Which text book/grammar book would you recommend for learning Japanese.?

Question

I want to learn Japanese, but don't know which book to get to study with. Until now, I have been relying on iPod Podcasts and internet text sources, neither of which are the most reliable things out there. Please don't recommend getting a teacher. I am planning on taking a japanese class in college next year, but don't have access to a teacher right now. So anysuggestions on reading material are welcome. Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

The best book you can get is called Genki I and is published by Japan Times.  

Answer 2

I have lots of experience in this... but you know, people don't listen to experience...   You need a book that will be your Bible so to speak for learning Japanese grammar.  But, I know from experience that only one book won't do.  Sometimes you need to look at a thing from more than one point of view.  You may need other examples of sentences. More over you need a book that suits you.  I got my first book on Japanese grammar in 1961 in Japan.  I don't know if this book is still available. It may be outdated.  Essentiall Japanese bySamuell E. Martin.

I don't have this book anymore and haven't seen it for years.  For me it was a good place to start but it wasn't all I needed.

You may not be learning Japanese writing for a while... your first text on grammar may not need toconsiderr this.  But, soon you will need a kanji book and also dictionaries.  You will need to learn the kana:  hiragana and katakana.  As kanji takes such a long time to learn, you could start using some with your kana as early as possible.  You need to know kana and kanji to better understand some points of Japanese grammar.

  Your text book will become a reference book for grammar and needs to be a well organized hand book as well as a readable book on Japanese grammar

  You don't have to have just one book.  I have a number of more recent small books on Japanese grammar.  I have many dictionaries now... many of them are in Japanese with no English.  I have a Chinese-Japanese dictionary for looking up Kanji.  I have had books on any number of aspects of Japanese.  How to write letters.  I found a grammar on classical Japanese in a used book store.  It gave me another perspective on Japanese grammar.