Very helpful to my 10th grade Latin student | Learn to Read Latin: Textbook and Workbook Set

An alternative to Wheelock | Learn to Read Latin: Textbook and Workbook Set | Andrew Keller, Stephanie Russell

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	• Learn to Read Latin: Textbook and Workbook Set Andrew Keller, Stephanie Russell Yale University Press, 2003 - 1062 pages average customer review:based on 13 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A great updating of the grammatical approach

This is a thorough introduction to the classical Latin language. And I do mean thorough. Russell and Keller are to be commended for introducing the complexity of Latin without apology, but also without assuming prior knowledge. It is up to the instructor (or the self-taught student) how much should be required to learn, because it really is quite a lot, being modeled on the Greek and Latin Intensive courses.

The textbook is actually appropriate for three whole semesters, because of (1) its thoroughness, and (2) the readings. The reason this book is so long is the enormous number of readings all along, but especially from chapter 8 on (to 15). There are many pages, from prose and poetry, of various authors, all with glossed vocabulary (but not grammar, see below). This means that a Latin class can "slow down" in the second semester a bit and do a lot of reading. The last four chapters have "continuous readings" from four major authors (Cicero, Caesar, Sallust and Catullus, I think), that that can take up the end of the second semester and a lot of the third.

The workbook is truly great, as well. There are far more (twice as many, three times?) exercises as can be gone through, so there is flexibility. Some can be done in class at sight, some done for homework, and there will still be ones available for additional work one-on-one if needed. In addition, there are at least 75 drill sentences per chapter that carefully reinforce all the grammar, syntax and morphology from the chapter.

After teaching from this book for a semester, my main suggestions would be:

1. Add grammatical (in addition to the vocabulary) notes to the longer and continuous readings.

2. Offer, as an option, artificial Latin, perhaps in the form of a continuous story (cf. the "reading method") from the beginning. The nearly universal "complaint" from my students was the "drudgery" of nothing but disconnected "drill" sentences in the first semester. It isn't until chapter 7 or 8 (i.e. the second semester) that the readings at the end of each chapter become long enough to be "interesting."

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Very helpful to my 10th grade Latin student

My son is in 3rd year Latin. He struggles every day in this class only able to pull C's. I purchased this book for him last week and since he's gotten it his grades have gone up a small bit so far. What I find wonderful, however, is that he is reading it every night. He wants to do well in this class and this book seems to be capturing his attention and helping him learn the basics again. He brought it into his teacher today and she highly recommended it to everyone in his class. Hopefully we'll see a B or two from now on! I'll keep you posted!

An alternative to Wheelock

I have finished Wheelock and its workbook. I am now using Learn to Read latin and its workbook to both take a different perspective and consolidate my effort to read Latin after a seventy year hiatus. Learn to Read latin serves that purpose. Very good selections unaltered from the original.

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Great text for beginning Latin

I have been using this set for my Latin 1 class at UC Berkeley for about a month now. I have not used any other Latin textbooks, but so far this one is just about the best textbook I have ever used. The material is presented in a logical order, with each new step building up on the previous, and the format of the book is conducive this. The grammatical functions and usages are explained clearly with easy to follow examples. The vocabulary notes are thorough and in the case of irregularities often give a linguistic background that is not only interesting but also gives a logical explanation for them. For example when discussing the irregular verbs sum "to be, exist" and possum "to be able," the text explains: "The verb possum is in origin a combination of the Latin adjective potis or pote (able) and the verb sum." While this is not necessary to know to learn the information, it does aid in understanding and helps to draw connections between the two verbs.

This book also lives up to its title: from early on the emphasis is placed on acquiring the ability to read authentic classical Latin as soon as possible. Even at the end of chapter two, right after verbs were introduced, the book included two sentences from early Latin sources. One of them was this gem by Aulus Gellius in Nocts Atticae:

video barbam et pallium; philosophum nondum video. (I apologize for lack of macrons, amazon wont let me put them in.)

This translates, roughly to, "I see a beard and a cloak; a philosopher not yet I see." The integration of classical Latin sources is very exciting, particularly when they are witty phrases like this, and whet one's appetite for more.

I am very pleased with this book. It is great for students like me in introductory Latin classes, but the book is so well organized and presented that I think it would also be a good resource for those trying to teach themselves Latin. I also recommend getting a hard cover of the textbook if you can part with the extra $20. Mine seems to be much sturdier than my classmates' paperbacks, a valuable quality when the book is jostled around in my backpack while trekking around campus.

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Clear and thorough

I very much enjoy this textbook and the accompanying workbook. Each chapter starts with a list of vocabulary and then has several subsections dedicated to different grammatical points. The text is easy to understand and there are detailed footnotes for both the vocabulary and grammar.

The workbook goes along very well with the text and has a large number of drills to practice with. I'd estimate about 30+ short drills per subsection and around 60+ drill sentences at the end of each chapter.

I am currently learning with this text in a small university class but I would guess that if an independent learner contacted the publisher for a workbook answer key, the text would be great for independent learning as well.

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A Latin grammar and reader all in one, Learn to Read Latin presents basic Latin morphology and syntax with clear explanations and examples, and it offers direct access to great works of Latin literature even at the earliest stages of learning the language. As beginning students learn basic forms and grammar, they also gain familiarity with patterns of Latin word order and other features of style, thus becoming well prepared for later, more difficult texts. No other beginning Latin book contains unaltered versions of ancient texts. Learn to Read Latin includes the writings of such authors as Caesar, Cicero, Sallust, Catullus, Vergil, and Ovid, arranged chronologically and accompanied by introductions to each author and each work. These readings serve as the chief training texts around which the book's fifteen chapters are constructed. A workbook is also available, providing abundant drills for each chapter of the text. The workbook exercises can be used in the classroom, for homework assignments, for extra individual drill work, or as a home study tool.

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