3 comments about Eat Smart in Poland: How to Decipher the Menu, Know the Market Foods & Embark on a Tasting Adventure (Eat Smart).

1. Eat Smart In Poland is "must" reading for anyone traveling in Poland for business or pleasure. The Peterson's provide the reader with a rich historical perspective on the origins and varieties of Polish food; extensive background on regional dishes, and easy-to-use menu guide to help make "surprise-free" selections from restaurant menus; a comprehensive glossary of foods and flavors; Polish phrases for ordering and buying food; handy shopping tips for outdoor food and spice markets;; and recipes to preview the taste of Poland before departure. The informative and engaging text is wonderfully illustrated throughout with "on location" color photography by the Peterson's, and with black-and-white illustrations by Susie Medaris. Eat Smart In Poland is also highly recommended for ethnic cuisine clubs, and armchair traveler kitchen cookbook collections!



2. This is really an unusual book, the authors share their great knowledge not only about Polish food and dishes, especially the dishes which are unusual outside of Poland. They describe how Polish cuisine developed through history, they explain how to read a menu in the restaurant, how to shop for food.. and all of this information is in a very concise form - also with the dictionary of Polish "food" language, the dictionary of Polish dishes, recipes, beautiful photographs.
   I recommend this book for your trip to Poland!



3. EAT SMART IN POLAND
   
   Reviwed by Sharon Hudgins, author of The Other Side of Russia: A Slice of Life in Siberia and the Russian Far East
   
   I wish I'd had a copy of Joan and David Peterson's "Eat Smart in Poland" on my trips to Poland in the early 1990s--and maybe on my last trip to Chicago, too (where there's a large Polish community and some good Polish restaurants). Reading this excellent travel guide for food lovers brought back fond memories of the Polish dishes I've eaten from Warsaw to Krakow to the American Midwest. And it made me want to eat my way around Poland again--following the authors' recommendations for "national favorites" and "regional classics" served throughout the country.
   
   Like all the guides in the "Eat Smart" series, this book is well researched, well written, and lives up to its promise of telling you "How to Decipher the Menu, Know the Market Foods, & Embark on a Tasting Adventure." After an explanation of the historical and geographical influences on Polish cooking, the authors provide a description of Polish regional cuisines followed by more than two dozen recipes for classic dishes from appetizers and soups to main dishes and desserts. You'll definitely want to try the recipes for Bigos (Hunters' Stew) and Sernik Przekladany (Layered Cheesecake).
   
   If all those consonants in Polish food names leave you bewildered, just turn to the two sections of the book that translate all those strange-looking terms for you. The Menu Guide is an alphabetical menu translator from Polish into English, from A to Z. The Foods & Flavors Guide is a comprehensive glossary of "foods, spices, kitchen utensils, and cooking terminology in Polish, with English translations," which you can use for shopping in open-air markets and grocery stores. (Don't miss the smoked sheep's-milk cheese from the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland.) You'll definitely want to take this book with you on your next trip to Poland--and maybe your next trip to Chicago, too! Highly recommended!

2 comments about Mastering Polish (Master).

1. Doctor Juszczak produced a good grammar with some very thoughtful and entertaining practice conversations. The vocabulary is much of what you would have in other languages' grammars, i.e., the words for airplane, passport, etc. What sets this book apart is the vocabulary of ordinary people meeting and chatting with each other about all sorts of everyday things from doorknobs to tomatoes to ambulances. For a grammar of its size and breadth, it covers a lot of ground. I used it as Doctor's student and commented in our evaluation at course end on a few missed points of grammar, the lack of tables explaining a little more of the special ways Polish verbs are conjugated and the ways nouns, pronouns and adjectives are declined. This is not meant to be a very deeply technical grammar. It's good and interesting and just nicely different from grammars I'm used to from other languages I have been able to study. (The cassette tape which is also available is a nice thing to have.) For the price, it's certainly worth having. Other grammars can get down to the nitty gritty. This one is a good people kind of grammar.



2. I'm trying to learn Polish, the language of my ancestors, and I was immediately drawn to this book (which comes with two audio CD's) because the conversations are not just about shopping, dining, arranging transportation and checking into hotels. Instead, there is a much more interesting range of scenarios, including visits to a forest preserve, a concert, a university, a relative's garden, an art gallery, an author's reading and more. Albert Juszczak has created a basic language course that has one discussing the science fiction of Stanislaw Lem and pianist Garrick Ohlsson's mastery of Chopin. The grammar exercises are equally high-minded and engagingly accessible. Generally in language instruction, I find I am bored by the lesson content while trying to grasp the linguistic form, but that is not the case here. Bravo, Dr. Juszczak!

5 comments about Polish-English English-Polish Dictionary (Hippocrene Concise Dictionary).

1. Frustrating to use if one is looking for words in Polish. Words found in the English-Polish section are not always contained in the Polish-English section, and some of the more common roots or infinitives simply aren't there.



2. For the small size book - this dictionary contains a good amount of words, with a pronunciation and some extra information about phonetics, kanguage origin, differences etc. Yes, some words are missing, especially from the modern world etc - but almost all the most common or popular words are there; the guide to the phonetics and the menu guides help also. I give this book a strong 4 stars!



3. not much to say really, its a polish/english dictionary... it works great.



4. I am a literacy volunteer and use this book with one student that is polisn. Very Satisfactory



5. This dictionary was bought for an elderly 83 year old man who's first language was Polish but he had not spoken it for 60+ years. So when he forgot words and phrases he became very frustrated and annoyed. this dictionary is the perfect answer,not only for the information he requires but being pocket sized as well he can carry it around easily for frequent referral.
   So it is good for the native speaker, the traveller and the student

No comments about Hippocrene Beginner's Polish (Book & 2 Audio CDs).

2 comments about Wiedza Powszechna Compact Polish and English Dictionary.

1. I've went through many English Polish dictionaries and this is the most comprehensive one I've found to date. In most others I have trouble finding the Polish word to translate it back to English. This book seems more well thought out because I find all the words I am looking for, and have used this book for years. I am buying a second one so I can have it handy in the office as well!



2. I have owned this dictionary for years, and it seems to meet my needs. My only complaint is that the binding on the hardcover edition disintegrated to an extent I've never seen before in any book. I'm very kind to my books, but the spine split on this one not long after buying it. And even where the spine isn't split, pages are falling out.
   
   I'd like to buy another copy to replace the one that's fallen apart, and I would if I knew it would hold together better than the first did.

3 comments about Monte Burch's Pole Building Projects: Over 25 Low-Cost Plans.

1. This book is great. It has thorough, easy to follow instructions for various pole buildings, and free plans! Excellent for first-timers or experienced builders. Great reference!



2. I would have returned this book but by the time I paid shipping it wasn't worth it. There is very little in this book of use, almost all of it is outdated, tools and equipment, etc. There are much better books on the market. This one might have been better if it wasn't so old. I have been an architect for 25 years and there just isn't anything in this that is useful. Very disappointing.



3. I am not a "construction type person" (actually a pharmacist by profession) but with the help of this book I was able to build a 30'x 22' storage barn. The book was very clear on the basics of building a pole building and provided enough information to complete my project. I am 110% happy with the results of my barn (leaks just a little...which can easily be fixed...but I built it myself) and would recommend this book to anyone that has never built anything before.

5 comments about 301 Polish Verbs (Barron's).

1. THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK FOR HELP ON CONJUGATION OF POLISH VERBS. EVRYTHING YOU COULD WANT TO KNOW IS IN THIS BOOK. THE SEMI-LARGE PRINT IS ALSO A VERY NICE FEATURE. IT IS EASY TO READ AND THERE IS NO CONFUSION BETWEEN LETTERS THAT CAN LOOK ALIKE. 301 POLISH VERBS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.



2. My Polish teacher had me order several of these books for her other students after she saw my verb book. Apparently, a book of similar quality and scope does not even exist in Poland, or at least she didn't know of one that was so clear and easy to use. I'm still a beginner, so I'm only using present tense. But the index is great, as it has both English and Polish verbs indexed. Perhaps the book could be a bit smaller, and for some verbs (such as wiesic, i think (wiem, wiesz, wie, etc.) these are not clearly conjugated in the main section. Still, this book is a necessary supplement to my Polish textbook and lessons.
   
   I guess the only thing that might improve this is a CD-ROM!



3. I bought 301 Polish Verbs to supplement an intensive beginning Polish course, and I am very pleased with this book. The verb charts are quite helpful, and I transferred many of them to flashcards to help me study.
   The crucial difference between 301 Polish Verbs and its predecessor, 201 Polish Verbs, is that (in addition to the extra 100 verbs) 301 Polish Verbs includes a long introduction that includes solid yet brief explanations of the grammar not only of verbs but also of the different cases that the verbs take.
   The verbs are grouped into verb groups that are all listed under the same single heading verb. The perfective and imperfective form of the verb, as well as other related verbs with the same verb "root", are all listed on a single page. This grouping is helpful for learning that all these verbs are related and their tenses work the same way. However, the groupings can make it difficult to look up a particular Polish verb, as the verbs are listed alphabetically by the heading verb, and one must check multiple indexes to find out which heading verb it is listed under.
   The example sentences at the bottom of each page are very helpful to illustrate the usage of the different verbs in context and to "see" how the verbs take different objects in different cases. However, I would have liked there to be more example sentences--some verbs (though not "heading" verbs) do not even have a single example sentence.



4. Is a great reference for anyone who wishes to speak Polish. Provides detailed conjugations and tenses. Overall awesome.



5. Another reviewer describes this book as, "thorough". That is an understatement!
   
   If you want to know the intricate details of Polish verbs and the conjugations of the most common, look no further. In fact, it is so thorough at times, it can be intimidating, especially if you are learning the language outside a classroom setting.
   
   For example, the frequentive aspect is treated for appropriate verbs despite the admission that, "The frequentive aspect is hardly ever used now." Jumping from Germanic to Slavic languages was tough enough for me, without having to ignore seldom used aspects of the language which appear alongside the parts I want/need to focus on.

5 comments about Basic Polish: Learn to Speak and Understand Polish with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur).

1. For what they try to accomplish, these CD's are well-designed. After the series, you should be able to pronounce and speak many basic phrases and combine words you know to form sentences. This will certainly help you in your travels in Poland. However, if you intend to learn the Polish language (or any language), you will need more than these beginner audio tapes. But to start out, it is fun to listen to the conversations and get yourself speaking some Polish.



2. I tried Rosetta Stone Polish 1 with NO sucess
   Pimsleur is the BEST way to learn Polish
   I used it for two months before traveling to Poland and did very well speaking and understanding the basics of this difficult language to learn.
   Polish natives thought that I was REALLY FROM POLAND and not the USA
   Thanks Pimsleur
   I recommend you most highly and effective



3. I can't understand if anybody can learn polish by this course. Without any written material, I think it is impossible. Stay Away!



4. Although very repetitive, these CDs make you memorize difficult polish phrases and words. Polish is definitely a very difficult language to learn, and this CD is very helpful.



5. This item was a gift for my 17 year old nephew, who is of Polish extraction. He hopes to visit to Poland next summer. Apparently he is really excited by it and is enjoying the learning process.

5 comments about Conversational Polish: Learn to Speak and Understand Polish with Pimsleur Language Programs (Instant Conversation).

1. Travelers wanting to learn basic Polish for traveling will like this program. It presents words and phrases, then continues to incorporate them throughout the remainder of the program. It presents words uniquely (from my experience), as it presents the pronounciation from the end of the word forward. It's a great program for auditory learners.
   
   The only drawback is the lack of visual materials to follow along with or refer to.



2. The method is quite amazing. I'm on disc 11 of 16 and I haven't forgotten even ONE thing I've learned! This is the first language I've taken since high school and to my surprise, it's easy and fun.
   
   The beginning of each disc is a little intimidating because you listen to a short polish conversation with new words that you might think you'll never learn how to pronounce, let alone, remember. But by the end of the disc, confidence is back up. It may take two reviews of each lesson to move on to the next, but that is certainly no discouragement. It also does a good job in explaining WHY you say certain things, for instance, why you use a long e sound instead of a short a sound for the word "and," and it provides enough examples for it to make sense.
   
   The conversation is limited to very basic conversation, but this is exactly the intention of this cd. It's a great launch pad to the next level...
   
   The ONLY negative comment I have about this cd is that the majority of the conversation is focused towards a male listener, which I am not. BUT again, this is not that big of a deal, because it does a great job of demonstrating how a polish woman would speak as well. I guess I was just a little offended that Pimsleur would make the assumption/choice to focus towards a male.
   
   Also, one last comment, which I'm sure is pretty obvious considering the media... you may be able to speak what you've learned confidently, but don't expect to be anywhere near ready to read polish. I'd recommend you save that for another time...
   
   Like I said... absolutely NO regrets with the purchase. I have already recommended it to several friends. The method is very effective!
   
   Enjoy and (phonetically) doe-vied-zen-ya (goodbye)!



3. It is one of the better methods I used. My Polish friends did NOT understand a couple of the words on this CD.
   I feel the introductory course left out some very basic, vital words.
   
   All in all I was able to communicate much better with my Polish friends after listening to this set just a couple of times. It was easy.



4. I did learn some from these lessons, but I found that there were too many gaps to make it really useful. We do learn to establish if the person with whom we are speaking speaks English and/or Polish, but we do not learn how to become acquainted. It would be useful to know how to make acquaintances through questions like "What is your name?" We only learn formal forms of address. Another gripe that I have is that the pronunciation is not consistent. There is too much of an emphasis on translation from English into Polish and not enough on trying to think in the language. Yes when we are learning our native language as children we learn to speak before we learn the grammar, but we are immersed in the language. Yes, this course is easy, but we do not really learn to communicate.



5. Conversational Polish: Learn to Speak and Understand Polish with Pimsleur Language Programs (Instant Conversation) gives an immediately useful and practical method for learning a difficult language. Through listening and repeating, and repeating and listening, I think I may have enough practical language to feel confident speaking and understanding the basics on my upcoming trip to Poland. I've found this the most helpful of the Polish language tools I've tried.

5 comments about Berlitz Polish Phrase Book (Berlitz Phrase Books).

1. This is definitely a good phrase book, the pronunciation guide words are a big help. Depending on how far you plan on going with your polish studies, makes a big deal when it comes to purchasing this product. If you are looking to pick up on a few important phrases or common words, this book will serve its purpose. If you looking to learn a bit more than basic communication. I still recommend this book in addition to some other Polish self-learning courses, preferable an audio or CD-ROM tutorial. Like Eurotalk or Rosetta Language Online. This book will help you commit to memory some of the things these programs teach you, while your at the office or out and about, and need a convenient reference to check your memory against. Overall this is a good product.



2. This publication was very helpful. I will use it in the future.



3. What a find!! Anyone travelling to Poland will find this
   phrase book really handy! Wish I had it with me the last
   five times that I visited Poland. It covers everything
   that you will need to know about food, restaurant odering,
   sightseeing, travel, doctors, etc. etc. You'll never leave
   home without it again!!!!



4. I thought this would be more useful phrases for everyday Polish, not for travel to Poland. It's a very good travel book. Sections broken down well so you can easily find the right phrases, but this is more for travel.



5. The book is nicely organized! I speak polish and I bought the book as a gift; I was nicely surprised to see that for those who do not speak the language, this book is well written. Most of the words have great pronunciation, which is important since this could be difficult part of learning the language for someone who is not accustom to hearing it. I certainly recommend it for those who want to use this aid book to communicate in Poland!