If you are struggling with Latin - this is the course for you!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I've been studying Latin for 10 months on my own now without a tutor or class to rely on for assistance. I started with Wheelock's and quickly became bored and frustrated as I started to struggle. I also started using Lingua Latina - which is an excellent text and I highly recommend this series as well. After getting through the first 5 chapters of Lingua Latina, I began to struggle again. I happened upon Unit 1 of the Cambridge Latin Course while waiting for my wife at a book store. I started reading it immediately and couldn't put it down, so I bought it. I was able to cruise through the entire book in only one week! This was due to the fact that I had been studying Lingua Latina for a few months. I ordered the remaining Units (2,3,4) shortly after purchasing Unit 1. I am now reading Unit 3. It should be noted that I am still using Lingua Latina and was able to get through to Chapter 21. I've been rotating between Lingua Latina (Pars Unum), Lingua Latina - Colloquia Personarum (a supplemental reader in dialog form), and the Cambridge Latin Course. What I like best about the Cambridge Latin Course series is the format and layout model: everything is broken up into bite-sized chunks. A "Stage" or chapter usually starts out with a number of simple line drawings of scenes with captions utilizing the gramatical constructions covered in each of the Stages. This is followed by a short & simple dialogue or story with vocabualary listed below so you can glance down if you don't recognize a particular word without having to thumb back to the vocabulary listing at the end of the Stage or to the back of the book where all words listed in the book can be found. This story may be followed by another short story or dialogue or two then the student will be introduced to the grammar 'formally' in a short section called "About the Language." This is followed by a couple of more stories before reaching the section called "Word Patterns" where you are taught to recognize certain 'patterns' or 'forms' reinforcing the previous grammar section. Another couple of short stories/dialogues follows before coming to a section called "Practicing the Language" where you are to complete a few exercises practicing what you have learned in the Stage. It should be mentioned that most of the stories are linked in some way through various 'threads' that diverge and converge in a coherent story. A thread or two survive and actually carry forward into the other Units/Books. This is very clever because it holds your interest - you want to find out what happens next. This continuous storyline has characters and events based on historical and relatively recent archeological findings. As a nice break from focusing on Latin, the authors provide useful cultural, historical & archeological backgound and context relating to the stories being told throughout. For me, it's a nice little reward for getting through the material - I love it! Following this, there's a shor
Ooooh... Latin that is easy to understand, and it gives great fun!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Since I am learning Spanish, German, and Latin, it can be a bit of a challenge, but since Latin is the father of these languages, most of the words are familiar. If you want to learn Latin, I suggest this book. It is easy and fun, they give good detail about the words so that you don't mix them up as much as other Latin books. This book is expensive so it would be better buying it on Ebay, you could get the CD as well as the book on Ebay. But, if you don't like Ebay, whatever you do (don't steal), get this book.
If there were a "Latin for Dummies" this would be it!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This is an excellent learning and teaching tool. It's based around a Pompeiian family and their daily life. If you are just learning Latin, or if you badly need a full refresher, this is the series to buy! Believe it or no, this is a page turner!
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