Thanks to the AudioBook library on BC Online Libraries, I started borrowing audiobooks more often. I found it very handy, especially since my commute takes about 45 minutes one-way every day.The audiobook I recently listened to was Dr. Blair's Japanese in No Time: The Revolutionary New Language Instruction Method That's Proven to Work!.
As the name implies, this book teaches Japanese for total beginners. The tape runs for 3 hours in 3 CD's. It begins with a story where the listener is a tourist in a Japan amusement park. As it turns out, the park is taken over by a group of Flower Ranger fans, that are angry because their favorite show is canceled. The listener's mission is to find out these fans' plan and prevent it from happening.
The story is quite amusing, and each "to be continued" section stirs the curiosity to know more about the story. The Japanese lessons themselves are arranged to suit English speakers best. With stories to accompany vocabularies, it makes it easier to remember Japanese words. For example, for body parts in Japanese session, the book tells the adventure of a girl called Ata. Remembering the story actually makes it easier to remember the Japanese words phonetically.
Of course, as with any audiobook, the downside of this is that you won't learn the writing of Japanese language. But the speaking and listening side is actually not bad. I found myself remembering more and more vocabulary only by listening to the whole tape once.
I would recommend this tape for any English speakers who would like the basic of daily life speaking in Japanese. You won't understand a school lecture any better, but at least you will be able to ask direction to the nearest washroom by the time you finish this book.
My rating: 3 stars out of 5
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