Customer Reviews

Latin for Reading: A Beginner's Textbook with Exercises

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book is recommended for those who are more interested in charting and graphing sentences than learning Latin. The focus is primarily upon dismantling sentences and placing them on "kernal charts," with little or no emphasis on reading. The "basic sentences" frequently contain material not yet covered. It is poorly glossed. In its favor, the book moves relatively slowly through paradigms, addressing the cases as need arises. And, if one works through the book, one is likely to accidently learn some Latin. However, the same end could be reached with almost any other book. I know half a dozen other languages, and have never seen a less efficient textbook. Like Gradgrind, the authors of this text seem hellbent on making certain that learning Latin is not tainted by pleasure. Despite wonderful instructors, this book left me with a dread of approaching Latin class.

I admit that I am a biased reviewer - I had Professor Knudsvig as my instructor in an Introductory Latin course at the University of Michigan. I would go on to earn a teaching certificate in Latin, as well as Mathematics, and use his text, Latin for Reading, in my first teaching assignment.

I had access to other texts - the Cambridge series, Wheelock's text, and other material - but I chose Latin for Reading as the foundation for my teaching approach. While other texts provide a greater breadth of vocabulary, extended prose, (many exercises in Latin for Reading are 2-3 sentences at most), and historical references, this text provides a fundamental and carefully constructed analytical approach to learning the grammar, syntax and semantics of the Latin language.

For those who would suggest that the exercises in this text are overly difficult, I would suggest that as opposed to other approaches to Latin study, this text, and its concepts of 'kernelling' and sentence mapping, demand an understanding of language at the most basic of levels. In fact, I would use this book as a supplement for any linguistics course.

I highly recommend this book.

The common texts that have been around since Julius Caesar do not teach learners to "read" Latin. The approach used in Latin For Reading is well tested and works. There is no magic bullet for reading the classics. The magic is in the systematic and linguistic approach used in this text to teach students to read Latin. Only those "poor souls" who are still memorizing declensions in a vacuum will have difficulty appreciating this masterpiece. I taught Latin using this text and couldn't imagine teaching it any other way.

The common texts that have been around since Julius Caesar do not teach learners to "read" Latin. The approach used in Latin For Reading is well tested and works. There is no magic bullet for reading the classics. The magic is in the systematic and linguistic approach used in this text to teach students to read Latin. Only those "poor souls" who are still memorizing declensions in a vacuum will have difficulty appreciating this masterpiece. I taught Latin using this text and couldn't imagine teaching it any other way.

This book is written as if the reader already had knowledge of Latin. I do not recommend it for those just beginning their study. It gives long and hard to understand explanations and gives very little exercise in a skill before moving on to something else. This book should be used to review Latin . . . not to learn it!

I ordered this thinking it was a textbook with exercises, not realizing it's an instructor's manual. My bad. It will be helpful as an adjunct to other textbooks, though.-

This book is wonderful.
I used Latin for Reading for two semesters of a three semester beginning Latin sequence.
The book approaches learning Latin from an adult perspective. It does not talk down to the student. This book explains what you are doing and why.
Latin for Reading will give you a fine Latin vocabulary and a nearly complete overview of Latin Grammar in two semesters. The subject (Latin) is presented in a concise, logical and very approachable manner. In the process of using this text you will also acquire an excellent foundation for English grammar - really quite an accomplishment. (English grammar is not something well taught in American high schools today).

The above cannot be said for any other foreign language book I have seen offered at an introductory university level. (French, Spanish, German).

I must say, I did not appreciate what a superb book this is - until I began taking other foreign languages. When I had something to compare this book to - its quality became apparent.

I would like to extend my thanks to authors. Thank you for writing such an outstanding book.

Please note - The review by James C Caldwell is for a teachers manual - it is not for this text.

This "teacher's guide" is by it's own admission a preliminary edition, would that the authors had finished what they started.
This is book is practically worthless as a compainion to "Latin for Reading". All it adds is the translation of a few of the
exercises and no guide to the overview of the rather different approach to teaching Latin that is the heart of "Latin for Readers".