Product Description
What's preventing you from teaching Latin in your homeschool or learning it on your own? If you're intimidated because you've never studied Latin, bewildered by traditional Latin books that move too fast, or just don't know where to begin, then Getting Started with Latin is for you!Specifically designed to overcome these types of obstacles, Getting Started with Latin is divided into simple lessons that explain the fundamentals of Latin grammar in a way that anyone can grasp. Instead of burying you in mountains of information to memorize, new words and concepts are introduced in a gradual and systematic way. You can immediately apply what you've learned by translating the fun exercises at the end of each lesson. To hear the words pronounced, simply download the free MP3 files from www.gettingstartedwithlatin.com. Quickly check your work by turning to the included answer key.With everything you need here in one book, why aren't you Getting Started with Latin? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (63)

Fantastic for the Beginner!!!!
I am trying to teach Latin to a 2nd and 3rd grader (having never learned it myself) and I have to say that this program is FABULOUS!!!Short lessons that build incrementally to increase true understanding of the language. Also includes interpretations of common Latin phrases.It is really making sense to me and we enjoy it, whereas I have been discouraged and intimidated with other methods.
We will be doing more advanced studies as the kids move up in school-- maybe Mr. Linney offers options -- but for starting out, you CAN"T BEAT THIS!!!!Thank you SO much Mr. Linney!!!!! This book has been a tremendous blessing!!

The best Latin primer ever for the autodidact!
When Mr. Linney received a request from his sister to teach her two homeschool pupils Latin, he searched for a beginner's textbook that could be utilized without much input from a teacher (he lived a great distance from his sister). Finding nothing on the market adequate for the purpose, he penned his own beginner's Latin. The result was a volume that offers the best introduction to the Latin language for the self-educated student without a strong linguistic background that I have yet to find. I had been searching for years for a text that could ease me---a student with no foreign language experience beyond two years of high school Spanish---into Latin study, when I discovered this towering achievement in directed self-education. Anyone of any age or ability can master the material in this book, provided they put forth even a modicum of effort, by the end of which they will have a sound grasp on the fundamental principles of the Latin tongue. Linney's pedagogical approach of presenting bite-sized chunks of grammar in a systematic fashion with extensive review to ensure mastery, is simply unmatched in the world of beginner's Latin textbooks. There is no fluff or pretty pictures to be found here, but the self-confidence that comes from mastering lesson after lesson engenders an enjoyment and love of a subject all too often presented as austere and impenetrable to the uninitiated masses. In addition, he mixes it up with fun and interesting discussions on some commonly used Latin expressions (I was unaware of the meaning of "ca."). He also includes helpful audio lectures and pronunciation guides on his website for free. If, like me, you never had the opportunity to study Latin in a classroom environment under the tutelage of an instructor, and you have given Wheelock a whirl without much success, I implore you to forget all the others for the moment and start here. This book will afford you the proper foundation and motivation for pursuing more advanced works like Wheelock's, Orberg, or Linney's Latin Class.

Great for quick lessons!
We use this Latin book along with the voiced lessons provided on the web site the author mentions.The voiced lessons really help us to have a consistency in our Latin word pronunciation.We are able to read, say, and write Latin up to lesson 30.We take 2 to 4 lessons a week.This book does a great job of review work.Most lessons end with Latin sentences for decoding.I and my daughters, 9 and 11, enjoy the slow/easy pace of memorizing Latin words.This is working for us.

Great beginning latin text
I bought this beginning text to learn Latin myself and to use it to teach my children. The lessons are very simple and broken down into small chunks with only 1 new concept per lesson. I usually have great difficulty learning new languages and have had success with this text. I love that the author has posted free lectures and audio pronunciation of the terms on his website to go along with the text. This has been perfect for a self-learner who needs to hear the words pronounced.

Once I finish going through the text, I plan on taking advantage of the author's free Latin course using a more advanced text too.

Great Latin book for beginners and great free resources to go with it.

This book is horrible...
I can understand how this book may seem good to someone with no prior knowledge of latin... That is because i too thought it was helpful before i decided to take a latin class in college. I recently browsed through this book again, and let me tell you... this book majorly simplifies latin to the point of trouble... this book is very short and skips critical information.. Imagine if you tried to learn algebra before you knew how to add and subtract.. Anyway im not sure how this book got such high reviews, but if your seriously interested in learning latin then youll want a real textbook. Wheelock's Latin is a great book ten times the size of this one and far more helpful. Its also available on amazon for $14.95 (less than this one!!). Do yourself a favor and check it out. ... Read more

Product Description

Verb conjugation is one of the major hurdles to mastering Latin. Latin Verb Drills makes surmounting that hurdle easier than ever. The ideal reference for beginning to intermediate learners, it combines the best features of a self-study manual and a workbook. Latin Verb Drills clearly and systematically explains how the Latin verb system works, while providing numerous exercises for practice of each point covered. And the unique all-drills format helps readers to focus on verbs without the distraction of other elements of Latin grammar.

Customer Reviews (2)

Review of "Drills"
Very well done. Probably best as a review of a second semester Latin student. For a beginner it goes a little toofast.

Great resource for any student of latin
"Repetitio est mater studiorum" - lots of vocab and drills that cover all conjugations, tenses, voices and moods. Includes answer key - especially useful for autodidacts.
Hopefully Dr. Prior will follow this up with more drill books. ... Read more

Product Description
In Latin Alive, Joseph Solodow tells the story of how Latin developed into modern French, Spanish, and Italian, and deeply affected English as well. Offering a gripping narrative of language change, Solodow charts Latin's course from classical times to the modern era, with focus on the first millennium of the Common Era. Though the Romance languages evolved directly from Latin, Solodow shows how every important feature of Latin's evolution is also reflected in English. His story includes scores of intriguing etymologies, along with many concrete examples of texts, studies, scholars, anecdotes, and historical events; observations on language; and more. Written with crystalline clarity, this is the first book to tell the story of the Romance languages for the general reader and to illustrate so amply Latin's many-sided survival in English as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

From: Salvador Bartera
Latin Alive is an excellent and extremely enjoyable book to read. Anyone with an interest in the history of the Latin language and its survival into the Romance languages, especially French, Spanish and Italian, will find it very useful. The style of the book will make it accessible to teachers and students alike, with little or no knowledge of Latin at all. The history of Latin words is fascinating. Any teacher of Romance languages should read this book, suggest it to his/her students and use it to make the Romance languages, whatever that may be, more interesting and intriguing. This book comes out at a moment when Latin, and languages in general, are in peril. Instead, it reminds us of their importance, and of how much we depend on Latin, still today, whether we are aware of it or not.

Latin Teacher Must Read
As a Latin teacher I am grateful to have a resource that will better enable me to answer students' questions about Latin's transformation into the Romance languages.I particularly enjoyed the plethora of examples of words' transformations.As a Latinist who has studied Romance languages, I can't help but think this book's logical explanation of how verbs changed from Latin into Italian would have made my study of Italian immensely easier.I believe that this is a much have resource for Latin teachers.

Something for All
Whether an introduction to linguistics, a refresher, or a reference, this book renders the intricacies of Latin's evolution with such clarity, such grace, and such attention to detail that I cannot imagine any work ever surpassing it. The book includes a general explanation of Latin's origins in Indo-European, provides a cursory examination of the Latin language itself and it's speakers' history, and finally explores the multifaceted relationship between Latin, the Romance languages, and English. There is no want for context, yet readers of all knowledge-levels will find that they are well served, neither bored nor left behind. Solodow has a gift for lucid explanations, and his mastery of the subject is evident from the start, but what makes this book particularly enjoyable - even for those who may not feel especially passionate about etymologies or Latin roots - is Solodow's charming sense of humor and the obvious care with which this book was researched and written. This is a veritable gift to the classics community, and a gem for anyone with an interest in language.

Latin Alive
Latin Alive by Professor Joseph Solodow is surely one of the best such work about Latin's influence and longevity to this day on English, French, Spanish and Italian. Latin Alive is indeed a remarkable compendium of research while its composition could not be better. The vast knowledgeof Professor Solodow and his grasp of pertinent details with abundant litterary or colloquial examples are enlightened here and there with delightful touches of humour. The whole book is a pleasure to read and own. Ionly wish Professor Solodow would have included Portuguese in that gallery to show how Latin has sailed through times side by side with the rich Arabic input. Of course, that goes for Spanish too but one must limit the scope of any Great Story and Professor Solodow succeeds here very well.
C. Chauvigne, French Professor Emeritus

splendid book
This is a splendid book: beautifully written, erudite without being at all pendantic, and simply illuminating. It is a pleasure to read. It makes clear the rich variety of linguistic associations and changes that linked yet differentiated Latin, French, Spanish, and English; the book makes you understand and appreciate the living process of linguistic evolution in which we all participate. I've read many books on the history of English, French, and Latin, yet Solodow's work still provided many welcome new delightful factual tidbits as well as deeper insights. If you have any interest in language or history at all, read this book. It is not only fascinating, it is a charming and absorbing read. ... Read more

Product Description
An updated guide to the language of the Roman Empire.

Whether interested in learning Latin or just seeking a deeper understanding of English, readers will find a fun alternative to the standard dusty tomes usually associated with Latin. Included in this revised edition are updated vocabulary lists relevant to today’s world, expanded pronunciation guides, Latin-to-English and English-to-Latin translations, and a workbook of exercises, reading passages, and tools for greater comprehension of the language.

• In 2002, the number of high school students taking Latin tests for college credit had risen95% since 1993
• According to CNN, educators are increasingly turning toward Latin to improve student performance in reading, math, and science
• Perfect reference tool for law school, medical school, music school, and other graduate school students faced with getting through a Latin course as a requirement ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Hated It
I've been working off and on trying to teach myself Latin for several months now.I've used the "Teach Yourself" book, and "Wheelock."Each has its good points and its flaws.I then took this one out of the library, hoping it would clarify some of the more complex points.

I'm glad I didn't buy it.

Bluntly, it may have been written BY an idiot, but it's far from being a clear or simple method of learning Latin. (Even recognizing that NO language is 'simple', and Latin is more complex than some.) It starts with long lists of unrelated vocabulary words (related only by their declension)-- most of which are NOT the sort of words you're going to find in classic literature, or use on a daily basis. (Oyster? Caveman?Tightrope walker?) The 'English words' derived from latin that are intended to help the learner remember the Latin are usually so obscure that most readers will have never heard of them.You are introduced to all the noun declensions before you ever meet a verb. Which means of course, that you are simply memorizingwords and phrases by rote for the first several chapters, rather than reading stories, or even full sentences.Practice exercises are minimal, and explanations inadequate.

This is THE most tedius way to learn a language, and all the cute humor and jokes that she throws in don't help matters a bit.

This one went back to the library.

Librus non finitus est
I'm not going to pretend to have finished this marvelous volume, but its first chapters have given me great hope that at long last I will be able to understand this wonderful language. What's great about this Complete Idiot's Guide (CIG) and what sets it apart from other Latin guides I have seen, is that it really does make an effort to explain the basics of Latin that have become the insuperable obstacles that have stopped my learning before it began. For instance, once a book of Latin starts talking about declensions (usually very early in the going) I get lost. CIG makes it clear that the first declension is a more-or less arbitrary collection of feminine words that end in "-a" and second declension words are usually male words end in "-o". CIG starts us off easy with other tidbits of the language -- that verbs often appear at the end of sentences (non dignus est) and that word endings (not articles and pronouns) define gender and tense. Pronunciation is introduced very early -- "V" pronounced as "W", and "C" having a hard sound like "K," etc. Before you know it, you are able to read simple sentences involving the nominative and genitive cases, such as "Senator non est elephatus" -- "The senator is not an elephant."

Then the fun begins as CIG throws readers into the shallow end of the pool, introducing Latin words that are familiar to English speakers and cleverly inserting other words that are less familiar. CIG intends us to learn the language as children do -- not through books and formal charts, but by experiencing words in a rather haphazard order -- familiar terms first, and specialized terms later.

Don't expect to breeze through "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning Latin" in a weekend or a month. The concepts, even when presented in a friendly way, are not easy. And you will need to memorize word endings and definitions, then practice pronunciations. Luckily, the book contains enough practice exercises (including fun words like "hippopotamus" and the aforementioned "elephantus") that are enjoyable. With this book firmly in hand, I look forward to the day when I can say (in regards to Latin) "Veni Vidi Vici" --I *came* to the language, I *saw* it and I *conquered* it.

A needed update
For a "dead" language you may ask why an update on such a book is needed?The second edition had a promised section in the answer key for chapter one, which was missing.Such an omission can be a discouragement to a beginner in just about anything, particularly languages.I remember a guidebook to the Delphi programming language, from Sams Publishing, which had a mistake in the very first coding exercise.

Well done Ms Harwood.It's a great book, well set out and with plenty of humour in the "Complete Idiot's" tradition, whilst still not being over the top.The paradigms at the back of the book are useful and digestible.

Supplementary to any Latin course, including this book, I'd purchase vis-ed (see vis-eddotcom) flashcards.Their Latin flashcards are great.I don't work for the company, honestly, I live on the other side of the planet. ... Read more

Product Description
To make the course preparatory to Caesar at the same time systematic,
thorough, clear, and interesting is the purpose of this series of
lessons.

The first pages are devoted to a brief discussion of the Latin language,
its history, and its educational value. The body of the book, consisting
of seventy-nine lessons, is divided into three parts.

Part I is devoted to pronunciation, quantity, accent, and kindred
introductory essentials.

Part II carries the work through the first sixty lessons, and is devoted
to the study of forms and vocabulary, together with some elementary
constructions, a knowledge of which is necessary for the translation of
the exercises and reading matter. The first few lessons have been made
unusually simple, to meet the wants of pupils not well grounded in
English grammar.

Part III contains nineteen lessons, and is concerned primarily with the
study of syntax and of subjunctive and irregular verb forms. The last
three of these lessons constitute a review of all the constructions
presented in the book. There is abundant easy reading matter; and,
in order to secure proper concentration of effort upon syntax and
translation, no new vocabularies are introduced, but the vocabularies
in Part II are reviewed. ... Read more

Product Description
The Fourth Edition Cambridge Latin Course is an introductory program organized into four well-integrated units. Cambridge's proven approach includes a stimulating continuous story line, interwoven grammatical development and cultural information, supportive illustrations and photographs, and a complete Language Information section.Reading is the heart of the Cambridge Latin Course, and all the elements of the program - illustrations, vocabulary, grammar and syntax, cultural contexts and references, activities - are carefully introduced and arranged to provide students with the skills they need to read with comprehension and enjoyment from the very first page.The thorough Omnibus Workbook complements and enhances the Student Book, providing students with a wealth of creative, motivating opportunities to practice their new language.

Product Description

The classic, single–volume introductory Latin textbook, introduced in 1956 and still the bestselling and most highly regarded textbook of its kind.

Wheelock's Latin, sixth edition, revised, has all the features that have made it the best–selling single–volume beginning Latin textbook, many of them revised and expanded:

o 40 chapters with grammatical explanations and readings based on ancient Roman authors

o Self–tutorial exercises with an answer key for independent study

o An extensive English–Latin/ Latin–English vocabulary section

o A rich selection of original Latin readings –– unlike other textbooks which contain primarily made–up Latin texts

o Etymological aids

Also includes maps of the Mediterranean, Italy and the Aegean area, as well as numerous photographs illustrating aspects of classical culture, mythology, and historical and literary figures presented in the chapter readings.

o The leading self–tutorial Latin program. Also great for college and accelerated high school courses.

o Wheelock's Latin is the top–selling Latin reference in the US.

o Interest and enrolments in Latin have been steadily rising in the U.S. for the past 20 years. One–half million people are currently enrolled in Latin classes, and at least 10,000 teachers, professors and graduate assistants are teaching the language in America.

Customer Reviews (43)

Kindle Edition: Formatting Much Better Than I Expected
I have to admit that I wasn't expecting much from the Kindle version, but I ordered it figuring however mangled it came out it would be useful to have Wheelock on my Kindle. I have gotten various old 19th century Latin grammars on the Kindle, and they were uniformly disastrous. The problem is that a Latin grammar is full of tables, diacritical marks, and other detailed formatting that the Kindle really can't handle perfectly, and which take a lot of hand formatting to handle at all.

But Collins put a surprising amount of work into converting Wheelock to the Kindle, and it's very usable.

A few tables (3 or more columns) have become images, but so far in my skimming of the book they have been legible. The smallest type is in the back-of-the-book reference section, "Summary of Forms." These tables are rendered as images, but when zoomed to full screen on the Kindle 3, they are legible to my presbioptic, eyeglass-corrected eyes, but of course, larger would be better. Other smaller tables, two-column tables, have been rendered as text.

Both italics and boldface are nicely used, and macrons and accented characters appear as text. The only glitch is that the accented, macroned characters (with both an accent and a macron), seem to be rendered as tiny images or something. But in most cases the macron in omitted if there is an accent. I think most of the time you can figure out if the vowel should have a macron in these cases. At any rate, there is no really good solution given what the Kindle and its fonts are capable of. The print version must have been set with a specially commissioned font to get accented macroned vowels.

Lists are formatted acceptably. Often the bullet is on a separate line from the content, which spaces things out a lot, but it's legible. Indenting is well used to clarify the organization of the text.

I think that Collins has done a good job with this book. I think at this point the ball in in Amazon's court to bring the formatting tag support up to a more full implementation of the HTML underlying Amazon's e-book format. But at some level there is only so much you can do with such a small display (and relatively low resolution display), and even if full HTML were supported, there is formatting in the book that couldn't be supported.

Ancient Language
This Latin textbook is an interesting introduction into the language. Even the charts in the back of the book are helpful.

Excellent :)
The textbook came in a timely fashion and was just as good as new. The text itself is very helpful, and as an aspiring Latin teacher, I think Wheelock is among the best I've seen and used.

Too much pretentious poetry for a beginner
The principal method that this book employs is to overwhelm the reader with huge ammounts of grammar, and then confuse the reader by presenting a bunch of pretentious classical poetry which barely makes use of the grammar if not directly throwing the grammar out of the window entirely (there are a number of lines within these poems that do not even include verbs).

Other issues I had with this book were to do with the order in which vocabulary and grammar is introduced. There is a lot of emphasis on the verbs "to warn" and "to praise", perhaps the Roman Senators did a lot of warning and praising, but the rather more useful verbs "to go", "to get" and "to have" barely get a look in, in fact the verb "to go" only gets mentioned at the very end of the book. Furtermore the various verb tenses are presented in a non-sensical order. Since most people learn Latin to study history, it seems sensible that the past perfect tense would be the most useful one to learn early on, with particular emphasis on the third person singular and third person plural (i.e. he/they went, he/they had, he was/they were, etc.) But this tense is not introduced until chapter 12, where as the past imperfect (I was going) and future (I will go) tenses are introduced as early as chapter 5. Why an earth is so much early emphasis placed on the future tense in a language that is used primarily to study societies in the past not the future?? There is also too much emphasis on the various subjunctive tenses, the reader has to sit through many chapters on the various subjunctive tenses before even being taught how to say "I go".

I do not understand why the authors felt it was neccesary to introduce at least 6 different ways of saying "therefore" in a beginner's textbook (ita, itaque, quare, sic, ergo, ideo). Instead they should have only included the most common 2 or 3 ways, or if they are all equally common, then a whole section should have been written about this peculiarity of Latin and emphasizing that all 6 words should be memorized.

The book is a useful resource, but perhaps not for a beginner, if you are going to use this book to learn Latin, do so in combination with other texts that focus more on the basics, I can recommend Lingua Latina per Illustrada for that.

Edit: I removed my complaint about the answers not being available, having learnt that an answer key is available for free online.

Go Latin
It was a gift and my friend loved it. Ususally books take less time to arrive and there was no tracking number so we had no way of finding out where or if the book was en route.
Great book. ... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling language courses now with audio CDs !

From Catonese to Thai, Gaelic to Modern Persian, learning the languages of the world is attainable for any beginning student. Learners can use the Teach Yourself Language Courses at their own pace or as a supplement to formal courses. These complete courses are based on thievery latest learning methods and designed to be enjoyable and user-friendly.

Prepared by experts in the language, each course begins with the basics and gradually promotes the student to a level of smooth and confident communication, including:

• Up-to-date, graded interactive dialogues
• Graded units of culture notes, grammar, and exercises
• Step-by-step guide to pronunciation
• Practical vocabulary
• Regular and irregular verb tables
• Plenty of practice exercises and answers
• Bilingual glossary

The new editions also feature:

• Clear, uncluttered, and user-friendly layout
• Self-assessment quizzes to test progress
• Website suggestions to take language study further

Customer Reviews (14)

Not recommended
I do not think this is a good book to learn Latin. The method used in this book, if there is any method used at all, is not suited to self-learning. Explanations are confusing, missing, not clear. I would highly advice not to buy this book at all.

Worth it, if you're willing to take some flaws
While the product description lives up to its word in saying progression comes quickly in this user-friendly guide, there are far too many inexcusable flaws in this text. First, a number of the readings are not explained fully, leaving a layperson in the dark about why a certain case is used when all the rules say otherwise. Second, the glossary is laughably thrown together. It gives many of the words used in the actual book, but there are some which are not found in the glossary, so some may find themselves going to another latin/english dictionary. It is absurd how this came to be the final product, when so many of its faults are obvious.

On a good note, the material in each chapter is presented piecemeal, so one does not feel bogged down. There are also historical pendants at the end of some chapters, giving one some background on the language.

In response to the other unfavorable reviews on here, I can only say that I myself had no trouble with the author's grammar. It was, I believe, the editing process that was slipshod.

Not for beginners
I don't recommend this book for beginners, and I'm sure experienced Latin learners could find a better refresher course elsewhere.The book seems to go out of its way to present everything in as dull and user-unfriendly a format as possible, from huge tables of declensions with very little accompanying information to surprisingly bad descriptions of grammatical functions(this book features the worst description of a pluperfect tense I have ever seen).

For those like me who are interested in working their way into the language slowly on their own time, I recommend the Oxford Latin course, which is quite simple (sometimes too much so) but not hopelessly discouraging, as this book is.

Teach Yourself Latin...provided you already know it
This book is certainly not for beginners. It's more of a review for someone who already has a firm grasp on conjugation, cases, and so on. If you're an autodidact working your way into Latin, forget this one. My recommendation would be to spend your money instead on something like Lingua Latina (a direct-method reader) and/or Wheelock's.

It's my opinion that this book will serve more to confuse right up front and very likely discourage further study into the language.

Serious Grammar
A serious study of Latin grammar - not for the casual reader.More for the very well-versed.Not the book we wanted.Includes 5-page index, and 41-page Latin-English dictionary.The print is good, and the book looks reasonably well organized.Title is highly misleading. ... Read more

Product Description
Learning Latin Through Mythology is a highly illustrated workbook to introduce elementary students to Latin using simplified versions of the popular myths of ancient Greece and Rome. Thebook consists of thirteen units, each including a short English version of a myth, an illustrated Latin version with vocabulary explanations, a related Latin grammar activity, plus related writing and open-ended projects. Innovative review exercises enhance the thirteen units. It captures students' interest in Latin through the myths, motivating them to translate the Latin and complete the other activities. References to mythology are commonplace in advertising, the media and the theater, and so it is essential that students understand the allusions to mythological characters. The lively and unique approach to learning Latin demonstrated by this workbook makes Learning Latin Through Mythology an interesting and useful introduction to simple Latin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Interesting
The book manages to make the reader become interested in Latin by presenting language with images and structuring the text in a way that awakens curiosity. It seems to be very useful for beginners or those who want to refresh half-forgotten knowledge. It would be useful to combine it with a Latin reader such as Puer Zingiberi Panis: et Fabulae Alterae (Latin Edition), Volatus ad Lunam (Latin Edition), Fabulae Faciles (Latin Edition) or Hygini Fabulae: 86 Easy Fables for Learning Latin (Latin Edition).

Learning Latin Through Mythology
A fun and easy book to use that helps teach, and also review major myths. At least my students enjoy using this one!

Best Way to Learn a Foreign Language
Currently I'm reading Alexander of Macedon and the author uses latin phrases the way I use the and it.Learning Latin Through Mythology has helped me make sense out of a lot of the passages.To even get a better grasp of the language get, Amo, Amas, Amat and More by Eugene Ehrlich.

Where is the cassette ISBN 0 521 40762 1
I like the book, but where is the cassette?

The book arouses the imagination andattracts the attention
It helps you introduce the subject to young latin students. Its a workbook, a painting book. It introduces mythology stories concise and dynamic. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the textbook for the online Latin class called Linney's Latin Class.

The purpose of this book is to teach Latin grammar while preparing the student to read Caesar's Gallic Wars as soon as possible. While a general survey of the essential features of the Latin grammar is made, only those parts are emphasized which are needed. With few exceptions the words and phrases are taken directly from Caesar's War with the Helvetii, and by their frequent repetition a sufficient vocabulary is established to simplify the reading of Caesar in the second year.

Special attention is given to reviews. At short intervals a lesson is made up of questions on the new forms and constructions of the lessons immediately preceding it, together with a repetition of the new words and such sentences of Caesar as will be used later. The earlier review lessons contain sentences for sight-reading, based on the review vocabulary. In the later lessons connected passages covering chapters 1-12 of The War with the Helvetii replace these. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A clarification
The text is an open source textbook dating from the early 20th century. This is not a bad thing, but don't expect the graphical and layout niceties of a more modern text. What makes the book worthwhile is the free online Latin lectures associated with it (http://www.linneyslatinclass.com/).

The First Year of Latin
I am an adult whose interest in Roman history in general and the life of Julius Caesar in particular led me to want to read Caesar's Commentaries in its original Latin.With this goal in mind I began looking for the best way to learn Latin.I bought the Rosetta Stone program and found it helpful but still lacking.My inability to trill my R's like the Rosetta Stone speakers frustrated me.I bought the first book in the Lingua Latina series and was frustrated by its lack of explanations.I bought an old high school text book and was frustrated by its lack of complete answer keys.I bought Wheelock's text book along with Dale Grote's notes and found the combination very good but was frustrated by the fact that Wheelock's disaproval of Caesar caused Wheelock to avoid using any quotes of Caesar as study material.

And then I foundGunnison's and Harley's "The First Year of Latin".The stated goal of this text is to enable a student to read Caesar's Commentaries in the orignal Latin. But the biggest attraction for me is the existence of a free online Latin class based upon it.As of October 6, 2009, 29 of the 73 lessons in this 100 year-old text book have web lectures dedicated to them where proper prounciation is demonstrated and homework is assigned then translated and explained.More lessons have been promised but have been slow in coming.Just as the i-phone is made more valuable by 3rd party software developers who create powerful applications for it, "The First Year of Latin" is attractive and valuable because its public domain status has allowed a Latin teacher to offer a free online Latin class based upon it.
... Read more

Product Description
Though intended as a supplement to Wheelock's Latin, this book is well suited for use in any introductory Latin course. All the stories in the book are based on actual Latin literature, with the stories simplified at first and made gradually more complex as the work progresses. Students will learn how classical Latin was really written as they become familiar with the works of the great Latin authors.

Also available:

Rome and Her Kings: Extracts from Livy I - ISBN 0865164509
Latin Readings for Review: Elementary Latin Translation Book - ISBN 0865164037

For over 30 years Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers has produced the highest quality Latin and ancient Greek books. From Dr. Seuss books in Latin to Plato's Apology, Bolchazy-Carducci's titles help readers learn about ancient Rome and Greece; the Latin and ancient Greek languages are alive and well with titles like Cicero's De Amicitia and Kaegi's Greek Grammar. We also feature a line of contemporary eastern European and WWII books.

Some of the areas we publish in include:

Selections From The Aeneid
Latin Grammar & Pronunciation
Greek Grammar & Pronunciation
Texts Supporting Wheelock's Latin
Classical author workbooks: Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Catullus, Cicero
Vocabulary Cards For AP Selections: Vergil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace
Greek Mythology
Greek Lexicon
Slovak Culture And History
... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Learning Latin
I can't wait to become more proficient in Latin.This language is so rich and has so much influence on so many others.To be able to read Ovid and Virgil in their own words without the use of an interpreter is a dream I cannot wait to indulge.

A very useful supplement.
I purchased this book to provide supplemental exercises for my 11-year-old daughter who is using Wheelock's Third Edition in her homeschool studies.We are a few chapters in (we are using it to keep up with vocabulary and grammar over the summer months) and so far it is very successful.The stories provide just the right level of challenge and she is enjoying having an actual narrative to translate rather than just the list of non sequiter sentences that she is used to from the Wheelock textbook.

There are better supplements to Wheelock than this
The problem I have with the readings in this book is that they are way too short, about 200 words for each chapter of Wheelock.This is enough to illustrate the points covered in each chapter only, not to cultivate an easy, natural reading ability which requires large quantities of not-too-difficult reading material.If each chapter had a 2000 word reading, that would be different. A book like that would be worthwhile.Spend your money on Hans Orberg's, Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, a skillfully created graded reader that takes you from the simplest latin all the way to fairly advanced latin over about 40,000 words of entertaining text.That is the best supplement for Wheelock I know of.(Lingua Latina actually stands on it's own, you don't need Wheelock). After that, if you want more practice with simpler latin before tackling the real thing, you can avail yourself of lots of free basic latin readers that you can find on the internet in the public domain. Nunting's Latin Reader is one example. There are many. You can find them on places like google books and archive.org.

Excellent Supplement!
This is a great supplement to Wheelock's Latin and for beginning Latin student's in general. I teach a short 2 hour beginning Latin seminar at festivals and people are able to work in groups and translate the first short story by the end of the class. It is great for their confidence! They are actually reading Latin!

The stories are more fun than those in the textbook and also relate the mythology of the culture. Especially useful when teaching young people, I think this is an excellent resource!

38 Latin Stories
38 Latin stories for Wheelock's Latin has been great for putting the knowledge from the textbook into action.Plus, the stories are pretty interesting too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Language history
This book is a great history not only of language but also of how language impacted history and how man and his language evolved together. I learned a tremendous amount. I had first checked this book out from a library but found it so valuable that I bought it.The Story of Latin and the Romance Languages ... Read more

Product Description
The Fourth Edition Cambridge Latin Course is an introductory program organized into four well-integrated units.Cambridge's proven approach includes a stimulating continuous story line, interwoven grammatical development and cultural information, supportive illustrations and photographs, and a complete Language Information section.Reading is the heart of the Cambridge Latin Course, and all the elements of the program - illustrations, vocabulary, grammar and syntax, cultural contexts and references, activities - are carefully introduced and arranged to provide students with the skills they need to read with comprehension and enjoyment from the very first page. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

finally a great Latin curriculum
I am using the 4th edition with my home schooled 7th grader.I bought the omnibus, cd, reader and teacher manual also.The package is perfect.
I have tried 3 other Latin programs before and was about to give up until I found this one.One Latin program had hundreds (not kidding!) of mistakes in the text.
I love the historic approach which draws my son right in.We watched Pompeii movies, Roman movies, etc.It will take us a year to get through the first book.He will be well prepared to take the SAT subject Latin after the 3 unit books.
I do urge you to buy the whole set of books/cd.They really complement each other.

Too much culture, too little language
I do not like this book at all for various reasons.

1. It's more focused on Latin culture than Latin language: this is a typical "misunderstanding" of many language books written by Anglo-Saxon authors.

2. Grammar explanations are so easy that I think they are meant for children, not for adults. I have not find any simple, crystal-clear tables of declensions (just a very rough list in the Appendix) and not even the genitive case is explained in book 1!

3. Grammar explanations do not follow a logical sequence: 2 past tenses are illustrated before the full present is explained! And all of them are mixed up in one page! Without table, without pronouns, without a clear grammar setting looks like a "guess process" or a "remember as match as you can" competition

3. The book is very slow, full of pictures, that take up too much space. Same words are repeated very frequently in slightly different sentences. You have the impression to have your brain stuffed with many things, but in fact you don't: this high repetition rate makes you fell "drunk of words".

4. The size and high quality printing of the book are not good/appropriate to write notes on the pages.

On the whole a quite bad book if you want to learn the Latin languange

Liber optimus!
I know I know, the title of this review is trite, but it's true. I took four years of Latin in high-school and have kept up with it to some extent, but I am looking to start over, so to speak. My end-goal is to find a way to train myself to read Latin "natively", where I concern myself less with trying to break down each sentence into constituent parts and sew it back together in English (after all, the Romans wouldn't have read it that way), and so far I think this series may be just the ticket. The approach throughout book 1 is very gradual and, as other reviewers have pointed out, it is as well-suited for young learners as for old. Those with some background in Latin likely will appreciate the stories and the "About the Language" sections more than the chapter-intro comic-book-esque and cultural background sections but all told I didn't find any of the book too redundant or extraneous.

I like that ideas are sometimes presented before the chapter in which the explanation is given (e.g. the imperative case is used towards the end of the book, but is not covered until book 2). This gives the reader a chance to get used to using (or reading) a particular construct in it's natural setting before getting the "why's" of its usage. It's akin to the manner in which we learn our primary languages; our parents don't make us memorize basic grammar rules when we are several months old, we simply begin by using those things that we hear in everyday conversation.

I also found myself enjoying the story and the readings for themselves. The writers have done a fine job of balancing interest with new concepts. They introduce enough characters from enough backgrounds to maintain a steady flow of side-stories in conjunction with the over-arching plot-line. I've just begun book 2 and so far it is very much like book 1. Hopefully the series maintains all those things which works so well for it throughout the four books.

latin textbook
product arrived fast and was in great shape as indicated in description. would buy from user again.

If you would like to learn to read the Latin writers in the original, this book is the place to start
Let's say you have read some fiction set in Ancient Rome, the Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough or the books of Steven Saylor, for example. Let's say you have read some history books. Perhaps you have visited some Roman Ruins. Perhaps you have even read Caesar or Cicero or Livy in translation. Now you want to read them in the original. If this describes you, then this book is for you. It is the beginning of a 4 book introductory Latin course. Each book has a theme. This first one is set in Pompeii on the eve of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. We observe the life of a banker named Lucius Caecilius Iucundus and his family. Caecilius was a real person: his Pompeii house was excavated and can be seen today. We read increasingly complicated stories with the help of the provided vocabulary. The style is engaging and tongue-in-cheek as it presents the life of the Caecilius household, warts and all. I thoroughly enjoyed this view of Roman society. Notice that if, as I have indicated above, your interest is primarily in learning to read Latin, then this is exactly what you want. Latin is an easy enough language for English speakers, because the roots of many of our words are Latin. If you have a smattering of a Romance language like Spanish or French or Italian, then it is easier still. Each chapter also provides background information on Roman history and culture.

Eventually, however, one has to learn the conjugation of Latin verbs (four categories) and the inflections of the nouns (three declensions). And so from a gentle start, by the end of the book we must fully confront the guerilla warfare of learning grammar through tenses, cases and conjugation that bedevils the study of any language. One hopes that by reading enough texts one can pick this up intuitively as one did one's first language as a child, but this is probably a vain hope. At the end of Unit One, then, having journeyed across the pleasant plains of the easy beginnings of language study, having sadly witnessed the destruction of Pompeii and the characters we have formed a bond with, we now behold the foothills, and beyond them the snowcapped peaks, that we must scale as we move on to the subsequent Units in the course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

great
great easy to use u ll be able to read text that not available in english, get answer book too

Learn the Language of the Church
This is an excellent book for the study of Ecclesiastical Latin.My study is with a small group and teacher.The Answer Key book by John R. Dunlap is a must-have companion for me.

THE book for Latin studies
After using other books to learn Latin, Collin's book is THE book to get.Extremely well laid out.Definitely get Dunlap's "Answers" book to go with it as Collins doesn't provide this in his book.Worth adding would also be Stelten's "Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin."Simplicimus (sp.) has a great website for learning Ecclesiastical Latin.I used these to master reading Church Latin for a graduate language reading exam. Good Luck!

A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin
I needed refresher after being away from the language for many years.

This primer met the bill. Very good on cases, tenses, moods etc. Will help me

in translating some parts of my old " Missale Romanum". I would recommend

this text to those willing to go back in time to translate old Church

documents.

Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin
Good for anyone learning Eccl Latin as opposed to Classical Latin.Morphology, rules are important for apparati and Latin notes which cover most Eccl references including BHS and Greek.Not just for Catholics.All Christian origins, reformation and others would benefit from knowledge of this language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Magna Carta Latina
This unusual Latin grammar draws the reader to Latin using the language of Thomas Aquinas, the Magna Carta, and Abélard, rather than that of Caesar. The book begins with a chapter on sung Latin; it rejoices in the heritage of the language, while acquainting the student with Latin's major mature documents.
"Law and religion," Rosenstock-Huessy says, "medicine and science become clear to one who uses Latin. Two-thirds of our English vocabulary is Latin. The most precious documents of English constitutional history - including the Magna Charta, the basic document of Anglo-Saxon liberties - are in Latin. All Christian prayers were minted in the Latin language; secular rhyme and song came into the national languages from Latin sources."
"Magna Carta Latina" can also be ordered from Argo Books (www.argobooks.org), as can all the rest ofRosenstock-Huessy's English language works, including many of the lectures he gave on these topics. The lectures alone comprise more than 5000 pages of spontaneous comments he made to students from 1949 to 1968. ... Read more

Product Description
Reading Medieval Latin is an anthology of Medieval Latin texts, arranged chronologically and thematically with introductions, commentaries and a vocabulary of nonclassical words and meanings.It is a language textbook, designed to introduce students with one year or more of Latin to the Latin writing and culture of the period A.D. 550-1200.It is the only systematic introduction for students to all types of Medieval Latin writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Not perfect (some may say) but very useful.
At times you, as someone using this book to start your journey into medieval latin, might wish for more footnotes or vocabulary, or find some choices strange (at least on first inspection), but this is a very good intro reader. Of course this is only a reader and you must already have read Wheelock's or reading latin or some such thing, also you may find Harkness or Schmitz handy, and likely Woodcock. This book is not as in depth as Betts and Franklin's poetry reader (which is good for in class instruction) but it is a very good value. It has a lot of passages to read in it and is well organized. There are also english intros that give background details on the poems or passages. So over all, it could be a little better but is worth buying, and if you take a medieval latin course in university, this is the book the passages will likely be from. The more you read this book the more you will like it (and it has the loch ness monster).

Expensive, but good
This is an excellent resource for students of medieval Latin. A particularly useful aspect of this reader is that Sidwell provides texts with thematic coherence in mind; thus in each section arranged according to period, texts are arranged according to particular topics (e.g. the Norman conquest; scholastic philosophy; courtly literature). His introductory notes are good, and provide not just an introduction to the period, but to the individual topics he's selected; and his texts are chosen to provide a coherent representative introduction to the primary sources for each topic. Thus, for example, those wishing to deal with the eleventh and twelfth century will find a selection from the most important texts on the crusades, the investiture conflict, the Norman conquest, and new developments in theology and philosophy (among other topics), along with concise but useful overviews of the issues involved; in each case, the texts and excerpts are put together to make some sort of sense in terms of content and relation to the larger issues, not just as examples of Latin. Sidwell also provides a brief glossary of specifically medieval vocabulary at the end of the book, along with with useful linguistic and historical notes, and extensive vocabulary and grammar aids for each of the texts.

Good post-Wheelock book
I might as well start by saying that this book is by no means an introduction to Latin. Sidwell himself starts out by saying that, by and large, Medieval Latin is just Latin. It's best to start with a solid background in classical Latin (Wheelock's) and then move to this book when you want to start reading Medieval authors.

As another review noted, Sidwell gives good backgrounds on the changes that occurred in medieval Latin - again, medieval Latin is not some other language, it's simply Latin with some changes in orthography, grammar, and usage. In fact, without a solid background in classical Latin, this book would be almost worthless (except for its dictionary in the back - and even there, most words are defined in terms of their classical Latin equivalents).

Best of all is the appendix with the changes between classical and medieval Latin categorized. I refer to this appendix often when I come to an odd construct in the Vulgate, and it very often answers my questions.

I unfortunately have limited experience with the texts in the book themselves. What little I've looked through seem good, and the introductions are useful; but I've heard several negative comments about some of Sidwell's text choices (one person whom I respect said his choice of texts was "ghoulish".)

But, from my own personal experience, it's a good book as long as you don't try to use it for more than it's designed to do.

Learning Latin? Teaching it to Students?
Do yourself or your students a favor and FORGET SIDWELL.
This cancer on the body of Latin education has impaired and imperiled students for too long. Choose Wheelock, choose Scanlon, choose to sit down and memorize Lewis and Short, but please, please, don't keep buying this putrid and detestable mockery of a language course. If you need evidence of this man's utter madness, look to the notes in this volume, or to the glossary: of what possible assistance are notes that tell the student what she is already certain to know while remaining silent when she most needs guidance? Sidwell: the sun has set on your empire of tears; you have had your day.

A Solid Overview of Medieval Latin
Sidwell's anthology provides the Latin student with thorough notes, historical background to the authors, and medieval shifts in pronunciation and spelling. Occasionally Sidwell misses possible interpretations ofpassages or provides word-meanings that don't necessarily work well in apassage's context. These shorfalls, however, are hardly significant.Sidwell's book is an enjoyable and worthwhile text. ... Read more

Product Description
This study guide to accompanies the 6th edition (pub. 2000) of a standard introductory Latin text, Wheelock's Latin. This guide expands and explains important grammatical concepts that the Wheelock text presents too briefly for many contemporary students. The guide can also be used to review beginning Latin.

Also available:

Readings From Wheelock's Latin Audio CD - ISBN 0865166382
Vocabulary Cards and Grammatical Forms Summary for Wheelock's Latin - ISBN 0865165572

For over 30 years Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers has produced the highest quality Latin and ancient Greek books. From Dr. Seuss books in Latin to Plato's Apology, Bolchazy-Carducci's titles help readers learn about ancient Rome and Greece; the Latin and ancient Greek languages are alive and well with titles like Cicero's De Amicitia and Kaegi's Greek Grammar. We also feature a line of contemporary eastern European and WWII books.

Some of the areas we publish in include:

Selections From The Aeneid
Latin Grammar & Pronunciation
Greek Grammar & Pronunciation
Texts Supporting Wheelock's Latin
Classical author workbooks: Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Catullus, Cicero
Vocabulary Cards For AP Selections: Vergil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace
Greek Mythology
Greek Lexicon
Slovak Culture And History ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Indispensible for a Wheelock based self learner
This book goes along with the material presented in the Wheelock, providing an additional approach and point of view to the material being presented, which greatly facilitates learning, especially if one learns by oneself. It also explains some of the points that Wheelock either passes over, or mumbles about. I decided early on on the following pattern of learning, that successfully got me through Wheelock: I read a chapter from the main book, I read a chapter from the "Guide" (while doing the exercises there as well), I do the exercises in Wheelock, I do the additional exercises at the end of Wheelock. This way I attack the new material from several directions, and also get sufficient amount of repetition to guarantee adequate memorization.

Valuable tool
My homeschooled eighth-grader and I have found this book very helpful as an adjunct to Wheelock's 6th edition. Grote untangles the knotty topics of Wheelock's 6th edition, not just chapter by chapter, but virtually subtopic by subtopic. His explanations are clear, and his writing is amusing and engaging.

My only criticism is that he gives the answers to only "selected" exercises. This does seem to mean most of them--but why not all of them?

Not that useful
I studied Latin a long time ago and picked up Wheelock's. I added this book as an impulse buy based on some feedback. I find it adds nothing at all to the information in Wheelock. A lot of the suggestions are trite and much of the content is condescending.

I can see that this book might be useful to one who lacks background in grammar in general (not specifically Latin grammar) and would benefit from context for parts of sentences. For anyone with a high school or higher education, it's likely useless.

You need it!
I started with Wheelock on its own; great book, but something was missing: Grote's book!Most latin textbooks try to break down the material in segments and a sequence that that the author(s) find the most educational.Still, all textbooks have a common disadvantage: you have to memorize the inflections without being given the underlying logic.

Grote's book does that.You still have to memorize but knowing all the why's lets the how's stick.

Furthermore, if you are weak in grammar and syntax, it also covers that gap by reviewing everything using ENGLISH examples and then jumping into latin.

Now, I am going through Latin: An Intensive Course. I still refer to Grote (something that would be impossible if you did not go through Wheelock first.Anyway Wheelock is the way to get going in the beginning).

Grote's coverage of the 3 and 4 conjugations is superb: it is made really simple while traditionally this topic is truly hard.This part is worth the value of the whole book, but you get a lot more.

a Latin 'teacher' who holds your hand
This is a very helpful adjunct to studying Wheelock's Latin solo. Although I have 45 years experience studying foreign languages [at least 10, including 4 different alphabets] and have tutored Latin successfully for years, Grote still provides helpful hints for studying and digesting the Latin grammar and vocabulary. So, if I find this helpful, I expect someone new to Latin would find this book invaluable! ... Read more

Product Description

A Must-Have Companion for Every Student Beginning Latin

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent book ... a bit light on longer reading passages, though
This text gives the beginning student a nice exposure Latin epigraphy (study of inscriptions), and includes a pretty good range, from funerary inscriptions to graffiti.Each chapter has a few short Latin inscriptions transcribed first using more or less standard epigraphical notation, and then a second time in expanded format using capitalization, spacing, punctuation, etc.A vocabulary list of words not learned (keyed to the corresponding chapter in Wheelock) follows each passage, and there is a full vocabulary at the end. Overall, this makes the inscriptions quite accessible to the beginning student (which can be fairly satisfying!).Each chapter is also concluded by a short epigram or the like, and by a section entitled "proverbia et dicta" (which feel an awful lot like Wheelock's Sententiae Antique -- i.e., very short, discrete sentences taken out of context).

If you are using this book as supplementary readings for Wheelock (or any traditional "grammar-translation" textbook), however, I'm afraid it won't be enough. Wheelock is an excellent textbook in many ways. The presentation of the grammar is clear and well-organized, and there are lots of great ancillaries to help you get through the book. By far its biggest draw-back, however, is the lack of reading passages of any significant length. This means that the course, while teaching the grammar and syntax quite nicely, does not develop proficiency in reading Latin as much as it should. Students who finish Wheelock often have great difficulty making the transition to reading actual Latin texts (if the assignments are of any significant length). To ameliorate this situation, a student should supplement his or her studies with extended reading passages as soon as possible (certainly from the latter half of Wheelock to the end). Scribblers, Sculptors, and Scribes is an excellent book, but it doesn't have nearly enough longer reading passages.

One choice for more significant supplementary readings might be War with Hannibal: Authentic Latin Prose for the Beginning Student.It presents a considerable amount of a real Latin (enough to get you acquainted with reading Latin prose, yet not so much that you can't finish the book), and includes helpful notes geared toward the beginning student.Another possibility -- if you are brave -- is Augustus' Res Gestae.The Res Gestae Divi Augusti (Greek Commentaries Series) is quite inexpensive (though the notes could be a bit more thorough for the beginning student).You could also try reading some of the graded passages in Jones and Sidwell's Reading Latin: Text (say starting with the adapted Cicero about half way through the book). I myself am not crazy about Groton and May's 38 Latin Stories Designed to Accompany Frederic M. Wheelock's Latin (Latin Edition) (the Latin -- even from the latter half of the book -- feels too Anglicized).Many people like it though, and the main point is to read!

In any case, if you are using a standard grammar-translation textbook (as most of you are!), you really *must* supplement the textbook with as much reading as possible. It really is the only way to become a fluent reader (and feel prepared to some degree when you finish your textbook and begin to read real Latin texts).Exercises and discrete sentences are fine, but they are no substitute for reading, reading, reading!

A charming Book
This is a really charming book, ideal book for anyone who wishes to get a feel for both the Latin language and the common people who used it. It also shows that the problem of graphite is neither modern nor new. A great read.

Cave Kindle
This looks like an excellant book, full of valuable material for the Latin beginner, but Kindle users beware. Check out the sample before you buy.
The spacing and paragraphing of the Kindle edition are all mixed up, at least on my original Kindle. The font used for the long vowels does not match the regular font, especially if you change font sizes. The proverbs are all run together instead of being in a numbered list.
I'm buying the paperback! ... Read more

Product Description
Earn-lay atin-Lay? No, not that kind of Latin! You can learn true Latin, with conjugations, declensions, and all those extra syllables – and it’s easier than you think. In fact, most people mistakenly think of learning Latin as perhaps the most useless, tedious, and difficult thing to do on earth. They couldn’t be more wrong.

Latin For Dummies takes you back for a quick jaunt through the parlance of ancient Rome, as well as discussing the progress of Latin into church language, and its status today as the “dead” language that lives on in English, Spanish, Italian, and most other Western tongues. Written for those with zero prior knowledge of Latin, this snappy guide puts the basics at your fingertips and steers clear of the arcane, schoolmarm stereotype of endless declensions and Herculean translations. Easy-to-understand sections describe:

• Latin you already know
• Grammar
• Pronunciation
• Latin in action
• Latin in law
• Latin in medicine
• Latin for impressing your friends
• And much more

No dusty tome or other such artifact, Latin For Dummies makes learning fun and brings the language to life by presenting conversations in various Roman settings, as well as providing fun facts and stories about classical life. And if you feel you may actually have a negative aptitude for the language, don’t worry; pronunciations and translations follow every expression, and a helpful mini-dictionary graces the book’s last pages. You’ll also find out about:

• The quotable Roman
• Latin graffiti
• Latin authors who’s who
• Gladiator Latin
• Latin in love, marriage, and family
• From the mouth of Julius Caesar
• Romans on drink
• Helpful Latin-related Web sites
• Fun and games exercises

Designed to introduce and familiarize you with the language rather than make you the next Cicero, Latin For Dummies gives you all the tools you need to work at your own pace to learn as much or as little as you like. So noli timere (no-lee tih-may-reh) – “have no fear” – and carpe diem (“pick up Latin For Dummies today”)! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Latin By Dummies
Latin isn't for dummies.

If you're a dummy,
skip Latin and do your
mediocre best to learn your
native language.

For those who want to learn Latin,
get one of the Latin for smarties
books.

I know this isn't a very
substantial review,
but I had to get it out of my
system.

The title alone ought to prohibit
you from desiring the book.

I'm Not A Dummy, But . . .
As a former student of Latin in both high school and college, which was many, many years ago, I ordered this book to refresh my memory and to challenge my brain a bit.I will not complete the reading of this book because I found the first two chapters overwhelming in the amount of information for a beginning book.Nouns before verbs, all the declensions, verb forms and tenses by the second chapter - too much at one time.I would not recommend this book for a beginning Latin student.

Needs editorial review
I own, and have enjoyed,a half dozen or more "Dummies" books; I get an overview of the topic of interest to me without going in too deeply. I bought "Latin for Dummies" for the same reason; I didn't want to be fluent, I just wanted know a more than I do now. I was disappointed to find that the phonetic pronunciation guides found in the "Talkin' the Talk" sections are sometimes missing words given in the sentences they go with, for example on page 69 - "Erat difficile fratri meo ubi coniugem filiae suae petebat." is followed by "eh-ruht dhif-fihk-ik-leh frah-tree meh-o oob-bee fee-lih-igh soo-igh peh-tay-buht. What happened to "coniugem"? I have also find "v" pronounced classically (wih)and ecclesiastically (vih) seemingly without regard for context.

Excellent
It came in a few days earlier than expected, terrific condtion, good price, great service!

Bad Purchase - Beware
What an awful intro to Latin.Error-filled hodgepodge slapped together by three pretenders.Readers will spend a long time unlearning errata in this flimflam. ... Read more