Oxford Latin Reader (Paperback)

~ Maurice Balme (Author), (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Completely revised and restructured in light of a nationwide survey of high school and college instructors, and for the first time available in a special version for North American students, the Oxford Latin Course, Second Edition combines the best features of both modern and traditional methods of Latin teaching, providing an exciting, stimulating introduction and approach to Latin based on the reading of original texts. The new Part Four is a reader consisting of extracts from Caesar, Cicero, Catullus, Virgil, Livy, and Ovid.

About the Author

Maurice Balme is retired from the Harrow School. James Morwood, formerly Head of Classics at Harrow School in England, is now a Fellow at Wadham College, Oxford and Grocyn Lecturer for the Literae Humaniores Faculty.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 3, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195212096
• ISBN-13: 978-0195212099
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #371,328 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally real literature in this series, November 11, 2000

By	Andrew E. Kent (Lexington, KY USA) - See all my reviews

It is at this point in the Balme and Morwood series that we finally can break away from the children's books. Up until this point the users have been forced to deal with cartoons, which are disgustingly badly drawn, and end chapter questions fit for a monkey. Now, however, real literature is set forth and we may all rejoice.

Ceasar, Cicero, Catullus, Virgil, Livy, and Ovid now replace the story of Quintus, which surely had become dear to our hearts.

One problem with this freedom, though, is that it is quite the leap of knowledge. As I had said, we jump from children's tales to literature and it is not without great effort that we may do so successfully. Be aware that this book is like the prior book squared. Buy a dictionary and make sure it is a good one. Also, in this book you will realize that though you thought you could read Latin by sight, you are now proven wrong. But, it is worth the hard work and this realization to get through this book.

(P.S. the teachers' book is no help!)

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gives a solid basis for reading unadapted Latin., June 29, 2000

By A Customer

In their preface, the authors say, "The transition from adapted Latin to unadapted Latin texts is always traumatic and many courses fail at this point." They surely succeed in this difficult task. The accompanying Teacher's Book is indispensable in self study.

4 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars An utterly useless book, November 11, 2000

By	Andrew E. Kent (Lexington, KY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oxford Latin Reader: Teacher's Book (Paperback)

I bought this book for help with the reaer. But, it was no help at all. Most of my time with the teachers' book was spent correcting it.

I do not know who wrote the translations, but they surely know little Latin. This is a worthless book and a waste of both time and money.

Beyond that, most of the things in the book can be easily found in a decent University liberary. And, there you will get a good translation, by somebody that knows Latin.