Spanish at Your Fingertips

Spanish At Your Fingertips belongs to that rare breed of books that satisfies not only on a practical level (it is quick and easy to get an answer to a specific question that suddenly pops into your head), but also on an almost aesthetic level. Lest this distinction is not entirely clear, the difference is as follows: with this reference guide, you get the answer not only without any difficulty finding it (unlike the way some reference works seem to require the user to obtain a Ph.D. in an entirely unfamiliar discipline before learning how to get needed information without fuss), but the explanation is set forth in a transparent, logical, and unusually memorable fashion. Learning a foreign language is never easy; it's hard work for the best of us. Dr. Zlotchew's achievement is making the material makes sense for students of Spanish, whether beginners or more advanced learners. It is not really meant as a stand-alone textbook, but rather an essential reference that supplements whatever other materials the student may have or has had in the past; indeed it is a great work for those of us who have studied Spanish in the past and have forgotten much of what they once knew or who never quite got past a basic-level of speaking and comprehending Spanish because they didn't quite grasp the nuances of Spanish grammar. I found myself intellectually turned on by the clear, unpretentious explanations of basic parts of speech and writing, for example clearly explaining what the difference is between an adverb and adverbial phrase or between a dependant clause and an independent clause (and how to correctly use all of these in Spanish). If one didn't come to the table with this sort of curiosity, the book will likely cause the reader to take a new-found interest in such distinctions. Accordingly, the book fosters greater comprehension of not only Spanish (which, of course, is the principal purpose for the book), but also one's own native English grammar. As I alluded to earlier, the beauty of the book lies in its ability to explain in clear, concise, and memorable language the lessons it imparts -- which makes picking the book up a joy even when one doesn't have a burning question that demands an immediate answer (perhaps because we embarrassed ourselves by misusing the verb amar or querer and want to be sure not to do so again). For example, the rules regarding accentuation and proper use of accent marks were presented in a way that seemed so simple and obvious that I'm shocked I've never seen it presented as competently in any other Spanish text. While hard work is required to get the most out of this book, it is truly a pleasure to keep handy and to open its pages.

Spanish At Your Fingertips by Clark M. Zlotchew, Ph.D. is thorough enough to be a Spanish textbook. The book is extremely well-written and divided into easy to understand chapters, which cover every part of grammar and are easy to flip to the part you need for the moment. The serious student of Spanish will find this is the only book he/she needs. Having studied Spanish myself, I found the chapter on Commonly Confused Verbs especially helpful, as it explains very well the fine nuances of the language so you don't end up calling someone boring when you actually mean he is bored. Of course, these are very important fine points to understand and remember if you intend to converse in Spanish. This is not written as a traveler's guide, although it would be a good reference if you tuck it into your suitcase