I am a complete beginner in the Russian language, moreover, I am rather old, so it was a bold decision to try to learn a bit of Russian. It is a most interesting language, but extremely difficult. I struggle with conjugation of verbs, declination of nouns and pronouns, etc., and not least to mention memorizing new long words, which have phonemes different from what I am used to. I have found that 100 Parallel Texts for Beginners is a great way to increase my vocabulary, much better than reading ordinary textbooks in my own language. I am so grateful that the accents are marked, without which I find it impossible to read a text. I find the quality of the sound files excellent, clear, and distinct reading at both slow and normal speeds. I can highly recommend this book, and I think that if you really study all texts, you will get a good grasp of basic vocabulary and useful phrases. Of course, one should always have a grammar book close at hand, as grammar is an indispensable tool when you learn a new language.
