I want to put in a quick plug for this great little book, for anyone trying to learn a new language on their own. The author is Barry Farber and he's spent his lifetime learning one language after another. This book is a quick read and in it you'll learn his most effective tricks for learning a new language. He's got a great and simple method which is easy to follow. So before you get into your chosen language, I highly recommend you give this a quick read--it will help you immeasurably in achieving mastery.