Gavin Betts (1932–2013)

A really great, well thought-out volume, with only one drawback.

No matter which first-year Latin course you study, the transition to "real" Latin, especially poetry, is a jump that requires great care. This reader is sensible and densely-packed. Each of the 70 selections is interesting and lengthy. More importantly, the text contains:
a) a detailed appendix of prosody and grammar, keyed to the text to help the student reinforce and discover;
b) a hearty critical apparatus, usually covering show more more of the page than there is poetry. If you read this cover to cover, over a good period of time with other Latin work mixed in, you will learn a great deal of how the language was used in a literary context; and
c) full English translations in the back of the book, meaning this can be used by self-taught students or as a useful handbook for tutors and teachers.

As another reviewer noted, the decision not to include macrons is disappointing. I understand the argument against it, and all readers have to learn how to drop them at some point. But this book is for beginners, as per the title, and even if there had been a decision to use them for, say, the first half of the book, I think it would have been beneficial.

Highly worthwhile. show less

Mi sarebbe piaciuto avere questo libro quando al liceo cercarono di insegnarmi questa lingua. Avrei dovuto conoscere prima l'inglese, ma avrei dovuto essere un dinosauro ... La cosa, allora, non regge. C'è un tempo per ogni cosa, ha ragione Qohelet. Le cose della vita ci sfuggono e noi non facciamo nulla poco per trattenerle. Ma come, poi? Come potrebbe trattenere la gioventù? Del greco antico non ho trattenuto niente, ma non me pento troppo ...

Mi sarebbe piaciuto avere questo libro quando al liceo cercarono di insegnarmi questa lingua. Avrei dovuto conoscere prima l'inglese, ma avrei dovuto essere un dinosauro ... La cosa, allora, non regge. C'è un tempo per ogni cosa, ha ragione Qohelet. Le cose della vita ci sfuggono e noi non facciamo nulla poco per trattenerle. Ma come, poi? Come potrebbe trattenere la gioventù? Del greco antico non ho trattenuto niente, ma non me pento troppo ...

What I learned from this book, Latin.

I thought this book of the Teach Yourself series requires a little more rote memorization than other books in the set do, and wouldn't be too distinct from other Latin guide books.

Still, Teach Yourself is a great series, I'm a huge fan of their language instruction books and CDs and would very much recommend this books to a would-be learner.