4 comments about Complete Italian Grammar Review (Barron's Foreign Language Guides).

1. 
   A complete overview of grammatical terms, parts of speech, and how they work together.
   
   Studying the grammar of a foreign language is often perceived as torture by many, but there is no way to avoid grammar. To master any language one must know how its parts work together.
   
   This book takes away the torture out of studying grammar, by providing a user-friendly practice and review manual. The complete book is written in a "conversational style", so is friendly enough to be used as a self-study guide.
   
   The book is divided in twenty chapters that cover everything from the structure of simple sentences to writing e-mails. At the end of each chapter there is a "culture capsule" completely written in Italian with a glossary, which is designed to give information on a major component of Italian culture and civilization. This capsules can be consider at least useful reading material, but in fact they give information of which no intermediate or advanced learner should be unaware.
   
   At the back of the book is a list of the most frequently used words in the Italian language, verbs charts and the answers to all the exercises.
   
   Absolutely a must for anyone who wants to master the Italian language.



2. This is an excellent book. Un buon libro! Mi piace molto. It is very helpful.



3. the item was in excellent condition and it took little time to get to my address.



4. This is an accessible, well-written review of Italian grammar -- remarkably thorough for the price, and well laid out with usage examples. A particularly useful feature is coverage of conventions of contemporary usage -- such as E-mail conventions -- that are rarely covered in a traditional grammar. It would benefit from a more extensive dictionary section but at this price it's hard to complain.

3 comments about A Handbook of Diction for Singers: Italian, German, French.

1. Professor David Adams skillfully offers keen insight into the basics of Italian, German, and French diction. In addition to covering the most general rules, he goes on to explain common exceptions and more elusive nuances of each language within the context of a singer's perspective. Some familiarity with the International Phonetic Alphabet is helpful but not necessary.

   This book will prove a tremendous asset for any singer whose goal is more than simply singing correct notes. It will assist in adding that element of expression only possible with the clarity of the text as it was intended by the composer.




2. Prof. Adams was my previous voice teacher at College-Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati. Now I study voice at University of Illinois. We used his book for Diction class. Every terminology and explanation is very clear. It is best reference book for singers.



3. This is an excellent resource that I've used many times in my song study. I recently purchased the updated 2008 edition also by Adams, and it contains much of the same great material. I'd recommend either edition, but the latter does have more current research that makes it a bit more desirable.

5 comments about Eleven Short Stories/Undici Novelle (A Dual-Language Book).

1. This book is a great version of these classic tales. Being a dual-language text makes it an excellent aid to Italian language study. It is a must-read for lovers of Italian literature.



2. Yeah, its fun to study this way, and you will not even realize how much italian you have learned until you go back to read the book again or go read another book in italian and you will be like "Holy cow I can understand some of this"...I am reading this book for a second time now...my feelings on the actual stories themselves is really kinda hit or miss...some of them I thought were really cool, like Una Voce, it is a story about a blind man who is engaged to this woman. A doctor thinks he can cure the man's blindness. What happens? You have to read to find out but it was very interesting (Yeah I know it sounds like that movie with Val Kilmer but trust me, it's different). But honestly, for a lot of the other stories I was like please let this end. Maybe something was lost in the translation, and I'm not fluent in Italian, but Pirandello reminds me of a guy who takes 2 hours to set up a joke and then has no punchline. He writes like at the end there is going to be some really big catch like "Woah I can't believe this happened!" but then he just ends it before that catch ever takes place. So I guess what I am trying to say
   is that this book is a great tool for learning italian, I just didn't find most of the stories very interesting. Still, I am glad I bought it. I thought "Italian Stories" were a lot more interesting. Yeah, I know Pirandello is real famous and people love his stuff, I'm just saying that I didn't particularly like it.



3. Outstanding book for the intermediate Italian student. Put together well.



4. Luigi Pirandello, the 1934 Nobel laureate for literature,created some delightful and surprising short stories of the southern regions of Italy.
   Supported by a careful English translation on the opposite pages it is possible for the intermediate level student of Italian to get a taste of real literature.
   Because of Pirandello's place in the literary world, this book should be added to every student's library.



5. I like dual language books as I Learn the language. This one is a good one. the stories are interesting and the trandlation allows for quick help on difficult passages.

5 comments about Let's Learn Italian Picture Dictionary.

1. Our kids love this book! The pictures in this book grabbed their attention. It's a fun way to put the English words to Italian words. And if you don't know how to say a word, you can look in the Glossary and it will tell you how to say it.



2. You must work on it and keep up with it or you will lose it.



3. My child is really enjoying this book. I think what she likes so much about it is that the book uses a visual method with 2 page spreads that visually communicate the meanings of words. This huge-size dictionary has her learning from detailed depictions of people, places, actions, and things. She is learning about things that she can actually relate to like things in the home, the classroom, sports, and animals. There is also a helpful index and glossary for parents to use. I give this book five stars. But I am wondering why I cannot find a Spanish learning one just like this one to teach kids.



4. It is a little cumbersome - more of a reference rather than a enjoyable learning book. Probably would not purchase it if I had it to do over again....



5. I ordered this book and an audio cd program. The cd program was for a much younger child, but he was able to go through the dictionary and learn some words on his own while I look for another age appropriate audio program.

5 comments about Prego! An Invitation to Italian (Student Edition).

1. I took 3 semesters of Italian, with each semester covering 1/3 of the book, so I completed the entire book. This book is good if you follow it in a traditional classroom setting, especially since the proffessor pointed out all the mistakes in this book, which unfortunately, are quite numerous for a textbook. I have also checked out the 4th edition, which is much better than this one as it is better structured and contains useful charts,(which are now omitted) and is thoroughly proofread. The 6th edition just came out, so hopefully it is an improvement from the 5th.



2. I read this entire book across two college semesters before moving to Italy. After having spent $500 or so on Italian language books, this is one of the few that was worth the money. Even though I speak fluently, I still refer to this book frequently to resolve difficult tense questions or clarify grammar details. I highly recommend this book to any serious student.



3. This is an alright text book. It does what it's meant to do. A person can learn Italian from this book as long as they are also in a class as well, but it definately has some flaws. One -it needs more examples of some of the more difficult grammar points. Two - the order is strange. Why did you start with avere? Somehow essere seems like a better place to start. And the chapter themes! They pretend that they have chapters arranged by topic, but it seems very haphazard to me. Also, several major grammatical topics are missing from this book, and as a result, many of my teachers have had to give us multiple hand outs to compensate. It's ok - but it could be a lot better.



4. Mint condition & arrived in a short time! Very pleased!!



5. Learning Italian for an upcoming trip....this school book is the key...it's easier to follow (as it's intended for High School)than other self help books....and is full of useful information...I would recommend the workbook to go with it...or just make copies of the pages to work with....Great book...it is helping me a lot.

5 comments about Italian Stories: A Dual-Language Book.

1. Another excelent book for intermediate Italian Students. A good learning tool that is easy to follow.



2. This book is a good learning tool with the pages being laid out well and translating from english to italian left to right.



3. I give this book a low rating because it is advertised as suitable for students of Italian, but is simply not a good tool for beginning students. I am a beginner student who can speak basic Italian fairly well, but I had much difficulty with this book! It actually worsened my Italian some with confusing, outdated words.
   
   My significant other is from Italy. After speaking with him (a very well educated person who attended liceo classico - Italian high school focusing on grammar, literature, history, and philosophy) and other Italians, I found that the stories in this book are for very advanced students who can already speak Italian.
   
   Many of the words in these old stories are no longer used in speaking today. If you are trying to learn Italian, do not buy this book. If you are fluent in Italian, but your first language is English, and you want to learn about Italian history and culture, this book is good for you.



4. This is not a beginners book. I thought 'what a great idea', but the italian is old classical literature, not modern day italian. So its not so easy. My italian friend said this is not the best for lower level. Its like doing the shalespeare in italian translation. I'm keeping it for later when I get more classes under my belt.



5. It is hard to find dual language books, and they aren't always good when you do find them. This one is worth it. Others describe the contents well. Worth the money, if you have the interest in learning Italian.

5 comments about Italian: A Self-Teaching Guide, 2nd Edition.

1. This is a no-nonsense approach to learning Italian. I read the book three times, and did the exercises three times. Each time it was easier, and I understood more. I was able to enter an Italian 2 class, and even had a bit of an edge from working so much with this book. I still will go over some of my "problem spots", and also I use it as a reference. Now I'm ready to tackle Italian 3. I don't know of any other book that is so thorough on the market today. Bravo Professore Lebano!



2. This is a great educational book with lots of problems and dialogue to learn Italian.



3. If you want to learn more than just conversational italian,this is the book. I would also purchase an Italian/American dictionary for referance.
   Really easy to uinderstand.



4. This review is of the paperback edition which I assume is the same as the hardcover. I've worked through this book twice using it, as intended, as a self study guide. It works reasonably well and is agreeably free of Idiot Guide annoyances ('takin it for a walk!', adolescent jokes, etc). The approach is conventional with readings, vocabulary lists, grammar sections (in quite bite sized pieces), many excercises and drills and (essential for a self study guide), three review sections and a complete answer key for all exercises. If you work through it in a systmatic way you should get to about the equivalent of a university level It 101. You'll have reviewed all essential grammar and will have a vocabulary of about 600 words. There are however some problems. There is no index so looking up something you've already covered involves a lot of flipping. The grammatical discussions are a little brief in places and a supplementary reference grammar is recommended - but you should have one anyway. Finally, the book is marred by frequent typos, often poor layout of tables and vocabularies, inconsistent conventions and general signs of a lack of editing that is surprising from a major publisher - Wiley for the paperback. These are annoying rather than fatal and since no one else has mentioned them, maybe I'm just a little obsessive.



5. I find the book helpful and easy to follow. There are new vocabulary words in every chapter along with separated "boxed" sections of verbs, tenses, etc. I learn easier by a combination of hearing & writing...this book fits my learning style. Although We are using the book in an adult Beginning Italian class, it is a self-teaching guide so the answers to the exercises are in the back of the book, along with vocabulary words. The book is a convenient size, has a laminated cover which gives it a nice feel, easy to take care of and protects the book while carrying it around (this is a pet peeve of mine, especially since I get irradic down time-therefore, often carry the book with me during the day). I would highly recommend this book. I am enjoying it so much, I decided to get the Spanish equivalent to help me separate the two languages, something I am having trouble with.

5 comments about Conversational Italian: Learn to Speak and Understand Italian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur).

1. Came with recommendation from friends and is excellent. Based on good applied linguistic principles. It's clear and easy to follow and encourages good pronunciation. A very good starting point



2. These CD's were great. I happened to listen to them on a road trip, allowing me to take in 3-4 lectures at a time, but I'm sure they'd do just as well if spaced out more. The pace was good, the logic of the lesson plans made sense, and the constant reviewing ensured that learning was cumulitive



3. I wanted a course that would focus on speaking Italian rather than reading or writing and this one does a great job of getting one to use everyday phrases and sentences confidently. I listen to the CDs in my car all the time and find that I'm mastering the basics quickly. My goal is to be able to use basic Italian for a trip to Italy in 2008 and I feel that this course will help me do just that.



4. Stop! Don't buy this one if you're serious about learning Italian.
   
   The Pimsleur series is the best self-taught language learning system out there but this product is just the first half of Italian I : Pimsleur Comprehensive (Pimsleur CD Series). Once you hear these 16 CD's you'll want the rest and you'll be angry you spent the money buying these first. The first 16 lessons just give you enough to get interested but not enough to reasonably converse with anyone. You'll be sorry if you like them and end up wanting more.



5. I have been more than pleased with the Pimsler's Into to Italian. I have done a side comparisons of different courses. Pimsler wins. I purchased the into to Italian courses of different publishers including Berlitz and Rosetta Stone. Pimsler is the one I have used the most because it an audio disk and can be used in my vehicle. Any time I am in my vehicle I am learning.
   The into Berlitz course is also on audio disk but it does not match the Pimsler in useful content or style of presentation. I have stopped using it entirely. I have also stopped using two other lesser known courses.
   I am continuing use the Rosetta Stone but not as much as the Pimilser on about a 4 to 1 basis. Rosetta Stone is excellent, has more features than Pimsler but that is also one its downfalls. Since it requires that I be at my computer to use it, I use it less. At the moment I use it for working on my pronunciation. The voice print analysis and pronunciation meter features are cool. Also when I start trying to learn to read Italian is suspect Rosetta Stone will be more useful.
   However for the average beginner just trying to learn a basic vocabulary and practical phrases Pimsler wins hands down. For example the Pimsler course taught me how to order wine and beer while Rosetta Stone was teaching me how to say "The boy is Jumping". Also, If you are on a budget, the Pimsler is cheaper. If you are not on a budget get both Pimsler and Rosetta Stone but if you have to choose, get Pimsler

5 comments about Italian Verb Workbook.

1. I have been attempting to learn Italian via the Pimsleur Method--a listen and repeat system on tape or CDs. It's quite good as far as it goes. However, to really grasp the written language, build vocabulary and understand verbs in some detail, Pimsleur is not enough.
   
   No doubt a trip to Italy would help as would a class at the local college, but the first was out of my price range at the moment and the second was all booked up. So, I began a search for a book that could help build my skills. I was amazed at how difficult it was to find such guide. Then I stumbled on the Italian Verb Workbook.
   
   It's fantastico! Very clear. Very straightforward. Detailed enough in each section without being overwhelming. Don't expect to whiz through this in a couple of hours, but if you stick with the program, it really will help you master the language.



2. I am finding this work book to go along very well with my Pimsleur language CDs. There are good exercises to reinforce useage. I am a beginner learner and am finding it well written, easy to follow and extremely helpful. I am using it in conjunction with Paola Nanni-Tate's Italian Verb Drills and am finding that they explain things a little differently from each other, so what I don't get from one I get from the other.



3. I use this excellent workbook to enhance my classroom work; in some cases I was able to better learn a concept due to this workbook. It is very well organized, the information is reliable and there are plenty of exercises for the dedicated student; there is a complete answer key in the back of the book.



4. The work book requires a minium skill level of beginner. If you have some basic knowlege of the language, and some vocabulary you will find this book a great tool. I have sharpened my speed and usesage of verbs essential in conversational Italian. I would recommend it.



5. This is a great book! I already own it but this time I purchased it as a gift. Grazie tanto!

5 comments about Bantam New College Italian/English Dictionary (Bantam New College Dictionary Series).

1. This bilingual dictionary's two greatest virtues are its compact yet readable format and its affordable price. This meets my limited needs, as someone who comes across the occasional Italian word in passing. Most high school language students will also find that it has all the vocabulary they need. This isn't a scholar's reference, though. Translated definitions tend towards the terse, so they won't cover all usages of a term. And, to keep cost down, it's printed on pulp stock, so it won't last forever even if handled gently. It offers plenty if you don't need much, and that's good enough for me right now.
   
   //wiredweird



2. I have been buying this dictionary for my high school students for the last 3 years. Not only is it economical but it has more words than the average high school student studying Italian can handle. Easy to use for teens.



3. This is the absolute BEST Italian-English dictionary I have ever found! In the last 25 years, living and working in Italy I have literally consumed 5 copies. It has 95% of the vocabulary I have ever needed.



4. This little book seems quite complete, and the tables in the front are very helpful. The print on the pages smudges easily, but that is a function of the (probably) recycled paper. It is still a good value for the price.



5. I have been using this dictionary to understand Josh Groban's Italian songs. It has been very helpful.