Dear visitor,

While you may not have heard of The Olivia and Hill Press, you might be familiar with one of the titles of our popular Grammar Series (English Grammar for Students of...), the self-study aids for English speakers learning
a foreign language.

The idea for an English grammar series was conceived in 1978 when I was teaching French at Wayne State University in Detroit and found myself like most foreign language teachers teaching two subjects: grammar and French, with students believing that grammar was purely “a French thing.” Under the assumption that French grammar would be easier to learn if students were first introduced to English grammar, I created a series of handouts: What is a Noun?, What is a Verb?, What are Objects?, etc. These “catchy titles” were soon being borrowed by other teachers in the department. During the following summer, I found myself sitting in my garden revising the handouts with a view toward their publication in the form of a handbook.

Since the birth of English Grammar for Students of French in 1979, I have expanded the series to seven titles, covering the major languages now being taught. Some of the books have gone through several editions, each one reflecting the input of the many instructors who have assigned the book to their classes. The testimonials received over the years reflect the success of the series: close to one million copies sold.

I also invite you to look at our other offerings, French Slang, travel guides, and, in particular, our catalog of
French Books on Cassette which lists novels, plays, and interviews imported from France.

I look forward to hearing from you in our feedback section.

Sincerely,
Jacqueline Morton
President

 

ABOUT JACQUELINE MORTON
Jacqueline Morton was born in France and obtained a Ph.D. in French Literature from Columbia University. After working as a Teaching Assistant at Columbia University, she went on to teach at Smith College and Wayne State University. Her three children have left the nest to live in Michigan, England, and Belgium. She and her husband (also an academic) divide their time between Ann Arbor, Paris (her hometown) and London (his hometown).