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The Xenophoebe's Guide to the Italians by: Martin Solly |
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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 817 EAN: 9781853045714 Format: Import ISBN: 1853045713 Label: Ravette Publishing Ltd. Manufacturer: Ravette Publishing Ltd. Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 64 Publication Date: 1996-09 Publisher: Ravette Publishing Ltd. Studio: Ravette Publishing Ltd. Sales Rank: 1162261 Related Items:
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Editorial Review: Synopsis: This is one of a series of guides designed to tell the truth about other nations, using sweeping generalizations and observations as a base, detailing what to expect and how to cope with it. The guides try to explain why things are done the way they are,and they try to allay the feelings of trepidation with which the xenophobe approaches new territory. This particular book looks at the Italians. Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
 Rating:  - UpdateAs an Italian myself I find this book quite funny. The guide is accurate most of the time but tend to refer to stereotypes or to Italians as they were 50 or more years ago! I think this guide needs a little update as do others of the same series I have read (English and French. Rating: - On the button!When we moved to Italy someone bought us this book. What a gem! I lent it to my new-found Italian friend who speaks a little English. He made many comments in the margins saying 'This isn't true!' or 'This can't be right!'. We had a hilarious conversation where he admitted that everything was in fact true, or nearly. He just couldn't admit it! Very Italian! Rating: - Concise and InformativeThe Xenophobes guide to the Italians is a concise, humorous and informative look at the Italian people and their way of life. Among the topics that are mentioned are the importance of regional identities, the North/South divide, and the importance of the family in Italian life, as well as many other things. The book uses stereotypes and generalizations to describe the people, so it cannot, and should not, account for all Italians. An example of this is in the section writing about how the rest of the world sees Italy - "The typical stereotype of the Italians is that of a noisy, passionate, scheming Mediterranean people, whose brilliance and inventiveness are unfortunately marred by laziness and unreliability". Another interesting point ... Read More: Rating: - Excellent summary of a crazy nationHaven't tried any of the other xenophobe's guides yet, but this one really hits the mark - in most amusing fashion - in describing the eccentricities of my Italian girlfriend and her family. Allegria, campanilismo, la mamma: it's all here. |
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