This book is one of the best tools to build vocabulary and useful sentence structures for beginning students. The first section, or book, is by the editor/author, and provides an introduction to some basic ideas of the language. It usually surprises students how quickly they begin picking up the meaning. The material is subtly graded, so the reader does not struggle with the addition of new words (the translations listed unobtrusively at the bottom of the page are helpful when newly-introduced words are not recognized). The adapted selections used in the rest of the book give students a feel for works by Italian authors, while at the same time making them accessible. Again, there are footnotes for new terms. This book does not constitute a stand-alone language learning tool, but it goes well with other language-learning tools. Anyone who uses this reader will benefit greatly.

This book is excellent, but severley dated. It is one of a series done for the U.S. government during The Second World War, when the best linguists of the day were hired to produce courses that would teach foreign languages to soldiers fast. This is the same methodology now used by the Foreign Service Institute to teach languages to U.S. diplomats.

Many courses since The War have been produced that use this methodology with updated content, and most students will find them more congenial. See "Ultimate Italian" for an example.

This is one of a series produced during the Second World War, when the U.S. government hired the best linguists available to turn out materials that would teach foreign languages to soldiers fast. It is the same methodology now used to teach languages to U.S. diplomats.

In spite of the publication date given above, this book was first published in 1944 or 1945 and the content is dated. Sound recordings are available, but I have heard criticism from Brazilians of the pronunciation.

Excellent books and recordings have been published since The War, and they will be more congenial to most students.

This book was first published in 1944 or 1945 for the Army, and its content is dated. I have heard Brazilians criticize the pronunciation used. See the review[s] for the first volume.

Better books with sound recordings are now available