Practical Audio-Visual Chinese was used by several U.S. universities in the 90’s, but it’s not too common now since it uses only traditional characters (with simplified ones appearing only in the appendix). Depending on where you studied, you probably covered about the same amount of material in one year if you met for class an hour a day M-F.

I prob. shouldn’t use this book.
Is this book a one year course?

My next review will be on the first book of the Far East Everyday Chinese series, which is the second most commonly used Mandarin textbook used in Taiwan. It’s the primary text of National Sun Yat-sen University, as well as several schools in Gaoxiong. It’s also used by some classes at both Shida and Taida.

I’ve heard good things about the BCLU press in the last couple of years. I can’t really review any of their materials, though, since I don’t have any experience with them. If anyone would like to write a review for any Chinese learning materials, just write it up and send it to doubtingtoshuo.blogspot.com, with a picture and your rating.