Readers who want to teach themselves Italian at their own pace and outside a formal classroom setting will find this book an excellent source for getting started. Meanwhile, its many exercises
and quick-check quizzes make it a fine textbook supplement for classroom use. The book opens with a discussion of Italian sounds, pronunciation, and spelling, with advice on stress and
intonation in spoken Italian. Chapters that follow coach readers in greeting people, asking and answering basic question, polite expression, counting, making comparisons, expressing
preferences, and carrying on everyday verbal transactions, for instance, at stores, banks, and restaurants. The updated text reflects current trends including use of communications devices and
the euro. New in this edition are cultural capsules that discuss Italy and the Italian way of life. The author's pleasant, user-friendly approach to the language helps make learning Italian
truly easy.