Karoke Fun in Japan - my son is the guy with the microphone

I love the format of The Complete Idiot’s books, but I hate the name.  But once over the title, I usually find a book that’s well written, organized in a manner that makes sense, and a book I go back to time after time to reference so I think they’re a great value.  This newly updated and revised edition of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Conversational Japanese, 2nd Edition is no exception.

Since I’ve never traveled to Japan and likely never will, I asked my son to review it.  He’s the son that travels extensively and goes to Japan several times a year to sing Karoke.  Yes, he and his friends (all airline employees) spend a few days several times a year,living in a hostel and spending their nights singing.  Karoke is very different in Japan – it’s very popular and you sing in your own personal room.   He loves it.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Conversational Japanese, 2nd Edition

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Conversational Japanese, 2nd Edition

My son has lots of friends he’s met in Japan on his travels and he’s always looking to improve his Japanese.  He’s a little better at reading it (thanks to menus and maps) than speaking it, but he’s got all the necessary phrases down – bathroom, beer, train, etc.   I asked him to check out the book and it’s accompanying CD because he knows how the language is spoken, about all the nuances it entails, and he’d be able to judge if this is a good book for beginners as well as intermediate speakers like himself.

He found it to be very well written, easy to use, correct in its examples of pronunciation, etc. He’s hard to please so if he gives it a thumbs up, I’m pretty sure it’s a valuable book.  Who would benefit from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Conversational Japanese, 2nd Edition?  Anyone planning to travel to or have visitors from Japan.  There are some great cultural cues as well so you’ll know how to greet, leave, and request assistance properly.

About the author:

Naoya Fujita, Ph.D. (Forest Grove, Ore.), who holds a doctorate in linguistics, is a dedicated language educator who has taught Japanese for over 20 years, at Harvard, Cornell, the University of Rochester, Ohio State University, and Pacific University. Dr. Fujita has taught English in private institutions in Tokyo and was the host for E2 Genius, an elementary-level English conversation TV program broadcast in Japan. He is currently teaching in Japan.

Book Details:

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Conversational Japanese, 2nd Edition

ISBN: 978-1-61564-105-5, May 2011, Price: $19.95

Author: Naoya Fujita, Ph.D. (Forest Grove, Ore.)

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