and copies are more readily available, but J William Frey's Simple Grammar of Pennsylvania Dutch is probably a better choice for the absolute beginner.Frey's presentation of grammar rules is easier to understand and he explains the pronunciation of the dialect much better and more accurately.

However, Haag provides a larger vocabulary and better reading selections.The basic question is: Why do want to learn Pennsylvania German?If you want to speak the language, Frey is the better choice.If you want to read the literature, then Haag's reader is a better choice.

useful introduction to PA Dutch language
This book attempts to bring the reader, in one short volume, to a point where he or she can read the south German dialect known as "Pennsylvania Dutch".Of the two that I know - from Frey (separately reviewed on Amazon) and Haag - this is the less polished but more accessible to those without a background in High German.Readers who are serious about learning the language should try to find and work through both books and then tackle Haag's wonderful Pennsylvania German Anthology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not Very Helpful
I spent 3 months in Europe and can honestly say that I never used this book, not for lack of trying.In Germany, we needed to get gas and found how to ask what kind of gas the car required, however, no listing for the answers you might get to this question, i.e. "diesel"!Some of the "commonly" used phrases, according to the authors, include "I want to shake my dancing legs" and "I want to enjoy nature's calm".Unless you frequently use these type of phrases, don't bother with this book.

If you are traveling in Europe, you need this book!
I have looked all over for a phrase book that was easy to read, multilingual, and portable.Not only can it fit in your back pocket, it has a nice plastic cover and color coded sections for quick reference.It devotes ample time to such things as hotel reservations and buying traintickets.I found this book in a store in Boston and have been tracking itdown ever since simply because no other phrase book was comparable. ... Read more

Product Description
A patented lamination process allows Language Maps to fold and unfold in a snap without tearing, in addition to being durable, weatherproof, compact, sturdy, easy to use, and much lighter and discreet than a dictionary or phrasebook. This title contains over 1000 words and phrases split into important sections, covering the basics for any trip. Language Maps are so beautifully illustrated that all travellers will be proud to use them in any setting, whether dining in an expensive restaurant or buying tickets to a museum. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Just OK
This product has limited usefulness.You could easily get a similar amount of vocabulary from the internet, and the size is awkward for real world use.

That said, it does cover the basics, and is laminated, so it will last forever.

I think your money would be better spent on a phrasebook.

If you travel you need it
I had one of these when I went to Japan (Japanese of course) and it was great. The kids even loved it! If your traveling these are great little helpers. Not to be replaced by trying to learn the language but a very durable and portable cheatsheet or helper.

Very handy and useful. Low price too.
It packs a lot of information into a small, compact folding card. We give one to our students to supplement their classroom learning during travel and when they go to restaurants or stores.

... Read more

Product Description
These intensive programs are complete language immersion courses, and were created by the federal agency that trains U.S. government personnel in foreign language proficiency. They start with grammar and vocabulary basics, then bring students to proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension. This program contains a grammar textbook plus fifteen compact discs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Boring, Painful, with Blood, Sweat and Tears
This represented my first foray into learning a foreign language, which I used first twelve years ago, then as a refresher seven years ago before I was stationed in Germany.
Ah, where to begin? This method of learning a language is one of those very low tech/ high concept systems that simply will get you to where you want to be, IT IS NOT FUN, colorful, user-friendly, modern, technologically advanced, up to date like any of the programs coming out to day, but sadly this antiquated relic from the cold war still works better, faster, retains longer (way, way longer), then any of those systems like Rosetta Stone.
The crux of this program is simple they give a series of about a hundred a fifty words, in mini-dialogues then a quick note or two on grammar, some pronunciation practice and drills. The drills being the meat of this program, are excruciatingly painful at times but they work, still better then ANY other method for time and consistency.
How well do they work? Before i used this program as a refresher, I could hold a 20 minute conversation without English word dropping, or being at a loss for words, this was FIVE YEARS after going through it the first time. I then went through it again so I could be fresh when I got to Germany. Upon my arrival I didn't experience any of the language issues my friends and colleagues had, over the two years I lived in Germany, I used the skills I had learned from ONLY this program to do things like talk to paramedics when my friend had alcohol poisoning, talk to the police when we got in a car accident, to making friends and socializing, and of course all the touristy things like ordering food shopping etc. I never had any issues.
This course brought me to this level in about seven months, follow each 2 hour lesson everyday for about 2 1/2-3 weeks then proceeding to the next.
A note about the drills, the core of everything, as they say repetition is the mother of learning, and I've found this to be true. They will give a sentence like, I go to the store with my sister, then they will cue either in German or English, with something like train station, brother, and you repeat, I go to the train station with my brother. this type of sentence will be altered and repeated in different ways literally thousands of time, utilizing different verbs, adjective, nouns, pronouns and cases till your blue in the face. Having repeated the words so many times it becomes effortless in conversation, from the definite and indefinite articles to the conjugation of verbs the words get drilled into the motor software of your brain.
On top of they pain associated with the program, it is extremely dated has very poor sound quality and some errors, but that being said use this program with level two and in about a year you will be about 93% of the way to full fluency (i mean being able to understand crying children, and drunken factory workers), being able to convey any opinion or philosophical viewpoint you wish. Never straining for lost words. But this program isn't for sissies it requires serious motivation and determination, this program will take you the rest of the way.

glc123
I'm completely blown away that anyone would rate this 5 stars! While it might technically be a good tool the recording quality is absolutely terrible.

This goes into my "Stay away from this product!" category.

still one of the best and most complete offerings available
There are a lot of more contemporary sources available for learning German, but this course is still an excellent value because of the quality and amount of audio it offers, its emphasis on developing conversational skills and its concise but effective presentation of grammar.As in common with most of its brethren in the series of Foreign Service Courses, there is a heavy emphasis on drilling and repetition that aren't perhaps the most enjoyable ways to learn but have cdrtainly proven to be effective over the many years these courses have been in existence. It's treatment of phonics is also excellent, and a student will learn from the beginning to avoid the kind of common errors that English speakers sometimes bring to German. It's always good to work with a teacher and get feedback, of course, but this is a complete enough course that most learners working on their own could also advance rapidly toward the ability to speak the language and function everyday in a German-speaking environment.

Help!Broken Disc!
Does anyone know where to get replacement discs for this series?I broke disc three.It would not stay in its spot in the case, got caught in the case flap and broke when I put it back into the giant box.If it were the last disc, I could get over it.

Help.Anyone.

Please leave me a comment if you know or can help.

ouddated but intense
lost of talk about cigarettes and typewriters, you repeat lots and lots
of sentenaces. some boring english travel info- not much, also the page number
are cited in english.the price seems very good compared to pimsuleur.
the book is about 300 p[ages longer too!! ... Read more

Product Description
A German reader for beginning students

Beginner’s German Reader (Thörn) gives your students a successful experience reading, writing, and speaking German in the first level of German study. Each of the 27 readings is about cultural experiences relevant to students’ lives and can be covered in a single class period. Humorous drawings throughout the reader match the tone of each story. This reader is softcover, 6” × 9”, and 64 pages in length. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

way too expensive
This German Reader maybe nice but the price is just ridiculously high. For that amount you can go to amazon.de and get some "real" books for a much better price. Pool your orders and then the $14 flat rate shipping charge is not that outrageous. I also find the drawings outdated and cheap. I am returning the book.

Very Nice but Expensive
This is a very nice book. The pictures are really helpful in understanding the text and the siimple stories are fun to read. My only complaint is the price. Almost $18 for 60 pages is too much.
If you want to move on after this book I can recommend Pinocchio (German Edition).

See my list "Great German Books".

good beginner
Small paperback about 60 pages.No translation, just pictures.Good practice if you have someone to double check your translation.

Great learning tool for beginners
I've already completed all 3 Rosetta Stone levels and I've been searching for german books that are pretty simple so I can practice my skills and learn some additional vocabulary. This book, while relatively short, is perfect.It keeps things simple so you don't need to continually check a dictionary, and the 2 page narratives are accompanied by drawings that make it interesting as well as visually contextual.
Highly recommended.

Great, fun, way to brush up from beginner level German!
This is great for all age levels.From able-to-read-age to adult.My only complaint is that I can't find more books like this!The stories are cute, the vocabulary building is almost effortless, and the illustrations are great:)I'm very happy to have found this book and highly recommend it to everyone:) ... Read more

Product Description
Philosophy of language has for some time now been the very core of the discipline of philosophy. But where did it begin? Frege has sometimes been identified as its father, but in fact its origins lie much further back, in a tradition that arose in eighteenth-century Germany. Michael Forster explores that tradition. He also makes a case that the most important thinker within that tradition was J. G. Herder. It was Herder who established such fundamental principles in the philosophy of language as that thought essentially depends on language and that meaning consists in the usage of words. It was he who on that basis revolutionized the theory of interpretation ("hermeneutics") and the theory of translation. And it was he who played the pivotal role in founding such whole new disciplines concerned with language as anthropology and linguistics. In the course of developing these historical points, this book also shows that Herder and his tradition are in many ways superior to dominant trends in more recent philosophy of language: deeper in their principles and broader in their focus. ... Read more