The Italian Way

Rating:
Summary: La Vita Italiana
Review: This book offers true, informative facts about Italy and the Italian lifestyle in an easy to read format. It's a great read for anyone planning a trip to Italy or for anyone simply interested in this magnificent country.

Rating:
Summary: La Vita Italiana
Review: This book offers true, informative facts about Italy and the Italian lifestyle in an easy to read format. It's a great read for anyone planning a trip to Italy or for anyone simply interested in this magnificent country.

Rating:
Summary: More entertainment, less of a serious introduction
Review: This slender volume reads fast. A comprehensive study of Italian culture is beyond the scope of this book. The authors have arranged 74 brief "points" about daily life in Italy, alphabetically by subject, so the reader doesn't know what is coming next. If you look at the sample pages available here, you will get a sense of the leaps: we begin with an explanation of the Italian version of April Fool's Day, followed by four paragraphs on table manners, and then we're on to "attracting attention," and so on. From the very way it's organized, we are clearly in the realm of entertainment, although the information is accurate and certainly useful. There is a dusting of vocabulary, but it's not a course in Italian for travellers. I found it a delightful and fascinating read.

Rating:
Summary: More entertainment, less of a serious introduction
Review: This slender volume reads fast. A comprehensive study of Italian culture is beyond the scope of this book. The authors have arranged 74 brief "points" about daily life in Italy, alphabetically by subject, so the reader doesn't know what is coming next. If you look at the sample pages available here, you will get a sense of the leaps: we begin with an explanation of the Italian version of April Fool's Day, followed by four paragraphs on table manners, and then we're on to "attracting attention," and so on. From the very way it's organized, we are clearly in the realm of entertainment, although the information is accurate and certainly useful. There is a dusting of vocabulary, but it's not a course in Italian for travellers. I found it a delightful and fascinating read.