An introductory textbook for learning Spanish, this book takes the unusual approach of teaching the language entirely in Spanish. Given the book’s careful choice of cognates, students can easily understand even the most sophisticated grammatical explanations. The book went through four editions—1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996. The first edition was co-authored with David Forbes. Subsequent editions were prepared entirely by Shumway. Although no longer in print, the book is still available for people who insist that teaching Spanish in Spanish is the best way to learn the language.