Reviews

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Store Entrance

5 English, French, General, Italian, Spanish, Bookstores/Libraries, Kids

This is a truly gorgeous bookstore with a wonderful selection of books—in English, Italian, Spanish, and French. There are not many stores in New York with a meaningful supply of foreign-language books. This is one, and it seems to…

They Have Cool Events Here

4 Italian, Museums/Cultural, Classes/Conversation

Visit the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di New York for a wide range of events: film screenings, musical performances, lectures, etc. There is also a library, which as of this writing was under inventory and not available to…

Don't Buy This

1 Hindi, Books, Multimedia

The book part of this Teach Yourself Hindi book-CD combo package starts out: “This course is designed to enable those with no previous knowledge of Hindi to learn to read, write and converse in the language with…

A Lovely Home for French

5 French, Museums/Cultural, Conferences/Lectures

Founded in 1913, the Maison Française has had several homes, but now resides in Buell Hall on Columbia University’s Morningside Heights campus. It is a center for all things French: lectures, conferences, movies, seminars, salons, exhibits, a book…

Visit Their Website for Information on Upcoming Events

4-5 Spanish, Museums/Cultural, Classes/Conversation, Kids

Founded in 1954, this organization “promotes the understanding of Spanish culture, past and present, and its influence in the Americas through a variety of programs.” These include exhibitions, lectures (including medical ones!), book presentations, symposia, classes, and more. It is housed…

Teach Yourself Arabic? Nope, I Couldn't Teach Myself with This

2 Arabic, Books, Multimedia

I used Teach Yourself Arabic by Jack Smart and Frances Altorfer back in 2009, and it struck me as an example of language-learning marketing trumping actual usability. This book-CD combo was a total bust for me. I confess I…

Pocket German Dictionary with Pencil for Scale

3-5 German, Books, Dictionaries

This is a really, really tiny dictionary, and the font is really, really tiny, too. If you have bad vision, I can’t recommend it.  But if you have bionic eyes, go for it! Random House Websterâ€â€¦

Black Sea Bookstore

4 Russian, Bookstores/Libraries

This bookstore is full of Russian books. It is located in the heavily Russian neighborhood of Brighton Beach, so you can enjoy a book-shopping adventure and then go off and eat at a Russian restaurant or, depending on the time…

An Ambitiously Titled Book: Complete Italian Grammar

4 Italian, Books

I like Practice Makes Perfect: Complete Italian Grammar by Marcel Danesi. It has clear explanations. In terms of level: according to the preface, Complete Italian Grammar is for intermediate and advanced learners. Although this…