Expertly arranged Vocal Method by Pauline Viardot from the Kalmus Edition series. This is from the Romantic era.

Forget the 10,000 hour rule— what if it’s possible to learn the basics of any new skill in 20 hours or less? Take a moment to consider how many things you want to learn to do. What’s on your list? What’s holding you back from getting started? Are you worried about the time and effort it takes to acquire new skills—time you don’t have and effort you can’t spare? Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to develop a new skill. In this nonstop world when will you ever find that much time and energy? To make matters worse, the early hours of prac­ticing something new are always the most frustrating. That’s why it’s difficult to learn how to speak a new language, play an instrument, hit a golf ball, or shoot great photos. It’s so much easier to watch TV or surf the web . . . In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition— how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct com­plex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By complet­ing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well. Kaufman personally field-tested the meth­ods in this book. You’ll have a front row seat as he develops a personal yoga practice, writes his own web-based computer programs, teaches himself to touch type on a nonstandard key­board, explores the oldest and most complex board game in history, picks up the ukulele, and learns how to windsurf. Here are a few of the sim­ple techniques he teaches: Define your target performance level: Fig­ure out what your desired level of skill looks like, what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’ll be able to do when you’re done. The more specific, the better. Deconstruct the skill: Most of the things we think of as skills are actually bundles of smaller subskills. If you break down the subcompo­nents, it’s easier to figure out which ones are most important and practice those first. Eliminate barriers to practice: Removing common distractions and unnecessary effort makes it much easier to sit down and focus on deliberate practice. Create fast feedback loops: Getting accu­rate, real-time information about how well you’re performing during practice makes it much easier to improve. Whether you want to paint a portrait, launch a start-up, fly an airplane, or juggle flaming chain­saws, The First 20 Hours will help you pick up the basics of any skill in record time . . . and have more fun along the way.

"David Elginbrod Book. II" is a novel by George MacDonald. The tale follows Thomas Wingfold, a younger university scholar who loses religion and seeks peace in the faraway village of Turriepuffit. There, he meets the humble and smart Scottish county minister David Elginbrod and his circle of relatives. Thomas' contacts with the Elginbrods result in a religious and personal metamorphosis, as he discovers renewed faith and purpose in lifestyles. The work delves into troubles of faith, redemption, and the deep significance of human relationships. George MacDonald's writing is mentioned for its depth of person and moral information, and "David Elginbrod" is no exception. The novel is a passionate and transferring tale approximately the electricity of compassion and the tenacity of the human spirit. It is a poignant and compelling tale about religion, redemption, and the transformational electricity of human relationships. MacDonald's writing style and perceptive storytelling make "David Elginbrod" a timeless book that continues to enchantment to readers.

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, you will surely want to learn to speak Thai fluently. In order to do this, it is vital to use time words and tense markers correctly. The English term tense is also a handy way to talk about past, present and future activities in Thai, even though there are no tenses as such in the Thai language. When compared to English, Thai tenses are expressed very differently. It is often said that dâai ได้ denotes a past tense. However, it would be better not to think of dâai ได้ as the past tense marker since it can also be used to refer to present or future events. To help you speak Thai fluently the Book II includes: • complete and informative written examples • audio spoken by native speakers • highlights and explanations of dâai’s ได้ usage • sections of simple and easy to understand advice • useful hints and tips on dâai ได้ and the spoken Thai language Books I and II complement each other. However, each book has a different focus. In Book I, Secrets 1–14, we introduced dâai ได้ and explained where it should be placed in sentences. dâaiได้ has several grammatical functions; hence, it also has several meanings depending on the context. In Book II, Secrets 15–22, we focus on tenses. Have fun while you study them both; then, you will understand how Thais express themselves in everyday life!