Customer Reviews

Hebrew with Book(s) (TravelTalk)

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In addition to the audio, this bundle includes a printed transliterated summary of all 18 lessons. The description on Amazon.com does mention that it also includes a Lonely Planet Hebrew Phrasebook - but it does not give sufficient detailed information to better advertise it's excellence. I would rate the phrasebook somewhat superior to both the Berlitz 1994 and 2000 editions (although I do not have audio for the Berlitz books.) This however is a highly personal conclusion.

The transliterated summary is most helpful in properly hearing, interpreting and memorizing the spoken words or phrases. One must train the ear to discern subtle hints on how a word or phrase is constructed. Transliteration is a helpful tool to gain that perception. For ease in using the transliterated summary of the lessons, I found it helpful for my own personal use, to scan the data and enlarge it to a standard typewriter page. It is much easier to read and this enables one to make notes in the margins of each page.

Following are suggestions to make this bundle even more helpful - but this summary should not be interpreted as limiting this "kit's" usefulness. This is a very good buy and should be considered by anyone wishing to study Hebrew.

A common problem inherent in all three of these phrase books is the fact they are designed for easy carry, which makes the print type tiny. Reading glasses are inexpensive and helpful. Also, as is common in Modern Hebrew, the Hebrew text in Lonely Planet does not include vowel points; which many of us beginners initially use as a tool in memorizing new words and phrases. Take time to throughly review the introductory chapters for tips on understanding the transliteration scheme. Learn the Hebrew alphabet and pay attention to the Hebrew text to compliment and better follow the transliteration.(The 1994 Berlitz Phrase Book does print vowel points; the 2000 edition does not.)

It would be of great help if any of these phrase books would also provide via the internet a downloadable and searchable PDF English-Hebrew, Hebrew-English Dictionary as well as a PDF file of the transliterated tape summary. This summary could be made even more useful if it also included the Hebrew text. (Sometimes it is almost impossible for a beginner to locate a transliterated word or phrase in a Hebrew Dictionary.) The key for this electronic data could be included as a code in the phrasebook, or as an alternative this information could be included on a CD.

Also, while it does not bear directly on this offering, I believe a publisher would provide a very valuable service if they would reprint an updated Ben-Yehuda's English-Hebrew, Hebrew-English Dictionary in a size comparable to 6x9 inches, for easier reading, and/or include as part of that update a searchable PDF file on a CD or downloadable from the internet.

In summary this is a great bundle for the price. It does include more than you would expect from reading the scant description.