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A Petite French Grammar with a Very High Grammar-to-Dollar Ratio

5 French, Books

This small old-fashioned French book has a high grammar density. It is not a workbook; it is a concise summary of the basic principles of French grammar, populated with numerous helpful examples. The cover promises that it is “All the…

A Focused Tome: Irish Nouns by Andrew Carnie

Irish, Books

If you care about Irish nouns, Irish Nouns: A Reference Guide is for you—and don’t be put off by the list price. Yes, it is a stunning $120, and for a normal-size hardcover at that,…

Foreign-Language Alphabets, Compiled by Dan X. Solo

4-5 General, Books

Foreign-Language Alphabets from Dover Publications will not teach you foreign languages, but it contains a cool collection of foreign-language fonts for a cool $19.95 price. I came across this book when I was scouring the Dover website for…

This Dictionary Is Heavy!

Yiddish, Books, Dictionaries

The Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary is apparently a big deal in the world of Yiddish studies and considered very authoritative. In my primitive state a few days into my Yiddish studies, I can’t even begin to judge,…

This Is Not Totally Basic

Irish, Books

Basic Irish announces in its introduction, “This is not meant to be a self-contained course or reference grammar, both of which are readily available elsewhere. Rather, it is intended to accompany and supplement whatever course materials an…

Isn't This a Bucolic Cover?

Irish, Audio Lessons, Books

I am on page 21 of this book, and if I didn’t already know that the author was a poet, I would be able to guess it. This is unlike any language book I have read before. It so far…

Warning: Irish Has a Lot of Consonants

Irish, Books

Irish grammar is just crazy! I have been laughing at how crazy it is! But it is also very, very interesting. I began reading Essential Irish Grammar by Éamonn Ó Dónaill yesterday, and am only on Chapter 2.…

A Slim and Elegant Volume of Irish Information

3 Irish, Books

This book, written by a teacher in Dublin and published in 2002, is described on its jacket as “a solid guide and starting point designed to help even those who as yet have little or no Irish find ways to learn…

Beginner's Chinese: A Friendly Introduction

4 Mandarin, Books, Multimedia

This book by Yong Ho is for beginners, but I decided I needed to do a bunch of Pimsleur Chinese audio lessons first, before starting it, and I’m glad I did. Despite its inviting name, Beginner’s…

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