The Italian Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the Italians [Paperback]

Mario Costantino (Author), Lawrence Gambella (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 1996

For All Students Ideal for a variety of course, this valuable handbook helps students understand how people from every corner of Italy think, do business, and act in their daily lives.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (April 11, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844280720
• ISBN-13: 978-0844280721
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #400,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read for those that want to understand Italian culture, June 10, 2006

By 

Amalfi Coast Girl (Mid-Atlantic, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Italian Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the Italians (Paperback)

In the introduction the authors tell us that the purpose of the book is to provide snapshots of daily life. If you have ever been to Italy you know that they have a different notion of what it means to live. Every visit that I have every made to Italy there has been a general strike that has taken place. The first time I visited Italy this fact mystified me. Now, I just know that this is what happens and I don't let it bother me.

This book is a collection of short discussion on a variety of topics. The topics covered are as follows:

1. April Fool's Day
2. At the table
3. Attracting Attention
4. Bad Luck Day
5. Il Bar
6. Le barzellette (joke)
7. Basic Expressions in Italian
8. La Befana
9. Business
10. Calcio (Soccer)
11. Calendar
12. Calling Cards
13. Il campanilismo
14. Il carnevale
15. Celebrations and holidays
16. Compliments, appreciation, and criticism
17. Dating and Marriage
18. Driving in Italy
19. Education
20. Expressions such as Dio mio!
21. Eye contact in conversation
22. Family and friends
23. Il Ferragosto
24. Form of government and politics
25. Gallantry
26. Gestures
27. Houses and housing
28. Introductions
29. Italian films
30. Italy on wheels
31. The kitchen
32. The language
33. Letters
34. Made in Italy
35. Ma lei non sa chi sono io! (You don't know who I am)
36. Il malocchio (evil eye)
37. M'arrangio
38. Meals and mealtimes
39. Monetary unit - the lira (this is now out of date)
40. Navigating a building
41. Number usage in different situations
42. On stage in Italy
43. Opera
44. Il Palio
45. People's names and name days
46. Physical distance and contact
47. La Piazza: the center of daily life
48. Politicians
49. Professional and civil titles
50. Pro loco
51. Punctuality
52. La raccomandazione
53. Religion
54. Restaurants
55. Lo sciopero (strikes)
56. Shopping
57. Signs
58. Lo sport
59. Telephones
60. The term American
61. Tests
62. Time of day
63. Transportation
64. The two faces of Italy
65. Tu, Lei, and voi
66. La vendemmia
67. Visiting
68. Waiting in line
69. Ways of conveying information
70. We make love, not war
71. The wines of Italy
72. Women
73. Work
74. The world of youth

The sections that speak of male and female interaction are very valuable for women traveling to Italy alone. Italians are very expressive people. They are much more demonstrative than Americans. This book covers that fact in great detail, and does a nice job of getting the point across. Physical beauty is greatly prized in Italy, and this will result in more than a few pinches when you are a woman in Italy unaccompanied.

Overall, I think this is useful little book to read before leaving for your first trip to Italy. It won't make a lot of sense before you arrive in Italy. However, once you are there much of it will become clear.

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More entertainment, less of a serious introduction, January 8, 2003

By 

Algernon D'Ammassa (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Italian Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the Italians (Paperback)

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.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars You can live without it, but..., April 6, 2006

By 

L. Schultz "quiche" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Italian Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the Italians (Paperback)

This is NOT a must read for the traveler to Italy. If you have disposable income and are planning a trip to Italy and have a few concerns about culture, buy it. My experience was that it didn't make a difference to my experience of Rome and Florence, but it certainly helped me feel more comfortable that I wouldn't offend anyone.
The book is easy to read and pleasantly laid out. I was more impressed with "Passport Italy: Your Pocket Guide to Italian Business, Customs & Etiquette", but even that I would say is not critical to a visit to Italy.
If you are going to Italy, have fun and eat well! Any sensibly minded person will not offend an Italian...just smile and offer your apologies for not totally understanding.