La Bella Lingua

A celebration of the language and culture of Italy, La Bella Lingua is the story of how a language shaped a nation, told against the backdrop of one woman’s personal quest to speak fluent Italian. For anyone who has been to Italy, the fantasy of living the Italian life is powerfully seductive. But to truly become Italian, one must learn the language. This is how Dianne Hales began her journey. In La Bella Lingua, she brings the story of her decades-long experience with the “the world’s most loved and lovable language” together with explorations of Italy’ s history, literature, art, music, movies, lifestyle and food in a true opera amorosa — a labor of her love of Italy. Over the course of twenty-five years, she has studied Italian through Berlitz, books, CDs, podcasts, private tutorials and conversation groups, and, most importantly, time spent in Italy. In the process the Italian language became not just a passion and a pleasure, but a passport into Italy’s storia and its very soul. She invites readers to join her as she traces the evolution of Italian in the zesty graffiti on the walls of Pompeii, in Dante’s incandescent cantos and in Boccaccio’s bawdy Decameron. She portrays how social graces remain woven into the fabric of Italian: even the chipper “ciao,” which does double duty as “hi” and “bye,” reflects centuries of bella figura. And she exalts the glories of Italy’s food and its rich and often uproarious gastronomic language: Italians deftly describe someone uptight as a baccala (dried cod), a busybody who noses into everything as a prezzemolo (parsley), a worthless or banal movie as a polpettone (large meatball). Like Dianne, readers of La Bella Lingua will find themselves innamorata, enchanted, by Italian, fascinated by its saga, tantalized by its adventures, addicted to its sound, and ever eager to spend more time in its company.

A celebration of the language and culture of Italy, La Bella Lingua is the story of how a language shaped a nation, told against the backdrop of one woman’s personal quest to speak fluent Italian. For anyone who has been to Italy, the fantasy of living the Italian life is powerfully seductive. But to truly become Italian, one must learn the language. This is how Dianne Hales began her journey. In La Bella Lingua, she brings the story of her decades-long experience with the “the world’s most loved and lovable language” together with explorations of Italy’ s history, literature, art, music, movies, lifestyle and food in a true opera amorosa — a labor of her love of Italy. Over the course of twenty-five years, she has studied Italian through Berlitz, books, CDs, podcasts, private tutorials and conversation groups, and, most importantly, time spent in Italy. In the process the Italian language became not just a passion and a pleasure, but a passport into Italy’s storia and its very soul. She invites readers to join her as she traces the evolution of Italian in the zesty graffiti on the walls of Pompeii, in Dante’s incandescent cantos and in Boccaccio’s bawdy Decameron. She portrays how social graces remain woven into the fabric of Italian: even the chipper “ciao,” which does double duty as “hi” and “bye,” reflects centuries of bella figura. And she exalts the glories of Italy’s food and its rich and often uproarious gastronomic language: Italians deftly describe someone uptight as a baccala (dried cod), a busybody who noses into everything as a prezzemolo (parsley), a worthless or banal movie as a polpettone (large meatball). Like Dianne, readers of La Bella Lingua will find themselves innamorata, enchanted, by Italian, fascinated by its saga, tantalized by its adventures, addicted to its sound, and ever eager to spend more time in its company.

For anyone who has ever travelled to Italy or simply dreams of going there one day, the fantasy of living la dolce vita is powerfully seductive. Dianne Hales is no exception, but she also fell truly, madly and deeply in love with the language. The result is La Bella Lingua, a joyous, funny and warmly affectionate celebration of Italy.

Ruchti, a missionary in Rome for 25 years, has captured Italy's bella vita, or beautiful life, in these daily writings. Each entry includes a short discussion of a different topic and a relevant passage from Scripture and prayer.

“‘Questo paese è immorale,’ disse zio George sedendosi in una delle sedie dorate. ‘Non ero nemmeno arrivato che mi hanno rubato quattrocento dollari e poi passeggiando per le strade qui a Roma non ho visto altro che statue di uomini senza vestiti. Nulla addosso!’” Il nostro paese visto attraverso gli occhi di un grande scrittore americano e dei suoi personaggi, divisi in amanti e detrattori dell'Italia. Ma uniti nel difficilissimo rapporto con la nostra, melodica, lingua. Finalmente in eBook i racconti di un grande maestro del Novecento. L’occasione per scoprire (o riscoprire) il più straordinario cantore dell’inquieta borghesia americana, vincitore del premio Pulitzer e ispiratore delle atmosfere di innumerevoli film e di serie di culto come “Mad Men”. Tratto da “I racconti”, pubblicato da Feltrinelli. Numero di caratteri: 51.879

La Dolce Vita University, 2nd Edition (LDVU2) is the perfect sampler for anyone curious about (or already in amore with) Italy and its remarkably rich cultural gifts, both past and present. This fully revised second edition includes 75 pages of new material (60 new chapters and 40 new illustrations) to expand on the delights in the first edition. True to its lighthearted name, La Dolce Vita “U” is all about pleasurable learning, or what we prefer to call “edu-tainment.” Its dozens of entertaining yet authoritative mini-essays on a wide assortment of intriguing topics encourage random dipping at the reader’s pleasure. Even the most erudite Italophile will discover fun new facts and fascinating new insights in the pages of La Dolce Vita U. Mini-essays treat specific topics in one or more of the following subject areas: the Italian character; the visual arts (art, artists, architects); the performing arts (music, theater, cinema); history and antiquity; language and literature; cuisine and agriculture; wine and spirits; traditions and festivals; style and applied arts; unique places. In a wink and nod to the book’s “academic” identity, the 200 mini-essays are arranged alphabetically and accompanied by charming illustrations throughout. A special traveler’s topic index is provided at the end of the book.

"A genius immortalized her. A French king paid a fortune for her. An emperor coveted her. No face has ever captivated so many for so long. Every year more than nine million visitors trek to her portrait in the Louvre. Yet while everyone recognizes her smile, hardly anyone knows her story. This book rests on the premise that the woman in the Mona Lisa is indeed the person identified in its earliest description: Lisa Gherardini (1479-1542), wife of the Florence merchant Francesco del Giocondo. Dianne Haleshas followed facts wherever she could find them -- from the Florence State Archives, to the squalid street where she was born, to the ruins of the convent where she died. Lisa Gherardini was a quintessential woman of her times, caught in a whirl of political upheavals, family dramas, and public scandals. Descended from ancient nobles, she gave birth to six children and died at age sixty-three. Her life spanned the most tumultuous chapters in the history of Florence, decades of war, rebellion, invasion, siege, and conquest--and of the greatest artistic outpouring the world has ever seen. Her story creates an extraordinary tapestry of Renaissance Florence, inhabited by larger-than-legend figures such as Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli. Mona Lisa: ALife Discovered takes readers beyond the frame of Leonardo's masterpiece and introduces them to a fully dimensional human being"--

A jubilant celebration of Italy’s outsize impact on culture, from literature to art, music to movies, that “masterfully examines the multitude of reasons why so many people fall in love with Italy and the Italian lifestyle” (Forbes) Can you imagine painting without Leonardo, opera without Verdi, fashion without Armani, food without the signature tastes of pasta, gelato, and pizza? The first universities, first banks, first public libraries? All Italian. New York Times bestselling author Dianne Hales attributes these landmark achievements to la passione italiana, a primal force that stems from an insatiable hunger to discover and create; to love and live with every fiber of one's being. This fierce drive, millennia in the making, blazes to life in the Sistine Chapel, surges through a Puccini aria, deepens a vintage Brunello, and rumbles in a gleaming Ferrari engine. Our ideal tour guide, Hales sweeps readers along on her adventurous quest for the secrets of la passione. She swims in the playgrounds of mythic gods, shadows artisanal makers of chocolate and cheese, joins in Sicily’s Holy Week traditions, celebrates a neighborhood Carnevale in Venice, and explores pagan temples, vineyards, silk mills, movie sets, crafts studios, and fashion salons. She introduces us, through sumptuous prose, to unforgettable Italians, historical and contemporary, all brimming with the greatest of Italian passions—for life itself. A lyrical portrait of a spirit as well as a nation, La Passione appeals to the Italian in all our souls, inspiring us to be as daring as Italy’s gladiators, as eloquent as its poets, as alluring as its beauties, and as irresistible as its lovers. Praise for La Passione “[An] effervescent love letter to all things Italian.”—Newsday “In this sweeping account of la passione italiana from ancient to modern times, Dianne Hales shows once again why she is one the world’s foremost guides to the riches of Italian culture. Every page resonates with the author’s love for Italy and her joy in sharing its remarkable discoveries and exquisite pleasures with her readers.” —Joseph Luzzi, author of My Two Italies and In a Dark Wood “Hales takes us on an enriching and delightful journey, filled with fascinating characters, scintillating sensual details, and an authentic connection to the ever-inspiring Italian heart and soul that has given the world boundless pleasures.” —Susan Van Allen, author of 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go

Learn the language of la dolce vita! For anyone who wants to learn and enjoy the most expressive and romantic of languages, the third edition of 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning Italian' is the first choice for a whole new generation of enthusiastic students of Italian. This updated edition includes two new quick references on verbs, grammar, and sentence structure; two new appendixes on Italian synonyms and popular idiomatic phrases; and updated business and money sections. First two editions have sold extraordinariy well. Italian is the fourth most popular language in the United States.

"African authors have consistently returned to childhood to find their personal as well as their racial roots. Far from being merely nostalgic yearnings for a lost paradise, many of the treatments of childhood as shown in articles in this issue have exposed a grim reality of cruelty, harshness, parental (particularly paternal) egocentrism and extraordinary bruisings of the vulnerable child psyche. Camara Laye may have portrayed a paradise state but Yvonne Vera has treated one of the cruelest features of childhood anywhere. African authors generally have been sternly responsible in their portrayal of childhood." -- Publisher's 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.

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.

Do you want to better understand how your personal health affects your daily life? Do you want to make healthier choices and change certain behaviors? Learn It and Live It with AN INVITATION TO HEALTH: BUILD YOUR FUTURE, Brief Edition. This student-oriented text helps you assess your health behaviors, encourages behavior change, and gives you practical ways to achieve it. Through its clear and engaging writing style, this text addresses current issues related to health and wellness that can affect you now and throughout your life. Delivering the most current coverage available, this book equips you with practical ideas and tools that you can immediately apply to your own life, helping you make informed decisions about your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Available with InfoTrac Student Collections http://gocengage.com/infotrac. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

From physical and mental to social and sexual, Dianne Hales' AN INVITATION TO HEALTH: YOUR LIFE, YOUR FUTURE helps students achieve a healthier lifestyle now and in the future. The 18th Edition covers new research on such topics as happiness and health, current statistics on life expectancy and death rates, mindfulness for college students, 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, immunization, sleep habits, stress levels, safe sex practices, healthier fast-food choices, substance abuse, dubious diets, fitness monitors and e-cigarettes. It also addresses healthy living on a budget, preventive measures and practical strategies that turn small changes into big benefits. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Explore AN INVITATION TO HEALTH, The Power of Now, Brief, 10th Edition, where renowned author Dianne Hales helps you commit to a healthier lifestyle. From physical and mental health to social and sexual issues, this personal health text candidly explores the mind, body, and spirit, and shows you how to start making better health choices today. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

A lighthearted language guide filled with slang, swear words, and useful phrases for real-life conversations in Italy! Whether you’re sipping espresso at a sidewalk café, toasting a pint of birra in the piazza, or cheering for Azzurri at lo Stadio Olimpico, sometimes you need to drop the textbook formality and chat with the locals in Italy’s everyday language. This guide helps you out with hundreds of translations including: • What’s up? Che c’è? • I’m so plastered. Sono demolito/a. • Do you wanna cuddle? Vuoi coccolarci? • Nice body! Che corpo! • I’m friggin’ starving. Ho una fame da morti. • Hey ref, you’re a moron! Arbitro cretino! Also included are tips for travelers to help you pronounce words correctly, know your –ino from your –issimo, avoid looking like a tourist when you’re ordering food, and more.