A logical and fun way to learn Spanish, the author teaches the basics, gradually - and quickly, if necessary! - building confidence. There's lots of useful vocabulary to learn, which is a must, and well designed exercises to consolidate learning.
It's worth noting that the author is a teacher in the US, so the Spanish she teaches on the book is more Latin American rather than from mainland Spain. Nevertheless, this does not detract from an excellent working textbook.
This particular book was recommended by a friend and fellow Spanish classmate. We have a long gap between the end of the last course and the start of the next one in September and this book is excellent for revising what we have already been taught in class and it is very easy to follow, clearly set out and an excellent buy.
Bregstein's book is logically arranged to help beginners in Spanish find their way. There are also helpful hints on pronunciation. However, it should be borne in mind that this book teaches Latin American, or "Standard" Spanish, not the Castelano of Spain. For the most part this doesn't matter but it means the verb conjugation of You (plural), used in Spain, is missing. The differences in pronunciation are probably similar to the differences between American and British English. They're recognisable as either U.S. or British but both are understood.