Henle Latin Second Year

I have taught Latin for many years from a variety of textbooks. There is no question that, for the student who really wants to learn Latin, the Henle series is the best. Those interested in using the Henle series should be aware of the following (1) It uses a solid traditional approach with a huge amount of practice exercises, especially in translating (both Latin to English, and English to Latin). (2) It is very adaptable in its pace. An aggressive teacher can complete most of the book in a year; a more moderate pace would allow two years to complete the first volume. Nevertheless, it is possible to go on to Henle Second Year Latin after completing only seven of the fourteen units in Book 1. This is because the grammar chapters of Lessons 1 - 17 in Book 2 provide a thorough review to the material in Book 1, plus new material needed for reading authentic Latin (e.g., gerunds and gerundives, deponent verbs, etc.). (3) The text series is thoroughly Christian and specifically Catholic. (4) The grammar and readings in Book 1 are geared towards reading "Caesar's Gallic Wars" in Book 2. By the final part of Book 1, the student is encountering many sentences lifted directly from Caesar. (5) Book 2 presents selections from "Commentarii De Bello Gallico" plus copious exercises to cement mastery. The readings from Caesar are presented as a graded reader enabling the student to progress from relatively easy reading passages to material that is mostly unadapted. The readings include the most fascinating material in Caesar, including his struggle with Vercingetorix. The corresponding grammar lessons prepare the student to read real Latin as he moves through the graded exercises. (6) Book 1 and Book 2 do not overwhelm the student with massive vocabulary lists. Rather, the vocabulary is clearly selected for (a) its frequency of occurrence and (b) its need for reading Caesar. (7) There is a wide range of supplementary materials for the Henle series (including Answer Keys for all four volumes) from Memoria Press and other sellers. The instructor will find all s/he needs to teach this text with confidence. This is especially true for homeschoolers, towards whom Memoria Press targets much of their material. (8) There is a supplementary "Latin Grammar" book designed to be used with all four volumes of the Henle series and which contains a very thorough presentation of Latin grammar and syntax. An experienced Latin teacher will profit from this resource, and homeschoolers will find it a handy and indispensable component of the course. Because Henle's Second Year Latin is a graded reader and does not contain all the readings required for the AP Caesar & Vergil, students who eventually take AP Latin will have to reread some sections, and read others for the first time. Nevertheless, by the time he has finished Henle 2, the student will be thoroughly comfortable with Caesar's style and vocabulary (which remains constant throughout his writings) and prepared to move on to Cicero in Book 3. The conscientious student will find in the Henle series an almost flawless presentation of vocabulary and grammar with more than enough exercises of all kinds to firmly fix the material in his mind. Supplementary Latin readings from history (both ancient and modern), material from the Vulgate Bible, and interesting linguistic insights make this the book of choice for me and my students. The traditional pedagogy is sound and represents the best methods and techniques for teaching Latin. There is also an accompanying Teacher's Manual for the first two volumes which offers an overview of the teaching method Fr. Henle uses (and why he uses it) as well as practical suggestions on using the text, pacing, etc. Finally, while the Henle series is not "glitzy" with color photographs, it is extremely effective in teaching a highly inflected language such as Latin. It is a private regret of mine that Fr. Henle never wrote a comparable series of texts for Greek. But he knew what he was doing, and he knew how to do it well. The series is designed not to satisfy a mandatory two-year sequence of instruction for students to get their foreign language requirement out of the way. It is designed for those who really want to learn Latin and read the ancient authors (primarily Caesar, Cicero, and Vergil, but others as well). If all you want are simple stories about farmers or a Roman family, this text series may not be for you. For those, however, who want intellectual access to the great Latin writers of antiquity, and the rewards of reading them in the original, you will not find better than Henle.

I have been learning Latin off and on for several years on my own, never in a formal educational setting. I finally decided that I want to take it to the level where I can just kick back and read Ovid, or Cicero, or Tacitus without constantly having to consult a grammar reference and/or dictionary. Robert Henle's series (4 levels) is what I was looking for. Now, this is Old School. I mean, there is nothing remotely modern in this dense thicket of drills and passages. Moreover, the original intended audience as I understand was seminary students, and that becomes apparent from page one. There is barely a single section that doesn't contain references to Christ and New Testament passages, Ave Marias and Pater Nosters abounding. Speaking personally as a Reform Jew that doesn't float my boat. But I'm in this for mastering all those subjunctives and gerundives and endless variations of third conjugation perfect stems. Mirabile dictu, this series gets the job done. And it's not all Christ on the cross -- there's plenty of Caesar and Gallic wars and all that good stuff. If you're serious about Latin, this one is for you.

There is a wisdom in older books that, sadly, you just don't find as often today. This Latin series by Fr. Henle may appear to be dry -- no flashy pictures or sidebars, and filled with repetitive exercises -- but it is hands down one of my favorite books to teach/learn from. As my children and I have made our way through these books, we have been able to learn Latin in a way that we had not been able to do with other materials.

I have now the whole collection and love all of then!

Excellent text for students of Latin! I highly recommend taking it to an office store and having them spiral bind it and add a sturdy front and back cover. This will extend the life of the book and make it easier to use. Best used in combination with the Grammar text.

This book is required for CC challenge 2, and we missed purchasing it at our parent practicum. Not wanting to pay extra for shipping, I was pleasantly surprised to find it less than $2 more on Prime. Excellent readable Roman history is included and gives context for the lessons. It's not flashy but laid out well.

An excellent text. Fr. Henle was an wise teacher and his book is laid out in a way that helps the student succeed. It is a grammar-translation approach as opposed to a reading method.

Arrived on time and in perfect condition from the seller. I have these Henle series books spiral bound at a local print shop to make them easier to use (and lay flat). This printing has just enough margin to spiral bind the book and not cut into the text of the pages. Perfect!