Read Chinese Today: Understanding

This small book is perfect for studying Chinese characters in their "natural setting." There are 3 sections in the book. The first section describes the common Chinese characters you will encounter on a stroll through San Francisco's Chinatown. The ancestral forms of the characters are discussed, which helps me remember the symbol. The meanings of the individual symbols, as well as the meaning of the characters as used together, is discussed. At the end of this first section is a map of Chinatown, which includes the location of where the photographs were taken. The second section is a b & w photo album showing the Chinese characters and the buildings they are found on. A questionaire is provided for each photo which is designed to be filled in during an actual field excursion. The last section is a dictionary with 68 characters, including the ancestral form, a definition, a brief description of the word's origin, and which photos (in the second section) include the symbol. I can already recognize several characters without trying hard. The only problem is that the stroke order isn't provided. You don't need to visit Chinatown to learn from this book, but I sure look forward to going there after I study the book for a couple months. I think that a visit to any Chinatown would be enhanced by reading this book beforehand.