World War II in Simple Spanish (Spanish Edition): Learn Spanish the Fun Way with Topics That Matter

This is THE MOST AMAZING BOOK. When I got to the last page on my kindle I said out loud 'noooo, that can't be the end!'. I've absolutely loved it. Not only have I learnt so much more about WWII, but it's incredibly well written and interesting and I'm sure my Spanish has improved. Thank you so much. update. I have now bought it and read it in paperback as I prefer reading actual books. I loved it just as much if not more. Absolutely brilliant, thank you. I have now purchased the book from the same series on the Human Body. I cant wait to start that!!!

If your Spanish isn’t quite up to novels or long texts, this is a great way to build your confidence with a familiar topic. I would encourage you to follow the advice at the start of the book for how to approach reading in a foreign language. You will be surprised at what you are already familiar with and how often you can make a good guess at a meaning. I definitely was, and am feeling much better about my ability after having worked my way through the text. I think the author has chosen his topic wisely, it’s not about knowing all the details of the period but you may also learn something from history. Much better subject matter than reading something aimed at younger native speakers. I would also say that listening to the audio would be beneficial. There are a few terms here that I need to hear spoken out loud to check my pronunciation and improve my listening skills in general.

I'm a big fan of listening whilst reading, as it radically improves my listening comprehension and is excellent training for listening to normal speed Spanish. I bought the kindle version of this book to take advantage of an offer for the free accompanying audio-book which will be released shortly. WWII is not a subject that generally interests me, but as this book goes into areas that aren't normally covered, such as the involvement of Latin America, the involvement of native Americans, and the effect of the war on children, I have found it more interesting than I expected.The short chapters make the book easy to digest. It was surprisingly easy for me to read: easier than other B1-B2 books I have. Maybe that's because of the subject matter, but it isn't a challenging read for intermediate Spanish readers.

At first I was a little reluctant to read a book about war. After all, there are war stories in the Spanish language media every day. But, as a fan of Olly's books, I gave it a try. It's very good. The themes of conflict, politics, history, social and economic issues, etc. are all relevant and important to be able to discuss in Spanish. The book is a good level for me (upper intermediate) but is challenging in a positive way. I'm learning new vocabulary and phrases and I recommend this book if you are an intermediate level learner.

I have bought a few of Olly's books and always found them helpful. However, this is the first non-fiction book that I have purchased and it is excellent.It is on a subject that many of us are familiar with and so getting the gist of what is written becomes easier. So, I have found myself actually reading the book and not worrying too much about the words that I don't understand.I believe that I am around A2-B1 level and I would recommend this book to people who want that valuable 'comprehensive input'. This book is a great addition to my Spanish library.

Para mí, esta fue una gran lectura. Si está tratando de mejorar su español leyendo más y la Segunda Guerra Mundial es un tema que le interesa, este libro es una gran lectura. No solo es interesante, sino que está muy bien escrito para el estudiante atrapado en la "meseta intermedia interminable". La única crítica que haría al libro es que el escritor no parece conocer la diferencia entre Inglaterra y Gran Bretaña. No sé si esto es producto de su ignorancia o arrogancia, pero de cualquier manera, para aquellos que se consideran británicos pero no ingleses (escoceses, galeses e irlandeses del Norte) es, en el mejor de los casos, irritante y, en el peor, insultante.

There is so much in this book to learn about WW2 and events leading up to outbreak. It is giving me a new view of the extent of worldwide chaos 75years ago...Olly always writes (and speaks) in a way that holds my interest and enthusiasm, even when I am struggling to understand some constructions or vocabulary! I am delighted to familiarise myself with the specific ww2 vocab and to recognise it in succeeding chapters.I love kindle book but will buy the paperback too because now I want to drop into different chapters! (tricky on my kindle app)

What a great way to learn a new language, reading about topics you’re interested in. Yeah there are probably plenty of other sources out there but Olly’s book has a great way of teaching you without you even realising you are actually learning.I hope there are more of the same to come in interesting topics. This book makes me want more.Really recommend a new style of Olly.Love it - as simple as that xx

As a retired professor of German and an adult learner of intermediate Spanish, I applaud Olly and his dedicated crew of collaborators for responding to a signifiant need. There is an almost overwhelming availability of materials to learn elementary and intermediate conversational Spanish, but this plethora of publications includes little interesting and educational non-fiction reading material at the intermediate Spanish level. (Advanced students can read the books of the great Spanish authors and scholars.) By creating a unique introduction to the important history of World War II in Intermediate Spanish, Olly provides students reasonably priced learning material about both history and language at the same time. Vocabulary in non-fiction varies significantly from that in conversations and fiction, giving serious Spanish learners the opportunity to enrich and expand their goal to reach professional mastery of Spanish. After reading it, I think that he did an excellent job of selecting and organizing the vast subject of WWII. The illustrations make the subject and vocabulary even more accessible. Will he publish this book in other languages? I certainly hope so! By the way, Olly's book on Climate Change was the first in a series of readers for Intermediate Spanish. World War II is the second. I have read both and recommend them highly.

After Short Stories in Spanish, 101 Conversations in Simple Spanish, and 101 Conversations in Intermediate Spanish, it's great to be able to continue expanding one's vocabulary with readings on interesting topics. Olly's previous Climate Change in Simple Spanish and now World War II in Simple Spanish have kept me developing my fluency with new vocabulary and emphasis on less basic grammar, such as extensive usage of the "historic past" (preterite) and "El Presente histórico" as one often finds in history and historical novels, for example.This book contains a brief summary of the major events of WWII using more basic and intermediate vocabulary than one would find in more scho0larly histories, making it ideal both to extend one's Spanish and learn or review important world events of that era.I look forward to future readings on interesting and important topics in Spanish accessible to my level but also helping extend my knowledge and skill in the language so I can converse with a wider range of people.

Das Buch bietet, neben den üblichen historischen Fakten,auch interessante Einblicke in weniger behandelte Themen,wie die Kriegsbeteiligung von Afroamerikanern und amerikanischen Ureinwohnern.Man lernt etwas dazu und vertieft sein Spanisch.Das sprachliche Niveau ist gut von Mittelstufen-Lernern zu bewältigen.Demnächst soll das Buch dann auch als Hörbuch erscheinen,was dann zusammen mit dem Text die gelungene Lern-Kombi ist.

As an adult learner, it's generally hard to find engaging content at my level but my search ended when I first started reading Olly Richard's Short Stories in beginner spanish. Now coming to this book, it is structured so well and I love that I'm able to acquire new vocabulary while getting a recap of the World War 2.

This book works perfectly as it should - a language learning tool that keeps your interest. In fact, I think it's the best of this kind I've read so far.I'm sure if you're an expert in WWII history you won't learn much new, but that's perfect for improving your understanding of the language. Otherwise, you'll learn a bit about the war, and improve your Spanish.