The book is very down to earth and helpful for learning Chinese . The author approached Chinese via Communicative Learning Approach, which is very crucial for people who
want to acquire Chinese oral/aural skills

Communicating in just a short while..., October 30, 2000
　

This text is well-formatted to give useful phrases for common dialogue. It has focused, short lessons that lead you through an idea and get you communicating quickly. It also includes cultural notes and some more important linguistic notes, (though it is not a heavy-duty linguistics book). It really delivers quickly with phrases you can use and understand right away. For pronunciation, though, I would recommend the tapes as well.