Write to Learn (with InfoTrac )

Book Description

WRITE TO LEARN gives you a framework you can use to create original and compelling writing. Donald Murray, with his famous clear and succinct writing style, will show you how to move from an initial idea all the way to a final draft.

Customer Reviews:

A true book on How to Write.......2002-04-18

Anyone who is serious about becoming a writer, non-fiction or fiction, should get this book, write in it, highlight the points and study it like they are taking his course.
He starts you out with writing to yourself. Then takes you through each step of the process of preparing what you wrote for the reader.
Murray talks to you like are sitting in front of you. You feel like he can hear your questions, answers them, and then shows you what he is talking about.
The most important part of the whole book is Chapter 9, "'Read' as a Writer". He analyzes today's writers as a writer, a major step to really understanding the craft.
Other writing books tell you about practice sessions, structure, and voice. Murray shows you how to do the work.
Yes it is a very...book, but weather it is a textbook or not, it is a book of valuable information for those of us who can't work at the Boston Globe or go to Harvard--yet our passion to write is very real.

Write to Learn, 2nd edition.......2002-01-04

Author, Donald M, Murray, practices what he teaches: he writes with a singular voice. I could picture him talking to me in an earnest, friendly way.
I liked the way he led us through his process of writing an article about his grandmother. I also enjoyed reading drafts of his students writings and their finished, successful product. I was enticed to keep reading and therefore learning.
The book has widespread application. My nephew, a college professor, used this as his favorite textbook, yet I adapted the information easily for younger students. It works for both enthusiastic or reticent writers.
I was going to purchase a later edition at our local college bookstore, but found the topics written about were too controversial for my taste and too adult for me to use to teach younger students.
"Write to Learn", 2nd edition, is more than a textbook. It is a LIVING book!

great little book-WAY too expensive!!.......1999-02-04

I read this book for a college english class. We used the book for its every facet, and I got a lot out of it. The book is divided into chapter like sections that made the writing process seem less complicated. His personal writing style appealed to me as I read through the chapters on the begining of the writing process. I recomend this book to anyone with the urge to become a better, more creative, writer, and to anyone with the money to do so. This book is a small paper back...i don't understand the price ($35.00!).

Inspirational, easy-to-read tips on the writing process........1998-09-30

Possibly written as a college text, Write To Learn is for every adult writer, and for teachers working with children, adults, beginning and advanced writers alike. The daunting, mysterious process of writing successful texts in many genres is presented in easy-to-follow steps with short examples. The book is specific, detailed, based on actual writers' struggles, thankfully short, and worth every dollar. I left this book with the feeling that writing is fun and for everyone.

The best idea-generation book for writers.......1997-01-14

I read the second edition of this wonderful book in preparation for creating a user guide for a software program based on its principles. The book was so effective I used the techniques in it to write the guide. Murray's method actually addresses the creative process, rather than the usual "find a quiet well-lit room and have plenty of paper handy" type of writing advice. Before you know it, you're drawn into trying his techniques and they work

Average customer rating:

Good book with one drawback
Easy and very user-friendly for the right type of student
Well worth the price
No Pronuciation Key or Appendix
hebrew self taught

Learn Hebrew Today: Alef-Bet for Adults
Howard I. Bogot
Manufacturer: Urj Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Hebrew for Dummies
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To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service
Hebrew in 10 Minutes a Day® (10 Minutes a Day)

ASIN: 0807404837
Release Date: 1992-09-01

Book Description

This popular approach to learning Hebrew is designed for adults who want to use Hebrew when celebrating Judaism at home and in the synagogue. Students will learn how to pronounce the Hebrew letters and vowels, enabling them to read more than 30 essential Hebrew blessings and prayers. For classroom and individualized instruction.

Customer Reviews:

Good book with one drawback.......2007-08-16

This book is as good as everyone else says it is, but I have one problem with it. There is a presumption that the reader is Jewish and is familiar with the Prayer over Bread etc. The prayers are presented with no transliteration other than the letter by letter descriptions. Fortunately I happen to know a couple of the prayers, and have Jewish friends who can help me with the others. But if you are approaching Hebrew from a more secular direction, and you don't know the common prayers by heart, then you might look for a different book.

If you grew up hearing those prayers on a regular basis, you will love this book.

Easy and very user-friendly for the right type of student.......2007-07-03

I absolutely loved this book and it was perfect for me. I just want to add one thing. Know what TYPE of learner you are. Do you tend to remember things best when you HEAR them or when you READ them (or, perhaps, a combination)? I ask because most of us tend to be learn better one way or the other.

For those who learn from looking at words on a page, going over thing, taking time to read about the sounds and letter combinations, this book is among the best out there. For other people, I would recommend the audio version of this book. It comes in both forms. Or you could use BOTH to compliment each other.

In any case, if you buy this book, you'll find it carefully takes you through each step of learning basic Hebrew, the Alef-bet (alphabet, the ABCs) of the sounds and combinations. Before long, you'll have the thrill of sitting in temple and being able to read along with the Hebrew portions!

Also, consider looking at the selections below for comparison and to find what is right for YOU:

The First Hebrew Primer: The Adult Beginner's Path to Biblical Hebrew, Third Edition

Hebrew in 10 Minutes a Day

To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service

Hebrew for Dummies

Munich (Widescreen Edition)

Rough Guide to the Music of Israel

Well worth the price.......2007-05-12

This book has helped me tremendously in learning to read Hebrew. I have not seen a better way to learn the aleph bet. And it is a great way to learn your vowels, beginner reading, and some very cool Hebrew blessings. If you are just starting out in Hebrew, buy this book. Shalom Aleichem

No Pronuciation Key or Appendix.......2007-04-29

This book does take a slow, step by step approach to learning vowels and letters, but it lacks a key or appendix with a pronunciation guide. I found it hard to know whether or not I was reading or pronouncing the lessons correctly. This made using the book difficult and frustrating.

hebrew self taught.......2007-03-17

Not a bad book but could have been written a bit more interesting.

Average customer rating:

More an argument for writing in the curriculum than a writing guide
The Perfect Complement to On Writing Well
An "Admirable Complement"
Illustrious Life, Dense writer
Pretty good, but ...

Writing To Learn
William K. Zinsser
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction
Writing About Your Life: A Journey into the Past
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The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition
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ASIN: 0062720406

Book Description

This is an essential book for everyone who wants to write clearly about any subject and use writing as a means of learning.

Customer Reviews:

More an argument for writing in the curriculum than a writing guide.......2006-01-18

The book is funny at times, and recounts a few interesting anectdotes. It seems dated to me though, as its purpose is to argue for the inclusion of writing instruction accross all subjects in the introductory undergaduate curriculum. This is no longer a novel idea, and many liberal arts colleges and universities already do this. Furthermore, Zinsser's argument is purely anectdotal, and focusses on demonstrating that professors, especially in the sciences, can indeed implement writing components in their courses. Zinsser does not do much to analyze the effects of these efforts, to see if previously bad writers improved, or that the writing assignments actually helped increase either understanding of, or curiosity in, a given subject.

The book is *not* a guide on how to write, or on how, specifically, one can structure one's research and writing to best learn one's subject matter. Zinsser illustrates only the most basic principles (be specific, avoid excessive jargon).

The Perfect Complement to On Writing Well.......2003-08-29

I read this book for both its subject matter and the bibliography. Zinsser leads the reader to good writing in the literature of mathematics physics and chemistry and more from disciplines thought of as other than suitable for writerfs. Zinsser shows by example that writing is not the sole domain of the humanities but across the spectrum of disciplines. He builds the case for writing across the curriculum, providing good models from fields as diverse as chemistry to music. Here is an engaging way to learn for all of us. There is an exciting literature to be written of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biochemistry. In the words of William Zinsser, gIf writing is learned by imitation, I want every learner to imitate the best.h Writing to Learn names some of the giants from a variety of disciplines and shows the way by referencing their work.

As more than a million copies of this book have been sold and its being issued on its 25th anniversary, Washington would do well to mandate purchase of Writing to Learn by politicians, teachers and other agitators claiming more tax dollars for education, and send them away with the missive: READ AND APPLY NO FUNDING SUPPLIED. William Zinsser has given us a brilliant and practical; low-tech and real learning philosophy for the classroom and beyond.

An "Admirable Complement".......2002-11-18

For those who have read _On Writing Well_, the classic guide to writing better--meaning: clearer--prose, an excellent follow-up is this book, entitled _Writing to Learn: How to Write--and Think--Clearly About any Subject at All_. With such a title little needs to be said regarding the book's purpose and content. (It focuses on a variety of subjects, from philosophy all the way to chemistry, and shows how each can be written about in clear prose _for the benefit of the writer_.)

I got the book after listening to a course by Leonard Peikoff on the philosophy of education. In it, he states that writing should be an integral part of every subject, so much so that there should be one grade based on _what_ the student knows and another based on _how_ he expresses that knowledge in writing. When I bought it, I wanted to see how this would play out in real life, were it ever enacted. Also, to be honest, I was just a tad bit skeptical that it could be used effectively with such subjects as mathematics and chemistry.

What I learned from reading the book was that writing about a variety of subjects is not only possible but of inestimable help to the student--not to mention the teacher too, as it makes their job of evaluating the status of each child's education much easier. There were many insightful comments in the book and a few precious gems of wisdom. On the topic of obscurity, for instance, Zinsser writes:

"Obscurity being one of the deadly sins, anyone might suppose that serious people would labor mightily to avoid it in their writing. But to suppose this is to overlook another force of nature that almost equals entropy as a drag on life's momentum. That force is snobbery. Yes, gentle reader (as the Victorian novelists put it when they had to deal with the darker traits), it pains me to say that there are writers who actually want to be obscure. Their principle habitat is Academia, though they can be spotted without the aid of binoculars wherever intellectuals flock. Not for them the short words and active verbs and concrete details of ordinary speech; they believe that a simple style is the sign of a simple mind. Actually a simple style is the result of harder thinking and harder work than they are willing or able to do."

Unfortunately, such witty observations do not occupy every page of the book. There are times when teaching children long-division is looked down upon because we now have calculators, others where Zinnser argues that the "creative process" is some sort of mystical mystery. And yet, with all the good attributes of this book--including a host of smartly chosen essays--these faults that I so unmercifully find can be, if not overlooked, at least seen in their proper context.

That context is not unlike one where a few small dents appear after close inspection on a good-looking sportscar. The errors may detract a little from its over-all value, but not by much (they do not, for instance, change the fact that what you are getting is worth a lot). And thus my recommendation to you, with both, would be--and is--similar: do not let any minor faults distract you, but rather place them in an appropriate context so that you can unapologetically enjoy the value that they give. With this book especially I can assure you that your investment will be wisely made and handsomely rewarded.

Illustrious Life, Dense writer.......2002-07-30

William Zinsser has lived an illustrious life as a working writer, editor, and teacher. He draws from this extensive experience and writes to encourage the teaching of writing accross the curriculum, as well as to allay fears of writing and of subjects we don't have an aptitude for.
Zinsser provides thorough and stunning examples of good writing from diverse disciplines, sprinkled with his own insightful commentary about what makes it good.
Buy this book if only for the catalog of excellant examples of the writing of notable thinkers like Thomas Lewis, Albert Einstein, Steven Gould, and many more.
Zinser includes excellant stories of how writing in any subject area encourages clear reasoning and thinking and concise expression in reader and writer alike. Students who write learn more and know why they do. Encourage your students to do so.

Pretty good, but ..........2002-07-07

The book starts by expressing how we can use writing to learn, but it seems to get more into stating over and over THAT we can use writing to learn, not HOW to learn through writing, or how to teach through the use of writing. But maybe it's just me.

Jimi's Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Katakana) (Jimi's Book of Japanese)

Average customer rating:

Jimi's book rules
It's ok
Jimi's Book of Japanese Sequel: As Fantastic as the First
Jimi Makes it Fun!
Excellent book to learn Katakana

Jimi's Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Katakana) (Jimi's Book of Japanese)
Peter X. Takahashi , Yumie Toka , and Mikki Moto
Manufacturer: PB&J Omnimedia
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Jimi's Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Hiragana)
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Kanji Pict-O-Graphix: Over 1,000 Japanese Kanji and Kana Mnemonics (Zzz)

ASIN: 0972324720

Book Description

This second interactive book in the "Jimi's Book of Japanese" series is a publishing rarity: a sequel that is every bit as good as the original. So many sequels come off like a side dish nobody ordered. But "Jimi's Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese(Katakana)" is just as fresh and entertaining as the original. The lessons pick up seamlessly from where the first book left off, and don't feel forced at all. There are dozens of fresh, entertaining illustrations and new characters like Dizzy Fugu. Plus, the bonus material is simply genius! After all, any book that has monkeys, robots, and assorted other creatures teaching you how to speak Japanese has to be cool--and this book certainly is. Perfect for the Japanophile in you.

Customer Reviews:

Jimi's book rules.......2007-08-23

it's a real good book, but they got to make a new edition with all kana. The book shows how to draw 46 of 104 existing kana. I really enjoy it. However I think it should have more pages :D Both books are great : Jimi's Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Hiragana) and Jimi's Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Katakana)

It's ok.......2007-06-27

I bought both Hiragana and Katakana. I thought they were card. :(
It's ok, nothing to go wild about

Jimi's Book of Japanese Sequel: As Fantastic as the First.......2007-03-25

Jimi's Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Katakana) (Jimi's Book of Japanese)

After hearing inumerable Japanese phrases and other assorted Asian utterances--most likely from the hours my 9-year old niece spends watching Samurai Jack and Avatar--I bought her two books in the Jimi's Book of Japanese series in an attempt to at least encourage her to further her foreign language efforts in a meaningful way.

These books are great. After a brief period of time she's mastered both basic syllable sets of modern Japanese. I am happy to say I would recommend both books to anyone who is looking to motivate their kids/relatives to expand their intellectual horizons.

JIMI'S BOOK OF JAPANESE: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Katakana) by Peter X. Takahashi, illus. by Yumie Toka, (Takahashi & Black, ISBN 0972324720 16.95, 76pp.)

See also Jimi's Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Hiragana)

Jimi Makes it Fun!.......2007-01-03

I actually bought this book for a friend of my eldest daughter, who is a Manga fiend and loves Japanese. But I actually ended up keeping the book and I have been studying it with my five year old daughter. We have great fun practicing writing the "kani," and she looks forward to it. It's a great book with fun illustrations and nice colors. It is just right for beginning a study of Japanese characters.

Excellent book to learn Katakana.......2005-09-07

This is a fantastic visual practice folder on how to pronounce, write and learn the Katakana letters in the japanese language.

Games for Writing: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Write

Average customer rating:

Great for Homeschooling
Wonderful resource
great games
Games for Writing
Wonderful Writing Tools! Creative and Clever!

Games for Writing: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Write
Peggy Kaye
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Family Math (Equals Series)

ASIN: 0374524270

Book Description

There is no skill more important for a child to master more than writing - and none more difficult or fraught with anxiety. Peggy Kaye, renowned teacher and author of the widely praised Games for Math, Games for Reading, and Games for Learning, now gives parents more than fifty ways to help their children become skilled, confident, and enthusiastic writers.

Customer Reviews:

Great for Homeschooling.......2007-08-15

This is a wonderful book for the homeschooling environment. First, the author is a tutor for children struggling with public school methods, so she offers enjoyable, imaginative alternatives to the plug and chug kids get in school. Second, as a tutor, the author works with children primarily one-on-one. These games, therefore, lend themselves naturally to the experience of home schooling. Third, the author provides meaningful explanation of the kinds of writing and thinking skills each game addresses; in this sense, these games are more than games. Finally, many of these games can be tied in easily to whatever other content you may be covering at the moment. For example, I found a wonderful game in here that I plan on using when my son and I cover the artistic concept of "line". I also appreciate the chart in the back of the book that categorizes each game according to grade level.

On the whole, the author takes a "bottom up" approach to writing. Ditch the spelling tests and grammar grind for now, and teach kids to love writing by providing writing exercises that they'll love. She respects and celebrates the kidness of kids.

You can really get several years of use out of this book, even with no other writing book.

Wonderful resource.......2007-03-20

This is a great book. I just received it and have put it to good use with my students. I look forward to using it with my own children too!

great games.......2007-03-18

I wish I had had this book when my son was younger. He learned to read and do math at grade level, but not writing. After I read this book in the library I decided to purchase it so I could work with him in the summer on improving his writing skills. This is a great book if your child is not having other learning disabilities, but struggles with writing.

Games for Writing.......2007-01-15

Excellent, fun games for early elementary kids. Lots of variety, good explanations about what each game is teaching.

Wonderful Writing Tools! Creative and Clever!.......2006-04-07

I am so impressed with this book. Having children who have struggled with fine motor control, i was curious as to what this had to offer. I really enjoy the games from prewriting all the way to composing lengthy stories. I will be using this book for years. If you have a child that hates to write, or hasn't learned yet, don't hesitate. Buy this book! It's very creative and clever. I really like it.

The New Kindergarten: Teaching Reading, Writing, & More

Average customer rating:

The New Kindergarten
So Much In One Book
A "Must Read" for the Kindergarten Teacher
Great resource for new classroom ideas
A Must for Kindergarten Teachers

The New Kindergarten: Teaching Reading, Writing, & More
Constance Leuenberger
Manufacturer: Teaching Resources
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Product Features:

Teacher's guide to setting up your Kindergarten class

ASIN: 0439288363

Product Description

Offering easy to read ideas for setting up learning centers, organizing your day, managing behavior, and meeting standards. Plus ideas for getting parents involved. The step-by-step walk-through of daily activities are sure to make your day easier! 224 pages.

Customer Reviews:

The New Kindergarten.......2007-07-09

This product full of ideas on setting up and teaching Kindergarten. With the continious changes in education I was a little unsure about where to start. The author offers great ideas and input using the NCTM Standards. This is a great resource for new teachers, and teachers who are new to teaching Kindergarten.

So Much In One Book.......2003-08-28

Constance Leuenberger's book is an excellent combination of educational philosophy coupled with ideas, ideas, and more ideas!
An easy read that would be a GREAT resource for ALL new Kindergarten teachers and a wonderful resource to help experienced teachers remember how important developementally appropriate strategies are.
This book is full of great ideas, strategies, and tips that are simple and ready to implement. Another strength is how the author shares thoughts for teachers of half day and/or full day programs.
Constance understands how young children learn. She knows that we must teach the "whole" child....from their academic to their social well being.
This book is an excellent addition to your professional library.

A "Must Read" for the Kindergarten Teacher.......2003-08-19

I have had the honor of seeing Ms. Leuenberger adapt the very principals that she writes about in her book in her own classroom on "The Vineyard". Believe me, these strategies and lessons work. I suggest that each school have this book available for their Kindergarten teachers. The suggestions and ideas in this book make "Meeting the Standards" easy and fun.

Great resource for new classroom ideas.......2003-08-04

I love how this teacher writes about how she sets up her classroom and keeps it organized. She also has some helpful strategies for setting up learning centers, journal writing and how to make your morning message fun, and much more!
I think the ideas in this book will be really helpful in the years to come.

A Must for Kindergarten Teachers.......2003-07-31

THE NEW KINDERGARTEN is a step-by-step guide for creating a nurturing and stimulating kindergarten classroom. It's a combination of traditional practices with innovative twists, contemporary benchmarks with samples to follow, and an interlaced theme of literacy that prevails during all activities of the day. A colleague and I had the same reaction to the book: makes me want to go back to teaching kindergarten so I can try these great techniques.

Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors

Average customer rating:

I'll never look at my characters the same again
Not half bad
Combination of Lajos Egri + John Cleaver on Character
THE BEST "HOW-TO-WRITE" BOOK FOR BEGINNERS OR ADVANCED
What more can I say?

Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors
Brandilyn Collins
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471058947

Book Description

Proven techniques for creating vivid, believable characters

Want to bring characters to life on the page as vividly as fine actors do on the stage or screen? Getting into Character will give you a whole new way of thinking about your writing. Drawing on the Method acting theory that theater professionals have used for decades, this in-depth guide explains seven characterization techniques and adapts them for the novelist's use.

In this unique and practical book, you'll discover concepts that will help you understand and communicate the behavior, motivation, and psychology of every fictional character you create. Examples from classic and contemporary novels show you how these techniques have been used to dazzling effect by Jane Austen, Mark Twain, Steve Martini, Anne Rivers Siddons, and others. These simple yet highly effective techniques will help you:

Create characters whose distinctive traits become plot components
Determine each character's specific objectives and motivations
Write natural-sounding dialogue rich in meaning
Endow your characters with three-dimensional emotional lives
Use character to bring action sequences to exuberant life
Write convincingly about any character facing any circumstance

Customer Reviews:

I'll never look at my characters the same again.......2006-06-30

The reviewers have said it all, and yet I feel the need to add my two cents as an author and a 'how-to' book collector.

I struggled with my characters from the beginning and since reading Brandilyn's book I can understand why. Never before have I read a book that gives such explicit examples of how to create characters of depth and motivation.

My copy is dog-eared, highlighted, scribbled, and has lovingly earned a spot on my shelf as a book I could not write without. I can't recommend GETTING INTO CHARACTER enough for new authors and those who think they have nothing more to learn.

Not half bad.......2005-11-05

An interesting analogy of how writers are like actors and must get into their characters' heads in order to portray them in a convincible style. Filled with good ideas.

Combination of Lajos Egri + John Cleaver on Character.......2005-05-29

This book seemed to be one-half Lajos Egri (The Art of Creative Writing) and one-half John Cleaver (Immediate Fiction). Like both of these authors, Brandilyn Collins explains how to create well-developed, compelling characters that you can let loose in your stories.

All of the author's techniques tie back to Stansislavsky's "Method Acting." Each chapter starts with an analysis of one of techniques of Method Acting. Then that technique is summarized in terms of ficiton writing. The remaining chapter fills in the details and gives examples.

In addition to the techniques of character development, the author presents several narrative frameworks for the overall plotting of the story. She also discusses crafting each scene using character objectives that flow from the character's Inner Values.

The chapter on dialog was interesting. Here, the author shows you how to link the hidden-message of dialog (sub-texting) back to the richly-developed psychological profile, or inner values, of the character.

I liked the book very much - particularly her conceptualization of Method Acting back to narrative writing and her well-explained examples. This book is different than many others describing character development. The author also includes exercises that the reader can pursue.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX

THE BEST "HOW-TO-WRITE" BOOK FOR BEGINNERS OR ADVANCED.......2005-01-17

This is the best "how-to-write" book I have read (and I have over 30 "how-to" books on my shelf now that I have studied). This is great for beginning fiction writers or advanced writers - anyone who wants to make their characters and their stories come to life.

Brandilyn Collins' book GETTING INTO CHARACTER: SEVEN SECRETS A NOVELIST CAN LEARN FROM ACTORS has opened my eyes to how to make my characters sparkle on the pages.

In fact, Brandilyn's chapter on the "Personalizing" process led me to some new realizations about my major character in my current novel-in-progress. I discovered things about my character that I would never have dreamed up without the steps that Brandilyn recommended.

I also loved the entire "Inner Rhythm" chapter in Brandilyn's book - that is be the perfect way to capture on paper the "pace" of the story along with the exact thoughts and movements of my characters. And the "Emotion Memory" chapter is fantastic. I can see how much easier it is to capture some of the inner turmoil that my characters are facing in my novel by using what Brandilyn suggested.

Even if you think you don't need to buy another "how-to-write" book, I would HIGHLY recommend Brandilyn Collins' book.

Melissa Lowe Richardson
Blue Dove Ministries
Helping to heal "blue" hearts using Christian fiction books
www.BlueDoveMinistries.com
Melissa@BlueDoveMinistries.com

What more can I say?.......2003-03-01

The other reveiwers have it right. After studying more than 30 titles on the craft of writing, I can say that this is by far the most useful work on developing believable and well-rounded characters that I have seen to date. The information is timely, practical, and accessible. The examples are well-organized and perfectly suited to the material. The writer can take what he learns and put into practice immediately. Excellent work!

Learn to Write Chinese Characters (Yale Language Series)

Average customer rating:

More Confusion on Chinese Writing
Insightful presentation
Very Interesting
Not a primer, but good in its own right
Do Not Try This At Home (without this text!!)

Learn to Write Chinese Characters (Yale Language Series)
Johan Bjorksten
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300057717

Customer Reviews:

More Confusion on Chinese Writing.......2005-09-12

Trying to learn Chinese calligraphy, alone, from a book, is probably akin to trying to learn martial arts or ballet from a video or DVD - perhaps useless, potentially dangerous. Yet the book still deserves credit on the principle that in remote lands, a poor map made by a foreigner is better than no map at all. In fact, there is an apparent gap in the literature in English on this subject: a perusal of copious material available at Shanghai Foreign Language Bookstore on Fuzhou Rd reveals nothing any better. There is simply no authoritative English reference.

In any case, there are numerous points of contention within this book, concerning the presentation of basic strokes, composite strokes, stroke ordering rules, etc. The author presents the `basic' strokes as follows:

heng2, shu4, pie3, na4, tiao3, dian3, gou1, zhe2

The author presents tiao3 as a basic stroke. The stroke he is evidently describing is referred to elsewhere in the literature as ti2: `an upwards diagonal character stroke, rising from left to right; or a lifting brush stroke in painting'. In no other reference can I find this stroke named as tiao3.

The author presents gou1, `a hook stroke appended to other strokes', as a basic stroke with four variants. A hook stroke can definitely be appended to the basic strokes heng2, shu4, pie3, such that these strokes exist in `unhooked' and `hooked' variants. But as noted in other references, gou1 can also be be used to create wan1 gou1 `bent hooked', xie2 gou1 `slanting hooked', and wo4 gou1 `crouching hooked' as valid composite strokes, as well as heng2 zhe2 gou1, heng2 zhe2 wan1 gou1, heng2 zhe2 zhe2 gou1, shu4 wan1 gou1, shu4 zhe2 zhe2 gou1, heng2 zhe2 xie2 gou1, etc, which brings the number of variations to a dozen or more.

The author presents zhe2 `to fold, to turn' as a basic stroke with two variants. The author ignores wan1 `bend, bent', and xie2 `slanting', which are also used to describe direction or directional changes in composite characters, but with an obvious visual difference from zhe2. A useful visual comparison of the composite strokes (a) heng2 zhe2 heng2, (b) heng2 zhe2 heng2 wan1, (c) heng2 zhe2 heng2 zhe2, and (d) heng2 zh2 heng2 zhe2 should make the differences obvious. In fact, the two variants the author discusses are heng2 zhe2 and shu4 zhe2. These are only two of numerous uses of zhe2 in composite strokes. Other `variants' of zhe2 include: heng2 zhe2 ti2, heng2 zhe2 heng2, heng2 zhe2 heng2 wan1, heng2 zhe2 heng2 zhe2, heng2 zhe2 gou1, heng2 zhe2 zhe2 pie3, heng2 zhe2 wan1 gou1, heng2 zhe2 zhe2 gou1, heng2 zhe2 xie2 gou1, shu4 zhe2 zhe2 gou1, etc.

The author dismisses the study of composite strokes as unnecessary:

"These composite strokes can be seen as combinations of the eight basic strokes, and it is not really necessary to practice them separately."

This is nonsense.

The models or example characters the author provides for his basic strokes consistently use basic strokes not yet studied, and composite strokes, which the author dismisses as unworthy of study. For example, like every other book on Chinese calligraphy, the author presents the character yong3, meaning `forever', as a model for studying the basic strokes, but glosses over the composite strokes used in yong3.

In fairness, the literature in English on Chinese calligraphy is inconsistent, contradictory, confusing; and Bjorksten's book is a cut above the sorry lot. But it's discouraging to think that by following Bjorksten's method of practicing basic strokes over and over again, with no feedback from a teacher, that one may be ingraining incorrect knowledge and technique.

Insightful presentation.......2005-03-05

First, I have now been studying Chinese for about 4 years, and this was an early book I got cheap from a used book store. I have changed my mind about it several times over the years. The discouraging part of the book is indicating how many times you would need to practice a character to get good at it. In the beginning, this was definitely true becasue a newbie simply cannot understand the important parts of a character and the relative alignment of strokes. As you acquire more characters, it becomes clearer what is important within the character.

In the beginning, this is tough. You need to write them again and again until your hand moves fluidly, not haltingly. This book gives you directions to achieve this, and key pieces (or parts) of strokes that will distinguish your writing from a first grader. There a fixed number of actual strokes, the difficulty is this relative positioning that's the killer.

The book is short, but gets to the point. I would have preferred larger and more examples, but he nevertheless gives you what you need.

The issue of stroke order has arisen. In my Chinese class, the native-born instructor says we should not obsess on stroke order. BUT it is important. I find that it is easy to correct an order, less easy to recognize characters in beautiful balance. This book helps.

So, do I write well. My teacher says I need more work. A ball point pen or pencil does not emulate a brush very well. The book focusses on that. I still think the book in less focussed on "calligraphy" vs. good character writing. Calligraphy is much more than writing characters accurately: it's an art form usually deviating from a standard printed/written character. This book focusses less on the art form, and more on the appearance and quality of a character. A western analogy: the book improves printing, not cursive script.

I really like the book. Before you can do calligraphy, you must be able to write characters in the regular way. [That segment in "Hero" on calligraphy was excellent!]

Get the book now, before you develop bad habits.

Very Interesting.......2004-03-18

This book was quite helpful by helping one to gain a better understanding of the background and make-up of Chinese characters which helps one to better appreciate both their historical and aesthetic value. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who wants to seriously learn about Chinese characters.

Not a primer, but good in its own right.......2004-02-04

I'm learning Chinese as part of my major and wanted a good book on characters, specifically for things like stroke order, and picked this up expecting it to be a practical tutorial on how to write basic Chinese characters. What it actually is is more of a guidebook for calligraphy. Now, as that, it is very good. The author definitely conveys the mindset one needs to be a skilled calligrapher, and gives great step by step instructions on how to write well. For that, I don't regret picking this up. However, if you, like myself, are more concerned with learning how to write the 2000 or so most used characters towards the end of being functionally literate in Chinese, this is not the book to purchase. It would be something like teaching calligraphy to kindergarten students. Also, the stroke order illustrations for the characters towards the end of the book, while representing commonly used characters, are really small, and presume that you've gone through the prior half of the book as recommended, that is practicing each stroke for a half hour a day until mastered. If you're learning calligraphy for it's own sake, or just have lots of time, this is great. If however you need to develop a functional writing ability in Chinese relatively quickly, I would personally recommend buying another book first and coming back to this.

Do Not Try This At Home (without this text!!).......2002-11-26

I have just started learning to write Chinese characters and THIS is the holy grail of beiginners' books. I looked through many listmania and reviews on Amazon.com's site (thank you ALL!) and decided to start with this primer. As a hands-on learner, I know now why it has been recommended so highly by those who teach, speak, or are just learning the Chinese language.

I am reminded of the first days in school when we had to practice writing our ABCs on a tablet with pencil. We wrote those damned letters over and over again, didn't we? The teacher stood at the blackboard and showed us the best way to make the lines and the order of the "character's strokes."

This book is the Mrs. Hatfield of my first grade class in Chinese. Each stroke is shown carefully. Each stroke is also shown when it is not written correctly and gives the "name" of the error (eg. "fish hook, etc.)

Tao only knows how a Swedish author conceived of and wrote such a wonderful primer to the language. It makes sense, however, that a person whose first language is NOT Chinese would be so specific about the right and wrong way to hold the pen, use the correct posture and table angle, and keep "between the lines."

I don't get too hard on myself when I can't make a character look the way they does in the book. I look back at how I wrote my name in first grade and now understand the true meaning of "penmanship". The author urges the learner to practice each stroke at least one hundred times until you go on to the next stroke. Add them together and you get a beautiful character. Don't practice each stroke individually over the course of days and many sheets of paper, and the character resemble the rough letters I wrote in my first grade homeworlk.

DO NOT attempt to do this at home (learn to write Chinese characters) without this very important primer. It is invaluable, extraordinary, and shows a great deal of thought and study by the author and those who assisted him in compiling this material. I do my 100 + strokes a day. I don't jump ahead and do what I thought I could do -- "Oh that character looks easy, it's just an upside down Y."

I know this edition will get dog eared and I will probably buy another to replace this text. It has no equal. Aside from the friends in China who supported me and applaud me for learning their language, this small text tells me that I CAN learn a language and fulfill a longtime dream. Hurrah! and thank you, Mr. Bjorksten.

from Lodro Dawa, my Buddhist nickname.
(Someday I will learn to write it AND learn its lesson for wisdom in this lifetime.)

Guide to Writing Kanji & Kana Book 1: A Self-Study Workbook for Learning Japanese Characters (Tuttle Language Library)
Average customer rating:

A good book for intermediate Japanese speakers

Learn to write Japanese

Logical, comprehensive approach to kanji self-study

I love it!

Great book!!!

Guide to Writing Kanji & Kana Book 1: A Self-Study Workbook for Learning Japanese Characters (Tuttle Language Library)
Wolfgang Hadamitzky , and Mark Spahn
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Kodansha's Furigana Japanese Dictionary: Japanese-English English-Japanese

ASIN: 0804833923

Customer Reviews:

A good book for intermediate Japanese speakers.......2007-09-27

This book gives easy to follow instructions for how to write kanji and gives good examples of words in which the kanji is used. When giving examples, it gives the page numbers of the other kanji used for quick reference, which is really useful. The downside is that it does not give the hiragana that follows the kanji, so you have to already be familiar with the various forms the word takes by itself. Thus, I would not suggest it for any new speakers or people just wanting to learn how to write Japanese.

Learn to write Japanese.......2007-06-21

I tried many books, and this is the best I could find. It starts with hiragana. With each character you learn, it teaches you words using combinations of characters you previously learned. The next section is katakana, and it's the same thing: combinations of previously learned characters. The last 75% of this book is kanji, and once again, the combinations are only with kanji characters you have previously learned. The order of the characters differs from the way many text books teach you, but it is well structured.

Some kanji books I've used tried to teach by relating the character to a picture. This might work for young children, but it doens't work for me. I learn by structured lessons.

The majority of the space on each page is made up of empty squares for you to practice writing. This is useful because you should be attempting to mimic the example character. With every square, you will write more like the example. This book will cause your kanji to be complimented by Japanese people because of how neat it is. Also, the more times you write a character, the more times it will be cemented into your head.

Using the index in the back of the book, you can find any character in the book. When I'm writing my homework assignment and I come across a kanji character I don't know (or don't know very well), I look it up in the index and practice writing it about 5 times. Then I move on with my assignment. Look up a character 3 or 4 times and it is yours to keep.

This book will not teach you Japanese. It is designed to accompany a text book, and it's best used side by side with your homework assignments. I recommend this for beginners, and also for those aspiring a 3 or 2 on the JLPT. Do not attempt to learn Japanese without this book. The price is justified.

Logical, comprehensive approach to kanji self-study.......2006-09-04

After hitting a plateau in my Japanese studies, I realized that a solid grounding in kanji was really holding back my progress. I knew that I needed a systematic approach to the 1,945 jyouyou characters and recalled that this series had been used as the kanji textbook at my alma mater, Princeton University, in the Japanese language study curriculum. I worked this two textbook series for about 4.5 years and it has really paid off (e.g., JLPT kanji tests are a snap, even level 1). The ordering, while different from most other kanji instruction orderings, flows nicely and doesn't overwhelm the student with too many similar kanji in a row (e.g., it doesn't group by radical and present every character containing that radical). Granted, some fairly common characters aren't introduced until much later in the series, but this is a small sacrifice for an ordering that flows and supports systematic recall.

If you can speak basic Japanese and can read some characters -- but are coming to terms with the fact that you are going to have to learn the jyouyou sooner or later -- don't hesitate: by this series and get going. If you have zero experience with Japanese and are looking for survival skills in kanji and are living in Japan, I'd suggest using the Helsig approach, which has you learning basic kanji meanings before readings and written style. After all, what good does knowing the readings for "danger: slow down" characters on a sign if you don't know what they mean?

BTW, I often hear students asking why bother investing in learning how to write the characters by hand given that most writing is done on computers anyway. Don't fall into this trap: there is no better way to cement a characters morphology and meaning in your memory than learning to write. It has worked for students of the graphology for millenia -- it will work for you, too.

I love it!.......2006-05-15

This book was very helpful in my Japanese studies in that it shows relationships between calligraphy and typed symbols and gave phrase examples to show the meaning and, in some cases, origin of words and symbols.

Great book!!!.......2005-10-14

I am 20, and I have been trying to learn Japanese off and on since I was 16. Recently I have tried to get back into learning it and this book has been the most useful so far, for one main reason, it has spaces for you to write the kanji, the hiragana, and the katakana. For years I have been trying to learn the Kanji by just looking at them, that did not work so well, but this system in the book of drawing them out has finally help me to remember them. Maybe I should of just got a kanji dictionary and some loose leaf paper. Then again, most other kanji dictionaries don't have stroke order and also the box shapes did help me to keep my kanji from being to sloppy.

The book also has samples of words the kanji are used in, which also helped me. Since most Japanese words are hard to remember, knowing the kanji that make them up helps make me learn the words.

Let's Learn Hiragana: First Book of Basic Japanese Writing (Kodansha's Children's Classics)

Average customer rating:

Very good study aid
Simple, Easy and Fast
Very useful!
An easy way to learn Hiragana
Learning Hiragan made easy

Let's Learn Hiragana: First Book of Basic Japanese Writing (Kodansha's Children's Classics)
Yasuko Kosaka Mitamura
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0870117092

Book Description

There are three types of Japanese script-katakana, hiragana, and kanji. It is possible to read Japanese knowing only a limited number of kanji, but it is not possible with only a limited number of katakana or hiragana-one must know all of them. Let's Learn Hiragana, and its companion volume
Let's Learn Katakana, is a textbook that introduces the learner to the basics of one of these fundamental Japanese scripts. Being a workbook, it contains all the exercises that allow the student to master hiragana by the time the book has been finished. Let's Learn Hiragana is a classic in the
field, and the huge number of students that have used it successfully is a sign of its preeminence as a self-study guide.

Customer Reviews:

Very good study aid.......2007-08-08

While taking a Basic Japanese course I was having difficulty remembering my hiragana. The lessons are helpful and easy to complete. The crossword puzzle was a great challenge! When I finished this book I aced my written and oral tests. I even began to read Japanese magazines and books with basic hiragana. Along with my class lessons this book helped me a lot!! Now I'm doing the 'Let's learn Katakana' book. They should make a 'Let's Learn Kanji' book!!

Simple, Easy and Fast.......2007-07-03

I've been struggling with hiragana for quite a while before i discovered this book on this website. I read previous reviews and almost all agreed on one fact: This book is a must-have for japanese language learners.

In less than 14 days, i was able to read all the hiragana characters. Wow! I didn't know it could be so easy!!! now i'm learning the katakana characters, of course, from the SAME author.

Very useful!.......2007-06-27

I've been looking for a good book so that I can start to teach myself how to write Japanese characters, and to my surprize this book really did the trick. I personally am not taking any other Japanese classes, nor have I had any in the past, but I love reading manga and really wanted to see if I could try to read the originals. So it became a hobby really, and this book has really aided me in my goal to read Japanese!

An easy way to learn Hiragana.......2007-01-29

Although you do need to practice outside of this book as well, Let's Learn Hiragana has a nice set-up so it's easy to understand and work through. There's an introduction about the usage of hiragana and an overview of what's in the book, then there's sections for groups of ten morae. I've only had time to finish two sections, but with outside practice and the worksheet, I've already memorized the twenty. A great way to start learning the kana system!

Learning Hiragan made easy.......2007-01-12

Although I'm following the Japanese for Busy people approach to learning Japanese, the Let's Learn Hiragana and Katakana books are very good.
Both books break down the Kana into groups. Stroke (or brush) order and direction are detailed, which if you want to be accurate with your written work, this is a must! Additional information about the Kana, how it is used and combined are all explained in simple to understand English.
The books are designed for self-learning (no teacher), and I believe they are simple enough to do this.

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