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Japanese for Busy People (Kana version) Vol. II Editorial Review:
Aims to guide readers to a fluent use of Japanese language. Placing emphasis on language as spoken between educated adults, the integrated approach of the course increases speed of comprehension. This kana version teaches the basic language skills needed to function in a professional environment.
Customer Reviews:
Great for self-study
The whole Japanese for Busy People series is fantastic - it'll get you to fluency faster than any other methodology.
While other reviewers have criticized the relatively cursory approach to grammar and vocabulary, I find this to be a huge plus for self-study. This book is unique for two reasons: frst, it's ENJOYABLE, so you'll study more and learn faster. The presentation is excellent, the amount of detail appropriate, the explanations clear. I find myself picking it up and listening to the lessons on my iPod ALL THE TIME.
Second, it's focused on driving FLUENCY with a relatively limited set of vocab and grammar. I love this approach. I've found other methodologies to be overwhelming - too focused on rote memorization, not enough on practice & fluency within the limits of what you already know. In other books, half the stuff you learn doesn't "stick" and you have to constantly go back and relearn stuff. I've never had that problem with "Japanese for Busy People": it's always practical and has lots of great CD practice so that you learn not just by reading but by listening and speaking. My Japanese girlfriend and colleagues were amazed at how quickly I was learning. That said, it certainly is a lot more difficult than Book I (as others have pointed), but that's inevitable once you start digging into Japanese grammar and Kanji.
I'm buying book III and have very high expectations!
Excellent Text
This book is excellent for anyone who wants to study on their own. I highly reccomend this series.The grammar explainations are clear and well organized.It also has Kanji!
great sequel!
This is a great sequel to the first book Japanese for Busy People: Kana Version v.1: Kana Version Vol 1 and continues in the same style.
This book is structured just like the first book:
> shorter chapters [8-10 pages]
> one dialogue per chapter
> easily-explained grammar [a "no-nonsense" approach]
> a large number of exercises that varies in type [same sort of exercises as in the first book]
> no romanization of the dialogues
So far the book is just like the first book, but in this book Kanji is introduced.
In the introduction of the book it states that 5-10 kanji are introduced in each chapter, but this is only partly true: in addition to the 5-10 new Kanji-words introduced in each chapter, each chapter introduces 10-15 Kanji words in the dialogues - so you actually learn more Kanji than what the authors state.
Just like the first book this one has vocabulary aimed at professionals learning Japanese: business people, diplomats, scientists etc...i.e. people who have practical reasons for learning Japanese.
But the method used in this book suits anyone who wants to learn Japanese relatively fast and still have a very good mastery of grammar.
Above all, it suits people like myself, who like to learn gradually through many short chapters rather than few large chapters.
This book was just as I expected, so I'm very happy with it.
Book II For Busy People
Again second year of Japanese required text book for class. Good as the first in the series recommend using CD more often with this book which will help the reader through un familiar sounding phrases and greetings. Used separately the book will help a beginner practice sounding out words in the most typical everyday lifestyle from asking directions to buying stamps at the post office, to counting items in an department store.
as good as you will find
This book is the intermediate level in a really well-done series. The progression from simple conversation to more sophisticated material is so seamless that a learner will probably not even notice how much ground has been covered. This series is very much skewed toward everyday conversation, but the presentation has been done so comprehensively that transitioning into more sophisticated areas can be done very smoothly. The CDs are really high quality as well, making these books overall a fine value for the price. I do recommend getting the kana edition of book 1- students who put off kanji and kana until level two will find they have a lot on their plate.
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