Spanish for Dummies (Paperback)

by Susana Wald (Author)

Textbook Details
* Paperback: 432 pages
* Publisher: For Dummies (December 15, 1999)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0764551949
* ISBN-13: 978-0764551949
* Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
* Rating:

Textbook Description
Is speaking Spanish nothing more than a bad high school memory for you? Are the phrases “Yo quiero Taco Bell” and “Hasta la vista, baby” the extent of what you can say in Spanish?

Whether you need a quick primer for an upcoming business trip or want to build on a basic understanding of the language, Spanish For Dummies can help. But the book is more than just a language text full of cool phrases and useful vocabulary — it’s also a cultural guide for those moments when you really need to know how and why things are done.

Part of what makes this book so valuable is its whole-language approach to Spanish. Instead of burdening you with endless vocabulary lists and tricky grammar rules, Spanish For Dummies gives you the tools to take your Spanish on the road. Focus on everyday situations and hone your small-talk skills that help you with basic communication in Spanish. What’s more, the authors have scattered throughout the book tidbits that contextualize the language so you understand the people, places, and things that are unique to Spanish-speaking cultures. An audio CD enables you to hear Spanish as it’s really spoken by presenting dialogues between native Spanish speakers.

Spanish for Dummies Review
Thank God I didn’t have to pay for this book. It’s overloaded with information that I didn’t find helpful in actually learning to speak Spanish. Even a retired person, such as myself, began to grow impatient with the abundance of information that was not directly related to speaking Spanish. If you really want to get to the “meat” of Spanish vocabulary and grammar, you would do much better by purchasing “Spanish Grammar for Indepedent Learners.” It is expensive but I think it’s much better than Spanish for Dummies. But even with Spanish Grammar for Indenpendent Learners, you will still need private lessons or a good Spanish course. If you like learning on your own, Pimsleur is excellent. It’s my favorite because the Spanish is very formal, you’d have to go to Spain if you wanted to learn Spanish more formal. If you don’t like the formal Spanish and just want to learn Spanish for communicating with employees, customers, co-workers, or for dating, then you may prefer Learning Spanish Like Crazy.

I wish I had purchased this book before, because it’s A LOT better than the textbook used in my college Spanish class. While it’s true that this book, alone, will not make you fluent in Spanish, there is no one book that will do that. What this book will do is act as a great tool to help your Spanish fluency along.

In keeping with other books for dummies, Spanish for Dummies is easy-to-read and understand. You get a quick grasp on Spanish basics and many conversational interactions that are also available on a CD that is included. I would also recommend purchasing the handy pocket-sized Spanish Phrases for Dummies that is great for travel. For more intensive practice in speaking Spanish, check out Transparent Language software.

I am a huge fan of the Dummies books, I think they are great! This was a wonderful, very useful book, during college Spanish 102 for my daughter. She was able to use it more than the recommended books, and this one cost a whole lot less. A great addition to the Dummies books, thanks!

The book is easy to understand and the Spanish words spelled out phonetically so that the user may pronounce them without difficulty. Like most of the Dummies books, this is laid out in a way that is easy to use. It also has a CD in the back so the words and phrases can be actually heard to improve pronunciation.

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Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High (Paperback)

by Kerry Patterson (Author), Joseph Grenny (Author), Ron McMillan (Author), Al Switzler (Author), Stephen R. Covey (Author)

Textbook Details
* Paperback: 256 pages
* Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (June 18, 2002)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0071401946
* ISBN-13: 978-0071401944
* Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
* Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
* Rating:

Textbook Description
Foreword by Stephen R. Covey, Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

A PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
“Most books make promises. This one delivers. These skills have not only helped us to change the culture of our company, but have also generated new techniques for working together in ways that enabled us to win the largest contract in our industry’s history.”–Dain M. Hancock, President, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

A powerful, seven-step approach to handling difficult conversations with confidence and skill.
“Crucial” conversations are interpersonal exchanges at work or at home that we dread having but know we cannot avoid. How do you say what needs to be said while avoiding an argument with a boss, child, or relationship partner? Crucial Conversations offers readers a proven seven-point strategy for achieving their goals in all those emotionally, psychologically, or legally charged situations that can arise in their professional and personal lives. Based on the authors’ highly popular DialogueSmart training seminars, the techniques are geared toward getting people to lower their defenses, creating mutual respect and understanding, increasing emotional safety, and encouraging freedom of expression. Among other things, readers also learn about the four main factors that characterize crucial conversations, and they get a powerful six-minute mastery technique that prepares them to work through any highimpact situation with confidence.

Crucial Conversations Review
Wanna argue? Nope. Then you need Kerry Patterson and his co-writers, who describe techniques for effective negotiation and conflict resolution in the context of important, potentially life-changing conversations. Examples include talking yourself into a promotion, bringing up important information at meetings and working out problems with your spouse. Some tips will sound familiar, such as knowing what you really want and being open to alternatives. However, the book also highlights some themes that are often forgotten in negotiations, such as making it safe for others to express their true feelings and desires. The authors explain how to avoid getting forced into false either-or choices and tell you how to remain alert for unstated alternatives or possibilities. This lively book includes many examples drawn from business and personal relationships. We recommend it in particular to those are new to negotiations and conflict resolution, though it teaches solid skills that any manager – or any marriage partner, for that matter – could benefit from mastering.

As the program manager of a cross-functional product development team, I daily arbitrate or engage in emotionally charged crucial conversations. The principles in this book enable me to identify these crucial situations, diffuse tension, draw out meaning from each of the parties, and ultimately reach the best action plan possible. Most importantly, since I started using the principles in this book, mutual respect and unity on my team has increased dramatically–positional debate and argument is almost non-existent. Reading this book also helped me change my perspective of crucial conversations. Instead of fearing and avoiding them, I now recognize them as incredible opportunities for me to lead.
My recurring thought as I read this book was that these are “fundamental truths”. The authors use accessible writing with minimal jargon and no word invention. Additionally, they reinforce their theories with an abundance of applicable technique. These are not trendy gimmicks that manipulate people into agreeing with you. Rather, the authors teach fundamentally sound communication skills that enable the reader to fully understand others and then to explain their own perspective in a respectful, non-confrontational way. The principles taught in this book are universally applicable. Not only have I used them in business, but they also help me strengthen my communication with family. Likewise, I know I will use these skills in the team oriented Stanford MBA program that I will begin this fall.

Crucial Conversations offers a well organized approach to examining those very select conversations that we all have where the stakes are high, there’s a difference of opinion and there is an emotional investment. How these conversations are handled truly separates the good from the best. A friend of mine, who read this material revealed to me that they wished that they had understood (in the early years of marriage) that “it is possible to be both honest and kind”. My friend believed that this would have potentially saved the relationship with their spouse.
These are the conversation in which we find ourselves responding in the grip of our style under stress, inevitably behaving in ways that lead us farther and farther away from our deepest-held objectives. The power of recalling what we really want in a crucial conversation that has moved toward silence (withdrawing, attacking, avoiding) or violence (labeling, contolling, attacking)offers transforming potential for sharing tough content honestly and respectfully.
The format of this book offers the reader a nicely structured set of 7 principles, associated skills and easy to use key questions and anecdotal examples for practical application. All together Crucial Conversations has all the makings of a communication bible for those interested in expanding their influence, leveraging the wisdom of a group and enriching their relationships.

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Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High (Kindle Edition)