Rating: 
Summary: Lost In Translation
Review: I picked up "Ciao America!" as one of my flatmates is from Italy, and I was thinking it was going to be a great satirical, sarcastic view of a foreigner living in America. Instead, for the most part, it was over-simplistic and too general in its writing and over-exaggerated in its complaints (even though I'm far from being an apologist of American social behavior). Mostly it was fairly shallow observations from someone who I heard was an extremely introspective and intelligent author. My flatmate assured me that he writes much better in Italian as he's less confident in translating his witticisms into English, so I guess his works in English will always leave something lacking. There were some chuckles in this book, but as far as satirical social observations go, I wouldn't put this near the front of the pack.
Rating: 
Summary: You just might learn something...
Review: I ran across this book while looking in the travel section of a local bookstore, and after flipping through it, decided I had to have it - I was curious what a foreigner might have to say about us. I read the first few pages, and couldn't put it down until I was through. Beppe writes about our way of life, experienced firsthand when he and his wife moved to America for a year. He writes about things we take for granted and might never make any observations about, such as obtaining credit cards, our use of air conditioning, mobile homes, malls and even his new neighbors. He writes about "us". It's written with a healthy dose of humor, and I found myself frequently laughing out loud. But he does more than relate stories and anecdotes - he has theories (for lack of a better word) about why we are the way we are. I initially thought I would read this for its entertainment value, but I realized I actually learned something in the process. Read this with an open mind, a sense of humor, and you'll be surprised what you learn from this relatively short, but very entertaining book. Can't recommend it enough if you're interested at all in learning more about our way of life from a different perspective.
Rating:
Summary: You just might learn something...
Review: I ran across this book while looking in the travel section of a local bookstore, and after flipping through it, decided I had to have it - I was curious what a foreigner might have to say about us. I read the first few pages, and couldn't put it down until I was through. Beppe writes about our way of life, experienced firsthand when he and his wife moved to America for a year. He writes about things we take for granted and might never make any observations about, such as obtaining credit cards, our use of air conditioning, mobile homes, malls and even his new neighbors. He writes about "us". It's written with a healthy dose of humor, and I found myself frequently laughing out loud. But he does more than relate stories and anecdotes - he has theories (for lack of a better word) about why we are the way we are. I initially thought I would read this for its entertainment value, but I realized I actually learned something in the process. Read this with an open mind, a sense of humor, and you'll be surprised what you learn from this relatively short, but very entertaining book. Can't recommend it enough if you're interested at all in learning more about our way of life from a different perspective.
Rating: 
Summary: Stereotypes never work and aren't funny
Review: I thought this was going to be a fun look at American life, and some of it was, but the vast generalizations of Americas were supposed to be humorous but I found them inaccurate and insulting.
Rating:
Summary: Shallow and superficial
Review: I was disappointed with this book. It is another from the series of chewed-up, easy to understand, politically correct writings. The author correctly notes that 3 themes are excluded from a polite discussion in America - sex, religion and death. Well, maybe he shoal have explored American attitudes to the first one in a greater detail - and not of course in a vulgar manner, but a clever observation of puritan values and their profound roots in this society would be more interesting to read instead of 3 pages of how his name is misspelled. Anyone whose name is not Smith or Brown has the same problem here, and it is quite trivial. Perhaps the book is so popular because it's so non-controversial? It's not a stinging satire by Oscar Wilde and an oppressing darkness of Kafka's "America", and after all, there is nothing new in this book, or there is nothing that had not been noted before. The author probably wanted to repeat financial success of other boulevard literature, such as Frances Mayes's masterpiece ("Under the Tuscan Sun"). All in all, I found the book boring and non-inspirational - it does not make one think.
Rating:
Summary: this book is a key to american way of life
Review: I'm an italian who is just back from a 3 weeks trip in USA. I read Severgnini's "Un Italiano in America" and I think it was of real help trying to understand my feelings towards America. I found the book so funny and interesting that I bought "Ciao America" for my American friends. I wondered what their reaction would be...well they loved it. And it saved me from trying to explain my impressions in my poor English. Severgnini spoke for me, thank him. By the way...why the ice cubes? Because you like it!!
Rating:
Summary: this book is a key to american way of life
Review: I'm an italian who is just back from a 3 weeks trip in USA. I read Severgnini's "Un Italiano in America" and I think it was of real help trying to understand my feelings towards America. I found the book so funny and interesting that I bought "Ciao America" for my American friends. I wondered what their reaction would be...well they loved it. And it saved me from trying to explain my impressions in my poor English. Severgnini spoke for me, thank him. By the way...why the ice cubes? Because you like it!!
Rating:
Summary: amusing
Review: I've just finished this book. Its clear that the author likes America but he's still compelled to provide the same sophomoric satire that irritates me about Bill Bryson. The book does have some good moments. Its good to get a little satire from the other side of the pond. (this is fairly kind satire, by the way). However, I wouldn't recommend buying this book new (I did). Borrow it, instead.
Rating:
Summary: Bill Bryson with a little more empathy
Review: I've just finished this book. Its clear that the author likes America but he's still compelled to provide the same sophomoric satire that irritates me about Bill Bryson. The book does have some good moments. Its good to get a little satire from the other side of the pond. (this is fairly kind satire, by the way). However, I wouldn't recommend buying this book new (I did). Borrow it, instead.
Rating: 
Summary: An engaging addition to a growing genre - BEING THERE
Review: In the style of Bill Bryson and Peter Mayle, Beppe Sergnini has done a job on Americans in general and Washingtonians in particular. If you like seeing a culture through an alien's eyes, you'll enjoy this book. And if you do, I can unabashedly recommend another - ROMANCING THE SCONE - FINDING OUR WAY IN A LAND FULL OF BRITS
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