When Professor Frederic M. Wheelock's Latin first appeared in 1956, the reviews extolled its thoroughness, organization, and conciseness; at least on reviewer predicted that the book "might well become the standard text" for introducing students to elementary Latin. Now, more than four decades later, that prediction has certainly proved accurate.
The sixth edition of Wheelock's Latin has all the features that have made it the bestselling single-volume beginning Latin textbook, many of them revised and expanded:
40 chapters with grammatical explanations and readings based on ancient Roman authorsSelf-tutorial exercises with an answer key for independent studyAn extensive English-Latin/Latin-English vocabularyA rich selection of original Latin readings--unlike other textbooks, which contain primarily made-up Latin textsEtymological aidsAlso new to the sixth edition are maps of the Mediterranean, Italy, and the Aegean area, as well as numerous photographs illustrating aspoects of classical culture, mythology, and historical and literary figures presented in the chapter readings.
Frederic M. Wheelock (1902-1987) received the A.B., A.M., and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University.His long and distinguished teaching career included appointments at Haverford College, Harvard University, the College of the City of New York, Brooklyn College, Cazenovia Junior College (where he served as Dean), the Darrow School for Boys (New Lebanon, NY), the University of Toledo (from which he retired as full Professor in 1968), and a visiting professorship at Florida Presbyterian (now Eckert) College.He published a number of articles and reviews in the fields of textual criticism, palaeography, and the study of Latin; in addition to Wheelock's Latin (previously titled Latin: An Introductory Course Based on Ancient Authors), his books include Latin Literature:A Book of Readings and Quintilian as Educator (trans. H. E. Butler; introd. and notes by Prof. Wheelock).Professor Wheelock was a member of the American Classical League, the American Philological Association, and the Classical Association of the Atlantic States.