The Complete Idiot's Guide to Italian History and Culture (Paperback)

~ Gabrielle Ann Euvino (Author) "Italy. The substance of dreams, romance, and ruins..." (more)
Key Phrases: bella lingua, New York, United States, Italian Americans (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

You-re no idiot, of course. You know there-s more to Italy-s rich tapestry than spaghetti and the Sicilian Mafia, but you also know you have a lot to learn about the country that brought you the paintings of Michelangelo, the poetry of Dante, and the Ferrari of your dreams.Get ready to indulge! The Complete Idiot-s Guide- to Italian History and Culture will satisfy your thirst for all things Italian with its in-depth information about Italian art and literature, wine and cooking, and famous Italians and Italian Americans. In this Complete Idiot-s Guide-, you get: * Secrets of Italian cooking sure to whet your appetite! * The Italian-American connection, from pizza to the Mafia to soccer. * A comprehensive look at the centuries-long struggle to unify Italy. * The power and glory of the Renaissance. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

GABRIELLE EUVINO, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Learning Italian, has been teaching Italian since 1986 and is the president and founder of La Bella Lingua, an educational immersion program where students visit Italian historical landmarks while learning the language and culture of Italy. She teaches Italian at the Learning Annex in New York City.

Michael San Filippo earned a Master of Arts degree in Italian Studies at the Middlebury College Italian School Abroad program in Florence, Italy. He is the founder, editor, and content manager for About Italian Language at italian.about.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028642341
• ISBN-13: 978-0028642345
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #123,212 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars From what I've read... full of inaccuracies..., May 12, 2005

By	Andraste (Genova, Italy) - See all my reviews

I've just glanced at this book thanks to Amazon's feature "look inside" and as an Italian, I feel like dropping some lines about what I've read.
I have had the chance to read only few pages but I've encountered some inaccuracies that make me think the author has done a good research about Italy.
First... There is a "di interessa" all over the book probably intended to highlight interesting points inside the chapters. The correct form is "di interesse". "Di interessa" is a pure mistake.
Second thing... The author says that a typical Italian saying is "Una faccia una razza", namely "one face one race" but this is isn't a typical Italian saying at all. It is Greek and wants to state that Italians and Greeks share the same background.
I didn't want to read further but what I've read is enough to me to say that this isn't the suitable book for those people who want to know more about my country. I assume that as I've found two serious mistakes in two pages, I might find many more in the rest of the book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Trivial information only., October 27, 2001

By	Carl (Fairfax, Virginia) - See all my reviews

I purchased this book to gain more information about Italian culture and history in general and to plan a trip to Italy as well. The "Idiots" guide is properly titled since its information in trite and common and I found the book to be pretty useless. Many other books on the subject are much better.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't fall into the 'complete idiot' trap!, January 7, 2002

By A Customer

I have to admit, I did. I have two on Italy & they were both a complete waste of time & money. The idea is appealing--history & culture told in a fun, easy-to-digest way--but the authors do not have enough experience or knowledge to pull it off. If you're even slightly interested in Italy-don't bother. The book is filled with inaccuracies, typos, and half truths.