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Italy, Instructions for Use: The Practical, On-Site Assistant for the Enthusiastic (Even Experienced) Traveler [Paperback]

Nan McElroy
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)

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Book Description

May 15, 2007
Called "a boon" and "akin to an operating manual" by Publishers Weekly, Italy: Instructions for Use is the only handbook concentrates solely on the practical aspects of Italian travel. This well-organized, visually pleasing guide keeps all the insider info that other guides have neither the space nor expertise to provide at your fingertips. And whether you choose the palm-sized print version or the Kindle ebook, it won't weigh you down.

Written by an American who lives in Venice and is fluent in the language, Italy: Instructions for Use foregoes dense destination descriptions for concise, in-depth, specifics that are impossible to amass--not to mention memorize--as you frenetically prepare for your journey. The Instructions instead provides expert answers to the questions that occur as you travel, in context, at the moment they arise.

An elegant, color-illustrated guide designed for easy reference, it's packed with the most current, pertinent advice available. Updates include revised information on trains, cell phoning, and more. 

No matter what your destination, you'll find info on:
  • Eating, drinking, ordering, tipping 
  • Driving, including color road sign illustrations
  • Phoning (local, international and cell calls) and getting online 
  • the Italian train system 
  • Shopping, shipping, VAT refunds 
  • Vocabulary in context, Italian to English, and vice-versa 
  • Tourist information 
  • Keys to language pronunciation 
  • Extensive appendix and index

Attractive as it is useful, Italy: Instructions for Use has been assisting travelers since it as first published in 2004. It's the indispensable, ideal companion to any destination guide. Read the Instructions before you go (perhaps a page or two each night), scan it again on the plane, and then keep it in your handiest pocket to consult for every what-now travel situation.

Just remember: when all else fails, read the Instructions!

Frequently Bought Together

Italy, Instructions for Use: The Practical, On-Site Assistant for the Enthusiastic (Even Experienced) Traveler + Italianissimo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best + 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go
Price for all three: $41.37

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An antidote to the hulking volumes that offer encyclopedic amounts of information on a locale, McElroy’s book is designed more along the lines of a operating manual. There are no suggestions for where to stay in Capri or how to see the Vatican in a day. Rather, this book enlightens readers on the how-to’s of traveling in Italy: when to go, how to get there, what to pack, how to read road signs, which class to ride in on a train, how to use Italian phones, what to order for an aperitivo and why the tabaccaio is a resourceful shop, even if you don’t smoke. For first-time visitors, it’s a boon. McElroy, who spends a few months a year in Italy, explains everything travelers need to know in order to blend in and enjoy their trip. Each chapter is color-coded for easy reference, and Italian vocabulary words augment every section.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

After interviewing Nan McElroy and reading "Italy:Instructions for Use" I feel as though I'm an expert on Italy...which I am certainly not. A great read before you go , on the flight over and easy to put in your pocket as you're out and about. -- Sandy Fenton of AAA's Let's Talk Travel

An outstanding little guide...[this] palm-sized book has scads of information on how things are done.... -- Don Groff, Newark Star-Ledger

Few [guidebooks] devote space to practical advice, because there's no room to do more than touch on the basics... -- Europe for Visitors, Durant Imboden

I've been traveling in Italy for over 20 years and seldom do I find a book as useful and eye-opening as "Italy: Instructions for Use". -- About.com's Italy for Visitors, September, 2006

McElroy's "instruction book" really hits the mark. Like American Express, don't leave home without it! -- Louisville Courier Journal

Once in a while a perfect travel resource gets sent to me for review. This is one of those... -- The Travel Consumer

Product Details

  • Paperback: 120 pages
  • Publisher: Illustrata Press; Revised 1st edition (May 15, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1885436300
  • ISBN-13: 978-1885436306
  • Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 5.7 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #427,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When she returned from her first visit to Italy in 1995, someone asked Nan if she enjoyed her trip. "I can't believe this country has been here my entire life, and no one told me." Like so many people, she was astounded at the difference of the rich, vital Italy she had just visited, and the pale imitation she'd always been presented with.

She also realized that no matter how good the destination guide and how much time travelers took to prepare for their European vacation, that was a severe lack of focus on the practical, cultural information that was so critical smoothing out the inevitable bumps in independent travel. They need the simple, practical guidance that would help them more easily partake in the culture they'd chosen to visit.

She continued to return to Italy, and created the portable 'Italy: Instructions for Use:' the how-to and what-now Italian "operations manual." She became fluent in Italian and now lives in Venice, rowing like a gondolier, singing lyric opera and becoming a sommelier to learn as much as possible about the wide variety of wonderful wines that set Italy apart.

Visit her blog at LivingVeniceBlog.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 43 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The only book to carry. June 17, 2005
Format:Paperback
I bought several books on Italy. This was the one book I carried with me at all times. As a novice traveller to Italy it got me through everything. I mastered the train system and Fast Ticket machines, travelling on the autostrada, getting gas, and use of the pay phones. I used it every day for reference and it never let me down. I even stopped carrying my phrase book because this book already had everything I needed to say. If space is a concern, forget those other books and rely on this one. It's small and compact and has it all.
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Companion for smooth traveling May 19, 2005
Format:Paperback
I recently toured Italy for the second time with Nan McElroy's book in my purse. It was invaluable in getting my husband and me on and off the train and around town using both public transportation as well as the taxi. I particularly liked the information about tipping, restaurants and the Italian mind set. The vocabulary at the end of each chapter was helpful in formulating some halting Italian to order food and to find our way around Rome and Florence. Her information on money and protection from pickpockets was right on. I have traveled europe for over 10 years and found this book to be a most practical guide. I not only read it before I left home but as we were touring in Italy for it's helpful hints. The book is small and lightweight enough to carry in your pocket and made our trip completely enjoyable and easy.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars It's the only Italian guide book I read cover to cover! September 23, 2006
Format:Paperback
When it comes to getting ready for a trip with family or friends, I'm the planner. I always manage to build a pretty impressive collection of guide books and research the internet for months to find other traveler's favorite things to see and do. While getting ready for our latest trip to Italy, I found myself becoming overwhelmed with all the information I had in front of me and I couldn't make up my mind which guide to read. That's when I settled down with the book that saved me from information overload and gave me dozens of practical gems that made seeing all the sites in Italy so much easier. I read "Italy, Instructions for Use" cover to cover. This perfectly pocket-sized "personal assistant" helped us to relax and enjoy our trip. We knew just what to do and what to look for. I took it with me and consulted it over and over again. It even helped me remember the Italian word for this and that and saved me from so many embarrassing moments. We used it to make train reservations; to know in advance what it was like to drive on the Autostrada and how to buy the right gas for our rental car; what to expect in a restaurant and so many other answers to the questions you forget to ask before you go. You'll still need your favorite Travel Guide to read up on sites and pick hotels, but trust me; you will find that "Italy, Instructions for Use" is the best investment you can make before your next trip to Italy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars very useful
I read about this 2 days before I was leaving for Italy and was so glad I ordered it. Even though I was travelling with people who had been to Italy before, we referred to it... Read more
Published 2 days ago by Debra L. Mitchell
3.0 out of 5 stars Little Book
This tiny book was as helpful as its size. Most of the info is readily available from other sources and since the author does not update the edition, it is often not accurate.
Published 5 months ago by Anthony James
5.0 out of 5 stars Even for Experienced Travelers, indeed
I found the tone, the look and feel, the content perfect. After half a dozen trips to Italy, including two months of total immersion, I found many nuggets of advice that were new... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Muriel Murray
5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource!
We recently traveled to Italy for the first time and was so glad to have this great pocket guide. Used it for navigating the train stations as well as ATM's and so much more. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Martha
5.0 out of 5 stars Away to Italy
Great broad coverage of Italy, with educational tidbits thrown in. Definitely reminds me of many of the things I enjoyed from my travels. Read more
Published on March 26, 2011 by Mitchell Viner
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended
We just returned from two weeks in Italy and used Nan McElroy's book extensively. It contains a multitude of details, "tricks of the trade", and practical information that is not... Read more
Published on November 9, 2010 by Madeline Schakel
5.0 out of 5 stars Great TIps
Like having a friend to tell you about the things you don't even know to ask when traveling in Italy.
Published on July 27, 2010 by Hogmush
5.0 out of 5 stars Italy, Instructions for Use: The Practical On-Site Assistant for the...
This guide book was a lifesaver. Especially critical was being aware of the letter combination sounds. Read more
Published on January 31, 2010 by A. Urquhart
2.0 out of 5 stars Rip, nothing different
This is a total misnomer,it says on it's cover it will help even experienced travlers, NOT. There is nothing different about this 14. Read more
Published on July 2, 2009 by Nicholas Capozzi
5.0 out of 5 stars great little travel guide for Italy.
WOW, such a tiny little book that is just crammed full of everything you really need to know, about traveling through Italy!
Love the format & the info included. Read more
Published on August 17, 2008 by Joan Aikens
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