Customer Reviews

Basic Italian (with Audio Tape)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

Speroni and Golino was a superb text for a student! I was able to teach myself Italian with it with zero problems, although it is designed for a classroom setting (e.g., there's no self-study exercises with answers at the back).

However, that was with the 6th edition -- a superlative text.

However, somebody -- and I know not who -- completely overhauled the text for the seventh edition, which is I think the edition this review will appear on. The exercises were changed, the pictures were changed, the explanations were changed.

Having known the 6th intimately, I found the changes confusing, worse, and off-putting. Using the 7th to teach others, I was repeatedly dumbstruck at the decisions they had made. Was it because of these idiotic changes that this text now seems out of print?

In sum, I heartily recommend this, but only the 6th edition and before. Note, though, that even the 7th edition only came with audio cassettes, not CDs.

This book is very good because it gradually draws one into the language and culture by first fully explaining and reviewing the phonics and phonetic awareness of the Italian alphabet/language. Then by opening each chapter with realistic dialogue, breaking down the grammar, requiring the study of that grammar and exercises to reinforce the concepts; and completing each chapter with the treat of learning real idiomatic expressions that, if learned and used, really give one a sense of the culture and the people. Interestingly, some of the basic instructions at the beginning of the book are in Italian with English translations, however, eventually the books does away with the translations and before you know it you are understanding what is meant to be done anyway with no English translation. Note: It would help to have a native speaker/teacher/tutor review your work to catch any errors or for assistance in proper pronunciation. Even a great book can only do so much.

This book is very good because it gradually draws one into the language and culture by first fully explaining and reviewing the phonics and phonetic awareness of the Italian alphabet/language. Then by opening each chapter with realistic dialogue, breaking down the grammar, requiring the study of that grammar and exercises to reinforce the concepts; and completing each chapter with the treat of learning real idiomatic expressions that if learned and use really give one a sense of the culture and the people. Interestingly, some of the basic instructions at the beginning of the book are in Italian with English translations, however, eventually the books does away with the translations and before you know it you are understanding what is meant to be done anyway with no English translation. Note: It would help to have a native speaker/teacher/tutor review your work to catch any errors or for assistance in proper pronunciation. Even a great book can only do so much.

Thank you for being such an honest seller! This was a major help for my Italian course this summer session at Rutgers.

Purchased this for a college class. HAD to buy it. The more I used it, the easier Italian became. Breaks down the information and dreaded verb conjugation easily. Wish the cassette tape was a CD - had to FIND something in the house that still played cassette - found an old walkman in the basement. A good buy as long as you have the help of a teacher to show you the way.

The product came in great shape and was very swiftly mailed to my house. The seller was great about informing me of the progress of my order and sent some very nice/personalized emails. Overall GREAT!!!

Being required for my Italian I course, I did not enjoy the book that much. It was quite thick, packed with extremely small text, and did not heighten my interest at all. I felt I was reading a medical journal - in Italian. Wanting to learn the language, the book did nothing to increase my interest.

However, flawed as it was, the book included an adequate array of learning material, and I did succeed in completing course with the book, and learning about the Italian language, albeit not in the way I would have necessarily liked.

This book is a very expensive book. $96.95 for a book with only 443 pages. It is not worth the price. Also in each chapter there are words in Italian as a heading without the English word. If you look them up in the Italian-English Vocabulary at the end of the book they are not listed. Why would someone write a book on a foreign language and not explain the meaning of the phrases in English. Examples are Domande, Esercizi, Come si dice, etc. This book needs improved.

While you said this book was in great shape, the entire first five chapters had been torn out.

I believe you should credit me or send another one.