Product Description
Pocket size book containing over 300 categorised phrases covering a wide range of travel needs such as arranging accommodation, eating and drinking, using public transport and more, plus advice on staying safe in a foreign country. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good general dictionary
I regularly travel in Eastern Europe and have found this book to be useful for most of the places that I have gone.While I would currently recommend an electronic dictionary for most of the languages covered - when an electronic dictionary is not available then this is the next best thing.I originally purchased the book when going to teach in Ukraine on a Fulbright Fellowship and then also used it on two Fulbright trips to Latvia.I didn't take it with me the last time that I went to Poland (last month) but typically I would.

For parents with young children I would recommend this as a book to expose children to a few foreign phrases and words that children typically aren't going to get on Seasame Street.It can be good for cognitive development. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes 60-minute audio cassette; audio guide; and LONELY PLANET phrasebook/2-way dictionary. ... Read more

Product Description
The Superior Czech subliminal CD is designed to super charge your brain to learn Czech faster and easier than ever imagined. Most people struggle when they try to learn Czech, but now you don't have to because subliminal programming can prime your brain to acquire the language rapidly.All you have to do is continue the same Czech classes or reading material that you're studying now and listen to this CD to accelerate your learning ability. It won't teach, but it will turn you into an Czech learning machine.This CD contains 6 ten minute subliminal sessions to choose from. Each session contains the same subliminal suggestions carefully crafted by hypnotist Alex Armani, CHT. You get to choose which track(s) to listen to!Successful people across the world are using subliminal programming to help them correct bad habits, improve their health, and acquire new languages faster than ever possible before. Subliminal programming means you will hear NO AUDIBLE VOICE because it has been masked in order to bypass your conscious filters. This gives the suggestions the ability to directly impact your subconscious mind for maximum impact.Using this CD for a long period of time will increase your desire and ability to speak and understand Czech when exposed to the language. This will accelerate your learning. It does not actually teach Czech because it primes your brain for rapid learning only.These sessions were designed for use at any point in your day or night. You can listen intently or play it in the background. This CD only features 6 subliminal audio tracks to choose from including ocean waves, rain, thunder storm, bird song, whale song, and hypnotic music. ... Read more

Product Description
This phrasebook covers Czech, French, German, Hungarian, Italian and Slovak. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Mostly Useful
I found the phrase book to be very handy in some languages, but in other languages, it didn't seem to be so thorough. I was in Central and Eastern Europe for four months and mostly used the book when I was eating out. It's a good source for vegetarians. I used t occasionally when asking directions as well and found my way around fairly well using the book. In less "touristy" areas the book didn't include as much information and I was left to my own devices. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes a 60-minute audio CD providing key words and phrases, an audio reference guide, and a 'Lonely Planet' Phrasebook featuring: grammar, a 2-way dictionary, information on local culture, and travel tips. ... Read more

Product Description
Offers a fast and effective way for travellers to learn basic Czech words and phrases. Based on the Berlitz listen - and - repeat approach, the CD features more than 300 useful expressions while this book contains more than 1,200 words and phrases. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Excellent Book - would have given it 5 Stars were it not for the toxic ink (or paper?) vapor gassing off
I got the phrasebook without the CD. At the time that's all what was available.

This such a great book with excellent phonetic pronuciation for each phrase.The color coding for the different categories of phrases is a great idea were it not for the selection of ink they used, which is probably petroleum-based.A plant based ink would be much better for people with sensitivities and allergies.I would love to use this book but I get a headache if I am not reading it outdoors (holding it at a distance) or have a mask on.I could don my mask, rip out the pages, and copy it on my ink jet copier, bind it with ring binders, etc., and I might do that eventually. I have severe MCS.

Unfortunately, the dictionary at the back of this book does not have the same pronunciation guides as phrasebook part which is most of the book.However, the Berlitz pocket dictionary does have phonetic pronunciation for every word, and is the only dictionary I've found like that, of ANY size.See the review of mine for the Berlitz Swedish [pocket] dictionary.

If you are thinking of investing in the much bally-hooed Rosetta Stone, save your money.

Rosetta Stone is a nice little "stone" in the building materials and tools of learning a language, but that's all it is, a rough stone at that. More like a glorified giant-sized Sesame Street language program for kids, but to say that is berating Sesame Street a bit, which does a much better job. You still very much need to use grammar books and dictionaries, lesson books, etc. if learning a language from "scratch" and while you are using Rosetta Stone. There are no language-specific built-in appendices, no dictionary, no language translation guides of any kind, no footnotes pointing out grammatical anomalies etc. (of which there are many in every language.)Nothing. Zilch.

There are just phrases in text accompanied by the audio (if you select audio accompaniment) in Swedish, to fit the pictures, and you have to guess, either, or, depending on your choice lesson. But none of these many preferences is more than just a quiz game. ROSETTA STONE HAS NO LEARNING TOOLS.

It seems the creators/programmers of Rosetta Stone made the same basic program template of photo pictures for all language suites they sell, and they just changed the voice and text for the different languages. What a money-maker! And what a rip-off!I would bet they spent more on marketing Rosetta Stone than creating it.

Check out my review on Rosetta Stone's Swedish package.

Other reviews are not about this book.
None of the other reviews as of this day, Apr 17, 2008, are about this set. They are about Czech and Turkish, not about Polish.

This is useful for improving your listening comprehension and your vocabulary. The book and the CD should be used separately, because the phrases on the CD do not correspond to the phrases printed in the book.

needed to learn survival Turkish in a hurry
I bought this product and have been playing the cd on my way to work and home.The book would have been useless without the cd-- pronunciation is impossible without listening to the cd.Having a male and female voice talk on the cd has been helpful, too.

Not a lot of choice
There are not a whole lot of options for audio based beginner's czech instruction out there, so you got to give Berlitz credit for at least coming up with something.

They do provide a lot of useful phrases I'm sure I will use.If you keep playing the CD (I've been doing so for over three months now) you learn to overlook the CD's shortcomings.

The downsides...The CD makes reference to using the phrase book many, many times.I learn by listening so the CD is everything to me.They use up a lot of CD time referencing the phrase book.

The selection of what to provide instruction on is suspect.They spend an inordinate amount of CD time teaching you how to complain about your food, your hotel, or something you purchased (if someone thinks they will win an argument in a language they can barely understand, they are sorely mistaken).With all that, I still don't know what the number zero is or how to say "you're welcome".

They reiterate common terms to the point of absurdity."I want", "how much", and "thank you" must be repeated at least a dozen times.I can replay the CD when I need redundancy.

Lastly, there's just not enough audio instruction.I know how to order a cup of coffee or tea, but don't know how to say lunch or dinner.The same goes for the Stores and Services and Sightseeing and Leisure sections.Three hundred words just isn't enough.

Terrible
This CD definitely is NOT for beginners.The lesson moves too quickly and does not sync up well with the book.It is quite easy to get lost.I usually don't have a problem with learning new languages, but this CD is a nightmare.Unfortunately, I am now stuck with something that I can't return, and that is of no use to me. ... Read more

Product Description
MLS Easy ImmersionTM Czech Pro1 Software CD ROM· 13 Levels of grammar · 10 Levels of vocabulary · Talking Dictionary · Voice Recognition · Auto Learn with progress tracking · 3 Learning modes to choose fromInternationalized language-learning SoftwareThis Czech language-learning software is localized into 21 different languages. That means the software allows you to choose from 21 languages to determine what language the lesson and instructions are presented in. This MLS Easy Immersion course defines itself by providing the power of Czech language leaning to speakers of over 20 different languages.... in a single course! That's true value. Voice Recognition TechnologyThis technology is integrated into the Pronunciation module of the software. Using the built in microphone on your computer, you will be able to repeat words after you hear them spoken by a native speaker through your computer speakers. The software will analyze your pronunciation and compare a waveform representation of the native speaker's pronunciation with a waveform of your pronunciation. An accuracy scale on the screen with display your voice match to the native speaker on a scale of "Bad, "Acceptable", and "Good".Talking DictionaryThis feature allows you to look up the meaning of words using the target language you are learning and your native language. A definition of the word or phrase will display on the screen and you may roll over the word or phrase with your mouse to hear the pronunciation in the target language by a native speaker. The dictionary allows you to create a personal custom dictionary of Essential Words, Common Words and Less Common Words. The software will automatically export the dictionary to a text document that can be saved on your computer and printed. The Talking Dictionary feature is accessible directly, and also within the Grammar, Vocabulary and Story Modules. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Refund Received
This software did not work properly and technical assistance was not available.However, the seller did eventually refund the purchase price. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the last volume of the The Fateful Adventures Of The Good Soldier Svejk During The World War containing Book Three and Book Four. Jaroslav Hasek planned to write six books but passed away before completing Book Four. That is why the book is considered unfinished. Yet, it can be argued the author, under pressure from his deteriorating health, indeed completed his thoughts and "closed the books" on the book that made him famous quite well. ... Read more

Product Description
In Book One of The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Svejk During the World War Jaroslav Hasek wrote about the familiar world he lived in and wrote about his whole life before the onset of the "War to End All Wars". Book One introduces that world to those who are not familiar with it. For those "in the know" it is a hilarious stroll down the familiar paths: the pubs, cops, politics, houses of ill repute, eking out a living. Even after Svejk already joined the military, life goes on as usual. He and his cohorts might be in uniform, but frequent the same pubs, interact with the same people under similar circumstances. The military is not much different than the police. It's just another uniformed service diminishing one's options and pleasure, only to be outwitted and largely ignored. Book One sets the stage for what follows once Svejk moves out with his outfit to go to the front. As the text, now continuing in Book Two, progresses, it becomes clear that The Good Soldier Svejk is not a book meant for the light entertainment of the leisure class. There have been quite a few "livingers", people making a living from interpreting what Hasek meant by what he wrote, who or what svejk is and arguing among themselves. If the common working people find the text funny or even hilarious, it is because, as Don DeGrazia put it, it is "a bellowing barroom brawl of a book that will forever have everyday people doubled-up with the painful laughter of recognition". Such laughing people know svejk without having to analyze him or the text he lives in. On the other hand, if you want to take that route, you will find a lot of material to confront at SvejkCentral.com. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Satirical classic
In 1926 the German literary critic and satirist Kurt Tucholsky said: "To my knowledge there is no book in literature that compares to this one". He was enthusing about "The Good Soldier Švejk" by the Czech author Jaroslav Hasek, a novel later to be acknowledged as one of the satirical all-time greats and now translated to 60 languages. Tucholsky was one of the first to recognize the genius of Hasek, along with Max Brod, who is better known as the custodian of Franz Kafka's literary output.

Ever since I read Švejk first time in 1991 I have been hooked: biting satire, replete with historical, literary and geographical references, a virtual textbook in a number of subjects. Moreover, it's a unique insight into Central European culture, and last but not least a stinging attack on human stupidity, whether represented by trigger-happy generals, catholic clerics, or ossified rulers. The most biting irony is reserved for fellow-travellers and careerists who jostle for position within the very institutions the author attacks. The book is also extremely funny and scenes and quotes from Švejk have long been part of Czech popular folklore.

Conveying this immensely complex novel in a foreign language and making it accessible to a public with different cultural and historical references is admittedly a near impossible task. I have been through five translations in various languages and it's obvious that all these have their shortcomings, some serious, others less so. This new translation by Zenny Sadlon does, however, come a long way towards addressing the problems of the previous English translation. The dialogue is much more convincing, and there is generally very little to pick on; technical translation errors are virtually non-existent. That said, there are shortcomings, mostly with respect to translation of geographical names, but these are easy to remedy and hopefully this can be done in subsequent editions. This is a translation I can wholeheartedly recommend, no doubt the best there is in English. ... Read more