Vida: Experiencia Y Expresion

I used this book for a 200-level community college class. The majority of the students (who hung in there for all 3 quarters...) already had a rather good grasp of basic grammar. The book has EXCELLENT stories; the exercises are thorough and practical; the essay assignments were very enjoyable/challenging; it takes the student through the subjunctive tense very well. I am state-certified as a Spanish interpreter, and I continue to refer to this book for help with some finer points of grammar or as a "refresher" text. I enjoyed having the entire text (exercise instructions included) in Spanish, but many of the students were frustrated by this factor. It's a great book for a (serious) small-group class with a GOOD Spanish speaker to help refine the skills you'll be developing through the exercises/essays.