I picked up this book hoping to get some tips for moving my intermediate level Spanish to fluency. As a second-language Spanish learner now living in a primarily Spanish-speaking country, I've found that I've somewhat stalled in my progress due to a variety of factors. I'll be re-reading the later chapters on achieving fluency, listening comprehension and hoping that I can add some tools to my toolbox. Time will tell!

I haven't read the first edition of this, but Wyner does give good-- if not basic and well-researched-- advice on how to become fluent in languages. He's realistic about the *idealism* of becoming fluent: Immersion is ALWAYS the top tier of language learning, but he posits that it's unrealistic to just drop everything to go off and learn the language with native speakers and therefore, this book is a realistic approach to learning languages and sticking with them. Wynter details realistic plans with estimates and timelines, but recognizes that each individual has their own style and pace, and his book is more of suggestions than end-all-be-all decision making. All in all, it's a good summary if you just need one book to help guide you through language learning. However, you could also find much of this online for free, but if you need it compiled in one place and in a well-written and somewhat humorous style, you should pick this up.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy.

Such a great resource especially for someone like me who has been trying to learn a language for some time now. You can tell that the author put so much time and effort into this book. I definitely needed this book so that I could find new ways of being able to improve my learning. I found so many new ways to help me that I would’ve never thought of by myself. I am so glad that I picked it up and I’m excited to see how much this helps me progress. It is a lot of information to the point that sometimes I felt like it was too much information for me to take in but that’s ok, I think it is meant to be like that. It is not meant to be read all at once like I did.

I definitely recommend this for all language learners !

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

Totally fine reference book but do not expect this to help you actually learn a language faster. Most of the tips are common sense. But the information is laid out in an easy way to read. Kind of put off by the author suggesting Reddit posts.

If a genie gave me three wishes, being able to speak every language fluent would be one of them. Gabriel Wyner speaks seven foreign languages fluently. In Fluent Forever he shares his method of learning, and one of the tricks is to make it personal. Think of ijmages for words that you are connected to.

While I have spent time every day since March of 2020 learning new languages and I don’t fell comfortable speaking any of them. I look forward to applying some of Gabriel Wyner’s ways to future learning.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harmony! #FluentForeverRevisedEdition #NetGalley

Fluent Forever was certainly an easy read. Wyner lays all his thoughts out clearly and follows linear arguments that allow the reader to understand why he is stating what he is. His approach is interesting in one way—don't bother with translating—and yet bland in another—flashcards, flashcards, flashcards. I think that this approach may have merit but only if you have the time to sit through the tediousness of making the flashcards—or be very lucky in finding Quizlet or Anki packs.

This really has unique and clever ideas to boost your foreign language retention skills. I enjoyed reading about Wyner’s journey in learning and trying out all the different methods and techniques. Because he’s done all the legwork, he has the knowledge to educate the rest of us. I highly recommend trying his techniques out, most especially if you’ve tried learning a foreign language and have been largely unsuccessful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harmony for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

If you’re serious about learning a new language, this book will set you on the right path. It provides a clear, step-by-step guide to mastering a language, from choosing the one that suits you best to maintaining fluency long-term. The author introduces evidence-based principles, connects you with the resources you’ll need, and offers practical advice for both self-learners and those studying in a class.
The language-learning journey is broken down into manageable steps, and for each step you’re provided clear and carefully considered guidance to help you make progress. It is filled with witty explanations and anecdotes that keep the subject interesting.
Since using the tools and resources described, I can truly say I am making better and faster progress in my learning than before. Whether you’re just starting or looking to improve your fluency in any language, I can whole-heartedly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Rodale Inc for sending this book for review consideration. All
opinions are my own.

I love learning languages, especially when trying to understand simple phrases to use when traveling, so I’ve read my fair share of books on learning languages. I have to say that Gabriel Wyner’s Fluent Forever is hands down my favorite book on the study of languages.

The writing style is straightforward and easy to read, and there are so many great and modern techniques and resources that I’ve never learned before. I’ll probably never forget the author’s tip to google foreign words, so that you learn the context and have millions of results to reference and remember. Amazing!

All the strategies are modern, creative, and very well thought out. Now that the author has updated this book to a new edition, there’s even a section on AI-based learning tools, which I use quite often for language learning. I wish I had read this during the year I was learning Mandarin in college.

Five stars all the way.

Thank you, NetGalley and Rodale Inc. for providing a complimentary eARC for review.

I am a keen learner of foreign languages and have read a few books about best practices for learning. I was therefore excited to see what Gabriel Wyner's Fluent Forever had to offer. To start with the positives, I loved that this book (unlike others I've read recently) did not try to say traditional grammar books etc. had no value. I appreciated Wyner's view that different resources could help in different ways and while modern technology offered a lot that didn't mean books were pointless. I enjoyed the science aspects of the book that explained how learning and memorisation occurred. I also liked that the book offered amended suggestions for those already at intermediate level. A couple of points where I wasn't as sold on Wyner's views were 1) the huge emphasis placed on flashcards and 2) the suggestion it was bad to learn more than one new language at a time. On the first point, this will depend on the student. I personally cannot work with flashcards. I have tried, but I find them so dull I lose all motivation and I would rather learn more slowly than give up through boredom. That point ties in with my thoughts on the second issue because I prefer to have fun studying what I want when I want, even if that means slower progress, than be told I am not allowed to try Chinese until I am an advanced-level Korean speaker. Overall, this book does have some good tips and recommends some good practices and resources, but I think it will be best suited to students who like to focus on flashcards and spaced repetition, as that was the primary area expounded. I am giving it four stars.

With eight chapters and an awesome toolbox, “Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget it. Revised Edition” by Gabriel Wyner is an awesome resource for language learners. As someone with an Austrian grandmother on one side and with numerous Germans on the other side, I grew up hearing the German language, living in and visiting both Germany and Austria throughout my life, and even enrolling in college to become a German language high school teacher, Wyner would characterize me as a ‘heritage speaker’.

Although I haven’t read Wyner’s first book, I can state with full confidence that this revised edition is absolutely wonderful. The author argues that there are three keys to language learning: learn pronunciation, don’t translate, and use a spaced repetition system (SRS). After I earned my doctorate, I returned to college and earned my 150 hour certificate in Teaching Language as a Second Language, so I can attest to Wyner’s method. Indeed, some parts of this book reminded me of a required linguistics class that I had to take in graduate school. That said, the vast majority of this book is one that anyone—regardless of educational level—can use to successfully learn another language.

I followed Wyner’s directions and began using physical flash cards using his method, and it worked. Wyner’s method focuses heavily on the five principles of memory using SRS. Using flash cards (and especially cardboard flash cards), there are definite issues, but he he explains how to overcome these more fully in his toolbox; with a bit of creativity, it can easily be done.

I spent quite a bit of time with this book because I wanted to really test Wyner’s method, and it definitely does work. I was disappointed, however, that some of the free tools were **not** free. For example, Anki isn’t free for iOS—only Android users; iOS users must pay $24.99. And the “free” FSI language courses are decidedly not free. For example, the German download bundle costs $19.99. Despite this, the author provides a number of different examples that are free (YouTube and etc.).

This is a really great book on language learning and I absolutely recommend that people interested in becoming a polyglot read this book. It will definitely increase your chances of learning languages successfully.

I received an ARC of “Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget it. Revised Edition” by Gabriel Wyner from NetGalley, Rodale Inc., and Harmony in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a fun and helpful guide to learning anything! "Fluent Forever" presents author Gabriel Wyner's process for learning languages, using the latest neuroscience to unpack how one's brain processes and stores information. It's all completely different from the vocabulary lists and boring grammar rules taught to me, and feels far more natural. Connecting images, sounds, and concepts, rather than translating every word in your head, means you start to think in your new language. And rather than "cat sees dog"-types of lessons, Wyner's method focuses on the student's interests to make the lessons more relevant.

The study techniques and aids in 'Fluent Forever' are especially useful. Wyner's practical approach makes the book a valuable resource for anyone looking to speed up and enjoy their language learning journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This has excellent tips for how to develop a more natural fluency in other languages. I especially found the tip about not trying to translate to English helpful.

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)