Oggi in Italia

Rating:
Summary: A Great Introduction to the Italian Language
Review: As a student of Italian for over 4 years, I returned to the language in college and used this textbook. The text was great...very current and up-to-date with everything Italian. Lab/video manual was a bit choppy but did the job for our listening assignments. Can't comment on the video component for this course set. This text is very similar to Parliamo Italiano! so either textbook would serve a new student well.

Rating:
Summary: Benissimo
Review: Well worth the wait. This edition is the best of the Oggi in Italia texts. In the later editions, Merlonghi changes the format to some extent, making the book less attractive and the exercises less enjoyable. In Oggi in Italia, the author puts together everything you ever need to know about reading and speaking italian. It contains dialogues at very realistic and helpful places, such as il mercato, l'aeroporto, e l'universita, and takes you through all tenses and voices of grammar -- even passato romoto, the historical past used in writing. A must for anyone going to the best country in the world or anyone else interested in learning the language.