This books is great for beginners. It is structured in a way that in every lesson, you can learn a new verb form, another grammatical form, as well as some cultural background.

My school used it to teach portuguese. They prefer because 1) tapes are included, and 2) you can use the book at your own pace. I did the entire book in one quarter!

I am actually purchasing it again, because it is not only a great learning device but also a good reference for once you've learned.