Are you embarrassed to admit the only Italian you've picked up was from The Godfather? Is al dente the most sophisticated Italian phrase in your vocabulary? Would you like to know more than the difference between fettucine and rigatoni? Well, Rome wasn't built in a day! The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Italian is more than just a directory of words; you'll quickly feel confident with the language--even be able to communicate with native speakers. Whether you're preparing for a vacation or a business trip, this Pocket Idiot's Guide helps you:

Gabrielle Euvino is a writer as well as a teacher and translator of the Italian language. She studied in Urbino, Italy, and received her bachelor's degree from the State University of New York (College at New Paltz) in Italian language and literature. She completed a master's degree in International Education at New York University where she specialized in second language acquisition and cross-cultural communications. Gabrielle is founder and president of La Bella LinguaR an educational program dedicated to Italian culture, language, and arts. Through classes, excursions, and special events, students are given the opportunity to apply their language skills and meet others with similar interests. To learn more about La Bella LinguaR write to: La Bella Lingua Cathedral Station P.O. Box 602 New York, NY 10025 E-mail inquiries are welcome at euvino@italyny.com.