No, I haven't.
I think text books are all different and what suits one person might not suit another. I like different books for differentr reasons but ultimately i think one needs a teacher and soemone to talk with. I don't have either right now.

I don't use it, as it didn't exist when I was learning Arabic, but I have checked it out thoroughly and recommend it. If you go to NWA.com they have a free three day trial for it trhough their worldperks mall.

Sorry to jump in, I know you were asking Vince, but I use Rosetta Stone, it is fantastic! It is worth every dime of the price, especially compared to college courses or private lessons. It is very effective and developes a more natural accent for you. It is unlike any other program I've seen because it immerses you in the language right from the start (no English) yet you don't feel overwhelmed and can go completely at your own pace. It can be rather addicting to do, too, lol. www.rosettastone.com has a free demo. The company is great to deal with, too. I broke my disc by accident and they replaced it for free, and really fast.

If you order the "homeschool" edition, you get a book that comes with it that will include all the text from the lessons, very helpful, but not necessary.

I believe the Rosetta Stone Explorer program is less expensive, but I've only used the full version, so I'm not sure how they compare. I'd recommend just purchasing Level 1 of the program, that is more than enough to keep busy, before needing to invest in the Level 2 program. After finishing level 1 and 2, you will be proficient in the language and able to read, write, and converse in the language comfortably.