Elizabeth Miller

Living Language program is better for Mandarin.

Revisado: 08-25-19

This program was hyped as innovative and effective. First, it is not innovative any more. The English speaker is exactly the same person as the speaker for Spanish, Italian, etc. The native speaker inserts the language counter-part. There are some Mandarin specific insertions, such as "did you notice the tone on....?" but not enough for learning a language that has entirely different grammar, has two different ways of writing and is tonal. Another problem is that there is not text to accompany this. It is very important to have a visual key when tone in the audio is not always perceptible in conversational speed listening. Also, it is valuable to have a visual of the characters because this language has the same sound that can mean many different things, though is differentiated by character as well as context. Also, there is far too much [demeaning] English. Such as "Can you try to say..., Now did you catch that?" Also, when the grammar is so very different, the English should be given in more literal translation: You right now want to drink a little something, right? as well as the English "Do you want to drink something now?
The constant repetition of full sentences is very good, but would be better with more repetition using far less English and using different speaking speeds each time in the Mandarin. I found that of the different programs I am using, the Living Language Mandarin is the most well-rounded and a good base for learning, Pimsleur is a very good supplement once one gets the hang of what is going on in this completely non-English language.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

A book club selection waste of time.

Revisado: 01-15-18

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. A tedious book which is good for people who have too much time.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The point of the book was supposed to have been racism, but the majority of the dialog was between two characters who constantly apologized for offending the other. While eventually we got what the subjects were that each was avoiding for fear of offending the other, there was nothing to give insight into why the author felt her characters developed as they did. The third main character was an extraordinarily aged old man who from the time line in the story should have been in his 70's, but the writing and reading made him seem about 100.

Did Maggi-Meg Reed do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

The reader made a good effort to differentiate the characters, but she couldn't help the dialog. It dragged. It seemed every other word was sorry. She did read a dying old man well, but he was not interesting for it.

Did Home inspire you to do anything?

Tell my book club, that the selection was a waste of time.

Any additional comments?

This book was favored by the religious members of our group who raved about the Gilead trilogy. It must have had some redeeming value for them, and I do not think it was as literature.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

The place to start learning Mandarin

Revisado: 01-15-18

If you could sum up Learn in Your Car: Mandarin Chinese, Complete in three words, what would they be?

Practical, clear, useful

What was one of the most memorable moments of Learn in Your Car: Mandarin Chinese, Complete?

I can listen and learn without the PDF download, but the manual is excellent and makes the material clear, helping with pronunciation and Chinese characters.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite part of this program is having the concrete manual available.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I find a half hour is good time, and I repeat the lessons over and over.

Any additional comments?

Without this program I would not be able to grasp what the more touted Pimsler program was trying to teach. I use the Pimsler to supplement what I am learning in the Learn in Your Car program, and in fact, find the Pimsler easier to use in the car, since I want to have the PDF manual to refer to when I am listening to the Learn in Your Car Chinese.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 6 personas

Very good reader, but....

Revisado: 09-08-14

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I listened to this book as I performed tedious, non-thinking work, but I could have better used the listening time for more worthwhile books. I felt that this book badly needed a good editor. It was chock full of cynical similes and negative descriptive words on top of meandering "stream of consciousness" narrative. The latter was "justified" in the last few minutes by the explanation of the story's having been written from a meticulous journal kept by the protagonist. The book seemed like endless word dropping (and drug and dope dropping) that expressed the author's belief that she knew a lot. However, at the end when she was expounding on her philosophy of life, she seemed rather confused and pretty muddled in what she was trying to express, much like the preaching of a young person who thinks he alone has just discovered the meaning of life. This book wasn't for me.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I plan on listening to Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century

What about David Pittu’s performance did you like?

The performance was excellent. Pittu changed voice flawlessly and read with good expression. However, there were many passages that even Pittu's vigor could not raise above tedium.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

I think this book appeals to younger people who especially associate strongly with the New York ambiance. It also may appeal to gallery goers. I enjoy art and like learning about great work, but this book, while spending a lot of time on the inner appreciation of great art, bored me with its expounding on the subjective "understanding" of the works.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

A must listen for political pundits

Revisado: 08-20-11

Listening to Richard Wolffe, with his British accent, quote President Obama was a hoot! This being said, the book is a very serious, well-researched look at the insides of the White House. The author shows that a lot has been accomplished in a short period of time in the Obama Administration, despite being faced with heavy handed obstructionism. Wolffe is very good at in-depth coverage, like a professional journalist should be.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Gringo espanol

Revisado: 08-20-11

It is possible that there is good material in these lessons, but I found the appalling accent of the leading lady was a real turn off...literally.

The accent was a very flat American. It sounded like someone who wanted to impress more with speed and street Spanish than someone who would like to converse with natives and show them respect by treating their language with respect.

The other part that grated on my ears was the giggling in the background while talking with another member of the cast about something not important to the lessons.

Do not waste money on this audiobook.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 8 personas

A traveller's companion

Revisado: 02-16-08

I started this book before a trip to India and finished it afterwards. It was so full of information, that I wish I had read it TWICE before I left. This book really opened my eyes to the greatness of the Indian people, and this made my trip a truly memorable experience.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Could have been better organized

Revisado: 02-16-08

If the author had written a 10 page periodical article, the work would have been just as substantial, and much of the repetition would have been omitted. It seemed that the basic premise, women should be compensated for care-giving, was rehashed ad nausium without specifics of how it should be done. Under "care-giving" the author lumped all sorts of underpaid "women's work", but mostly focused on child rearing and elderly care. Since the specifics of enacting [monetary] compensation were lacking, the very long work seemed like a feminist manefesto without a defined cause. The topics the author touched upon have potential to be thought provoking, particularly in times of economic downturn, but this book did not rise to the call.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 5 personas