Not the Person in the Goldin Family Getting the Best Reviews

Every so often, I get a nice comment from someone complimenting on a blog post or an email newsletter (so most recently, my thanks to D'Andre and Lew, respectively). One needs a little positive feedback to keep up the pace of posting, but not too much so that it goes to one's head.

But that's nothing compared to the feedback my sister Claudia is getting on her book Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar. She just send back the reviews from a certain web site and they're pretty amazing. Spydrouge's heading for his comment was "I wuv it to death." Even the guy who writes the Michael Thomas language guides (no, not Michael Thomas--I'm as confused as you are) wrote a great review:

"I have used most of the Chinese grammars out there. This is far and away the best."

Her ranking has been great too. At one point she wrote the #2 Chinese language book. (It's lower now). Yes, Claudia's a big indie supporter, but she looks. I know you look too. I look.

Anyway, we're carrying a small quantity of the book because she's my sister. Just as soon as we figure out how to post our inventory on our web site, you'll see for yourself.

And why not? Chinese instruction is growing by leaps and bounds. And when she's done with her revolutionary first-year textbook (she's the lead writer, and it's going to be the first in ages where that role is not filled by a native speaker), just you wait.

But for all of you who know of the soon-to-be famous economist Claudia Goldin at Harvard, there's no relation to my knowledge*. She does, however, have a book coming out this fall called The Race Between Education and Technology, which I mention only because my friend John is currently selling it on the Harvard list. The sister I refer to uses her married name, Claudia Ross.

(Just to complete the cycle, my friend John and I were talking about having an Anita Brookner celebration of some sort when my other sister Merrill visits in September. But I'm saving the details for another blog post. A Merrill-ish blog post.)

*There was a schism in my family just about when I was born and I don't know any relatives on my father's side. Except for my cousin Julius. Dad stayed in touch because he was a nice guy and an EXCELLENT dentist. And you just don't let family feuds get in the way of that.