New Book - Total English Advanced

For those of you that are familiar with Total English at the other levels, this will not prove a great revelation. It is basically more of the same at a higher level.
Organised thematically, with the language syllabus very overt (grammar and vocabulary), but with can do statements also in each unit which refer sometimes to the language covered and sometimes to the skills work
For example in unit 4 lesson 2 the grammar is future forms review and the can do statement is "talk about plans and arrangements". In Unit 6 lesson 2 the can do is "take notes from fluent connected speech" This isn't exactly rocket science but at least it gives you some idea of where the authors are coming from in terms what they see as the main focus of the material. Language is mostly taken out of the skills work in some way, and most sections of each unit involve use of all 4 skills. A separate writing bank at the end develops writing a little more deeply, although this only has 3 sections.
Having sounded rather luke-warm about it, I can say that it is a very user-friendly book and has some nice language content. Reference sections at the end of each unit give clear examples of usage and a box of key vocabulary, presented mostly within a phrase rather than in isolation to help with collocation.
Some very up-to-date thematic material such as Unit 2.2 on wikis - worth looking at if you don't know what a wiki is!
Possibly the most interesting piece of the book is the film bank with DVD containing 10 short (approx 5 min) films linked to the units in the book with worksheets which involve some reading and discussion as well as viewing. Unit 2, about Soho, might be useful in terms of familiarising students with London a little. Unit 10, Close Encounter, is a little cheesy, but introduces some good phrases for starting and maintaining conversation.

Overall I would say not a great book but worth having in the staff room . We got the students book free but will have to buy the rest (teachers book, work book with CD ROM, audio CD) Have a look and let me know what you think, and if you like it check out the other levels. But don't think of this as an advanced course book - more upper intermediate really.