THIS BOOK HAD WRITINGS ALL IN THE BOOK. HOW CAN THE SELLER SELL SOMEONE A BOOK IN SUCH BAD CONDITIONS. MY FIRST TIME AD IT WAS A HORRIBLE EXPIERENCE! I RETURNED IT AND NOW I HAVE 2 LOOK SOME MORE

Of the several books I've used this is the best for a student to use for self-teaching with tutorial help or for a class of first time students. Thirteen pages at the beginning dedicated to pronunciation is unprecedented but essential to those wanting to speak and understand the language. It(mostly) avoids the usual problem of inserting grammer not yet covered. The important grammatical issues are clear and well displayed. One drawback is the "bitesize" nature of the chapters which results in some inconvenience in structuring a syllabus. Many users characterize the book as "easy". But it covers all essentials of the language, comparable to other textbooks, and in just as much depth. It's presentation and logical flow eliminate much confusion for a new student.

This book provides the reader with an overview of Italy following the travels of an American student. The level is appropriate for someone with one semester of collge Italian. While the book does an acceptable job, the price is way out of line. The material in the book is also out of date in a number of instances.

For an intermediate student of Italian or a near-beginner who has mastered grammatical structures and the most familiar verb tenses, this is a very enjoyable primer. We follow an American student's travels in Italy via dialogues, letters, and narrative. There are short lessons on Italian history, culture, and its arts. It is variously illustrated and an enjoyable read as much as a language text book.

Its drawback is that its material and photographs are dated (the first editions of this book appeared in the 1960's) and misses contemporary usage and slang.