Thread: The Complete Idiot's Guide to - Learning Russian

I just bought this really great book the other day. It focuses a lot on grammar, but also helps with conversational skills. Has anyone else tried it? I really recommend it.

IMHO Russian language is not for idiots

No it's not. I definitely agree.

Is it really that good? Have you compared it with other books? I'm not ripping you, but I'm just curious, because I've never heard of this one before. It seems like every one is always singing Penguin's praises. And I checked it out on Amazon -- the guy has an interesting background, if not much in actual language instruction:
Christopher Froehlich enlisted in the United States Army in 2000 and immediately went to the Department of Defense language training school, the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, California, where he began an intense Russian language program. After specializing in specific, key aspects of the Russian language, he graduated and transferred to Germany, where he currently works as a Russian voice interceptor.

I don't know what was more unusual -- the fact that within 4 years of learning the language he was able to write a book on how to learn it or that he specialized in "specific, key aspects of the Russian language," (that they don't specify at all ). Again, I'm not saying the book sucks or that he's incompetent, I'm just saying it seems kind of, how to put it, suspect?

Originally Posted by Бармалей

...or that he specialized in "specific, key aspects of the Russian language," (that they don't specify at all ). Again, I'm not saying the book sucks or that he's incompetent, I'm just saying it seems kind of, how to put it, suspect?

Вот это самое оно - при остановке каким-нибудь сержантом ППС прилично выглядящего человека в окрестностях красной площади, четко поставленным голосом ответить ему "Как обращаетесь к старшему по званию!?"

Originally Posted by vox05

Originally Posted by Бармалей

...or that he specialized in "specific, key aspects of the Russian language," (that they don't specify at all ). Again, I'm not saying the book sucks or that he's incompetent, I'm just saying it seems kind of, how to put it, suspect?

Вот это самое оно - при остановке каким-нибудь сержантом ППС прилично выглядящего человека в окрестностях красной площади, четко поставленным голосом ответить ему "Как обращаетесь к старшему по званию!?"

Для этого нужно десять лет духовной практики где-нить на Тибете.

Originally Posted by Indra

Originally Posted by vox05

Originally Posted by Бармалей

...or that he specialized in "specific, key aspects of the Russian language," (that they don't specify at all ). Again, I'm not saying the book sucks or that he's incompetent, I'm just saying it seems kind of, how to put it, suspect?

Вот это самое оно - при остановке каким-нибудь сержантом ППС прилично выглядящего человека в окрестностях красной площади, четко поставленным голосом ответить ему "Как обращаетесь к старшему по званию!?"

Для этого нужно десять лет духовной практики где-нить на Тибете.

А я подумал, что только семь лет на Тибете нужно...

Of course I've tried other books. I've tried 2 books that are from 'Teach Yourself Russian', a textbook - "Начало, When in Russia", which I used for a Russian class.. The book comes with a notebook. Plus I've tried various other books. Although Idiot's Guide doesn't have a lot of practices in, which is the only unfortunate part of it, it explains the grammar very well in comparison to the other books I've tried. But, that's just my opinion.

According to what I've read about him, he works with native Russian speakers in Germany on military equipment and translates from Russian and English. He has also been helped by language experts on the book.

I don't know.. The book works very well for me and that's key for me.

Plus the New Peguin Russian Course is for beginners. I'm a little more advance than learning how to say "hi" and "bye". It would bore me since I have a book like that and have already used it.