5 comments about Minimus Pupil's Book: Starting out in Latin.

1. I ordered all three pieces of this set- the pupils book, teachers book, and CD. I homeschool my 8-year-old and this is our first year with Latin. I love this book. It is fun (even I enjoy it), but yet packed full of information. It teaches Latin in a way that will be useful for children. I was looking for a program that taught Latin to assist in the understanding of English. This book does that. On the first day, my son was guessing what a few of the words meant because of how they were related to Latin. I also love all of the extra information and actual photographs of the excavation site that are included.
   
   I do want to say that I think it is imperative that you purchase the teacher's manual and the CD with this book. The teacher's manual has translations, as well as some fun, but educational activities and reproducables. The CD is great to hear the Latin spoken by age appropriate readers. In addition, I recomend you look at the Minimus website because not only does it have great games, activities, and classroom lesson suggestions, but they also sell 20 mini books that are all in Latin and based on the characters of the Minimus book. Now I can't wait until next year to order Minimus Secundus!



2. I'm using this as a text at the Chicago Grammar School to teach 4th graders Latin and the kids really enjoy this book. They had a year of Latin prior to beginning this series (basic vocabulary, study of present tense first conjugation verbs) - so they were able to jump in and begin translating from day 1 - which fanned their enthusiasm for the text. What makes it especially interesting to the kids is the fact that the family in the book was a real family - that it's based on history rather than fiction. That there is archaeological evidence showing that the persons in the text actually existed. They like the idea that Claudia and Lepidina were real persons. The Minimus website is very helpful as well.



3. I used this with my 4th and 5th grade GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) students. We loved the class activities that accompanied each chapter, especially when we learned how to sing "Happy Birthday" in Latin and made birthday cards for a teacher's birthday. It was a little expensive to buy the teacher addition as well as all the pupil books, but it was worth it. I knew only minimal Latin before teaching it, but the materials helped me teach it well.



4. A great way to learn latin. I would recommend buying the cd also so you would know how to pronounce the words.



5. Caveat - I'm just a suburban guy who wanted to teach his kids Latin, but remembered almost nothing about the two years of Latin that I had in high school.
   
   This was the first Latin book that I exposed my elementary school-aged daughters to, in conjunction with Rosetta Stone. The first chapters went well, and they were excited. About chapter 4, however, the scattershot presentation took its toll, and they were getting frustrated. The material just isn't organized in a way to methodically introduce basic Latin to a kid.
   
   I put Minimus and Rosetta Stone on the shelf, and got William Linney's "Getting Started with Latin." After this simplified introduction to basic grammar (we took 6 months to get through the 132 lessons, spending about 20 minutes a day), I pulled out Minimus again. They enjoyed it MUCH more.
   
   I've also got all 20 of the Minibooks in the Minimus series (each small book contains about 10 cartoon panels), as well as Minimus Secundus. My daughters enjoy them very much - but again, only as supplemental reading. Begin with the Linney book, or Primer A, and then give them Minimus once a week, to break things up.
   
   In summary - by all means, use Minimus as a colorful adjunct to whatever Latin program you end up with. But don't use it as a primary text.

1 comments about Read & Speak Greek for Beginners (Book w/Audio CD): The Easiest Way to Communicate Right Away! (Read & Speak for Beginners).

1. This is an excellent way to start. Unlike many other language learning systems, it does NOT promise fast, easy results -- there is no fast, easy way to learn a foreign language. It gives you the materials you need to begin and have a good chance of success.

5 comments about A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition.

1. I tried to save money buying a 2nd hand copy. The seller failed to deliver to a friend in the US. Then considering the additional freight cost to Aust + the delay from the seller I was much better served by buying a new book direct from Amazon at only about 15% more and 5 weeks more use of the book this semester.



2. A lot of work, and you gotta know ur Greek alphabet, but it is worth the price. I'v only done a few word studies, but even at the lofty price, I feel it has already paid for itself.



3. This easy to use, clear and concise lexicon of the New Testament helps beginning and intermediate students zero in on the most accurate translations. Each entry includes multiple options and shades of meaning, adding nuance and depth to each translated word or phrase.



4. But should really appear a question "why"?
   I think, it is absolutely not necessary.
   The one and only question about that classic item in the library of every Greek scholar, New Testament scholar, etc. is "When?".
   It's mandatory. It's mother of many lexicons and father of many dictionaries.
   So when? When it will appear on your bookshelf?



5. For the SERIOUS Pastor, Teacher, Student of The New Testament,
   "A Greek-English Lexicon of The New Testament And Other Early Christian Literature, Second Edition, F. W. Gingrich and Fredrick Danker"
   is a Necessary companion to
   "The New Strong's Expanded Exaustive Concordance Of The Bible Red-Letter Edition, James Strong and John R. Kohlenbergh, III".
   
   These books are completely understandable by those of us who do Not read Greek.
   
   Dr. Earl I Powell, Th.D.

5 comments about The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: Large Print Edition.

1. This book opened up a new door for the lady I purchased it for. What a blessing it has been to see her understanding God's Word in a deeper way than ever before. I think it's a must have for anyone serious about knowing and understanding the Bible.



2. The concordance is exactly what I need to refer to when studying my Bible. Recommended to everyone.



3. The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: Large Print Edition.
   Product claims to be a large print edition, but the print is not like a large print Bible and so the print is too small to be called a large print. I was disappointed in the print size.



4. OK If you are gonna study the Bible, you need a good concordance, Strong's is the best, that's my two cents. GOD BLESS



5. The large print Strong's is big but not too heavy and fits easily on a bookshelf. It is easy to research and adds much to Bible study.

4 comments about Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar.

1. Dr. Mounce really has thoroughly thought through what an individual would need and has arranged the material so that you systematically learn grammar and vocabulary together. If you haven't studied Greek and want to go over the first and second declensions, you might want to add the 2nd year of Koine Greek for Beginners textbook, workbook and audio. You don't need the flashcards to benefit from the audio as it goes through the text. This is just to get used to the declensions and beginning material prior to the third declensions, i.e. just to have exercises. Dr. Mounce supposes you are taking classes somewhere. The back of the book has all the paradigms and the rules so you don't have to memorize all of them. There are some that absolutely must be memorized. It is a great manual if you are taking classes and want the material organized and taught in a more in-depth manner. He gives the material on accents and other more advanced material that the Koine Greek for Beginners does not give. The text has an audio version on-line that you can download for about $80.00. I listen to it on my IPod when I am too tired to read so I have more input. Hearing it also adds a learning dimension that reading alone does not.



2. If you want a practical Greek language learning tool then you want this as well as the text book that accompanies it. Mounce makes learning NT Greek doable not difficult.



3. I'm only in chapter 7, but I am enjoying this book. I am in the process of teaching myself greek with the help of the TEKNIA website and other helps that are available with and for this volume (workbook, vocabulary cards, web-support). I took greek in bible college 30 years ago and need to re-learn evrything. I remembered a few things from college greek but I really wanted to learn more this time through so that I can enjoy reading God's word in the original language.



4. I first encountered William Mounce's Basics of Biblical Greek (First Edition) when I took a couple of introductory courses in New Testament Greek at Northwestern College a few years back. I was greatly impressed by this textbook's sound pedagogy, emphasis on vocabulary acquisition, exegetical insights, and technological supports (CD-Rom, online flash cards, etc.). Dr. Mounce later released a Second Edition of Basics of Biblical Greek, which quickly found its way into my personal library! This later edition streamlined the learning process into two different "tracks": for those wishing to begin their study of New Testament Greek with nouns on the one hand or with verbs on the other.
   
   In 2010, Dr. Mounce has done the impossible by perfecting even further this highly regarded and widely used introductory textbook! To start, this new edition is much larger in size and thus easier to use in conjunction with the outstanding workbook which accompanies Basics of Biblical Greek. (Unfortunately, the workbook must be purchased separately!) Secondly, the layout of this book is far superior to the older editions, employing light blue type, for example, to off-set vocabulary notes, verbal stems, biblical passages, etc. Lastly, the Third Edition provides the student with a convenient online link to access the critical pedagogical tools once included in the old and cumbersome CD-Rom. The price for this Third Edition of Basics of Biblical Greek is a bit "stiff" -- over $40, but well worth the investment! (Amazon, however, offers some amazing discounts!)
   
   N.B. The focus of this introductory textbook is the "koine" or "common" Greek of the New Testament and not the "sophisticated" Classical Greek of the fifth-century Athenian "Golden Age." The difference between the two is similar to the linguistic "gap" that separates colloquial and everyday American speech from the polished English prose of Oxford or Cambridge Universities! However, as Dr. Mounce rightly points out, there is good reason for this distinction: "God used the common language to communicate the Gospel. The gospel does not belong to the erudite alone; it belongs to all people." Amen!

2 comments about Greek Paradigm Handbook.

1. O Greek learner, this is a gem worth worlds. For anyone in the process of learning Attic Greek or refreshing the knowledge after ages of letting it collect dust on the shelves, this book is extremely handy. Simple arrangement, spiral-bound, clutter-free. It's much nicer than referencing a clunky textbook appendix.



2. Take my word for it: you really want to get this little book. If you want to learn Greek, this will make that task (and your life) significantly easier. It's not very flashy but it's extremely useful, really well organized, surprisingly durable despite all the constant use and abuse I've put it through. The simplicity of the handbook's presentation obviously comes from having a sense of its purpose--helping you to tackle this immensely complex and difficult language. I have been using this more and more often and I think its been a huge help. Speed, clarity, accuracy--this thing is a valuable resource that does exactly what you need it to. I dig the spiral binding that allows you to have it laying flat while it's open in front of you. I always have it open while I'm translating. My only complaint is a little nit-picky but it should be noted that it would be nice if the sections had more dramatic physical divisions--like plastic tabs or something. Still, I love my handbook. Even if it were twice as expensive I'd still recommend it to any person who is learning Ancient Greek.

5 comments about Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar.

1. this is a great text book if first of all: if you know your english grammar, and are good with memorization. the problem with this book is that it is the very traditional style of learing (memorize, memorize, memorize) I would recomend you get "New Testament Greek in 30 Minutes a day" because it is a more natral style of learning (no memorization required), but if your good with the traditional textbook style learning then Mounce is for you. Also Mounce is the most widley used textbook in semenaries and universities around the country.



2. Anyone can learn Greek with this book (with audio CD). If you just know to read and to write or just went to elementary school, you can do it. If you are not a native English speaker, you can do it. I am using it with the workbook plus "Biblical Greek Survival Kit" and "Sing and Learn New Testament Greek" audio CD by Kenneth Berding and "English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy (Third Edition with Cd-Rom). Awesome! YOU CAN DO IT!



3. This is the best beginning Biblical Greek grammar available today, but it is not the newest edition.
   
   After introducing the Greek alphabet and word structure, Mounce helps students gain a solid control of Greek nouns (ch. 5-14). He then moves on to indicative mood verbs (chs. 15-25) followed by participles, non-indicative mood, and other troublesome verbs (chs. 26-35). The appendix itself, full of charts and paradigms, is worth its weight in gold.
   
   I'm currently teaching a beginning Greek class with 15 lay people at our church using this 2nd edition textbook. Mounce is such a clear teacher that any student with enough self-discipline could actually teach himself the language. Using Mounce's Greek workbook (sold separately), you can practice exercises that reinforce each chapter. The author also provides an alternate track for those who want to introduce verbs earlier in the learning process. Other benefits include a CD-ROM, links to his website, and cross references to Mounce's Morphology book and Wallace's intermediate Grammar for those who want to dig deeper into the language. If there are any drawbacks, it would be an underemphasis on accenting and linguistics.
   
   Please note: there is now a third edition of this text available as of December 2009. The third edition employs more white space, new pictures, color shades, and dimensions that are about 30% larger. It now looks more like a Jr. high language textbook. The new textbook also has the benefit of laying open flat on your desk without pages being tempted to flip closed. Apart from the new "look" and a few new features, content in the 3rd edition is largely unchanged from this second edition.



4. Best on the market - used in more Christian colleges and seminaries than any other at this time for 1st year Greek.
   
   I just wish I had waited for the third edition - it was out by the time this one arrived, and I didn't even know it would be available.



5. The CD-Rom software with this version of Mounce's book is worth it for practicing the vocabulary and getting pronunciations. I think you can get this from his website now. GreekFlash Pro has a bigger vocabulary with pronunciation. I needed to learn Greek for to pass a graduate reading exam. Personally, I would recommend not buying this book, but instead get Black's "Learn to Read NT Greek" for beginning work, and add Wallace's "The Basics of NT Syntax" for intermediate work. Also worth using is Trenchard's "Complete Vocabulary Guide to the Greek New Testament" which offers cognate word study and a comprehensive listing of all the high-frequency-words found in the Greek NT. Years ago, I used Paine's "Basic Greek" and while this older text has some fine passages for translating (both biblical and ancient Greek), I found this book awful to try to learn from as a first-year student. Good Luck!

5 comments about Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words: With Topical Index.

1. It does a good job on the Greek words (New Testament) then on the Hebrew words (Old Testament, so I took 1 star away for that. But over all it's a good book & good to have in your library.



2. The most significant biblical words are illustrated by Scripture passages, comments, cross-references, ancient and modern meanings, precise etymologies, historical notes, and clearly defined technical information.
   
   Each original language is indexed, and the addition of a topical index allows you to access all the dictionary entries pertinent to specific New Testament ideas and teachings.
   
   This is an essential reference source for all Bereans.



3. As a graduate from Bible college I can assure you that this lexicon is excellent for those with no knowledge of the greek. It is easily laid out and is well worth the price



4. This one isnt what i tought it would be. It is OK . for what it is. Leaves out some what i would have thought would be in it . Difficult at times but it is what it is .



5. Very helpful,informative, and needful for looking up stuff.
   I have used it many times.

5 comments about Biblical Greek Laminated Sheet (Zondervan Get an A! Study Guides).

1. This is an invaluable aid that should be at the front of every Greek student's binder. My Greek professor would periodically borrow mine when we would come across an unusual participle form in second-year Greek. You certainly won't learn Greek from this, but it will give you all you need to remember what you've learned when parsing.



2. I have purchased three of these laminated study guides, because I keep giving them away to fellow Biblical Greek students. I have several other more detailed study helps, but find that I use this one much more frequently, as a fast reference tool.



3. when i first bought this it was PRE Greek 1. It was a jumble of senseless tables. By the time I finished Greek 2 i could whip out this chart prior to a quiz and use it to review for just about everything we'd studied. Great resource.



4. While this tool may be useful for one who just want to get a rough idea about Biblical Greek, it is useless for serious students with the purpose of getting a real master of Biblical Greek. The reason is that it lacks things that really matter.
   What you need is by the same Mounce and by James A. Brooks. The first as a workbook and the latter as a referrence book.



5. Haven't used it yet, but it seems to have all the goodies necessary for serious students.

5 comments about Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish: A Creative and Proven Approach.

1. I thought that the "Practice Makes Perfect" books were going to be better than this one, but this was a clearer, more concise book. It's challenging for beginners, but stays within the limits of a beginner. It helps to build up a good foundation to learn the language.



2. I bought this book based on all the wonderful reviews and I love it! What a great, simplistic, and convenient approach to learning spanish. I study on my own with it and then practice what I learn with friends who speak Spanish! I have also bought 4 other copies for friends! I highly recommend this book!



3. This is a good reference for learning the basics of language. It's easy to use and really does work if you put in the time and effort.



4. THIS BOOK MAKES LEARNING SPANISH FUN. IT IS A GREAT WAY TO START LEARNING.



5. it's so easy to learn using this book - the way she has it. you read it & instead of studying you just read and all of the sudden you are able to speak spanish a little. the more you read the more you learn. it's awesome. I wish she'd write one for every language!