Crescendo!: A Thematic Approach to Intermediate Italian Language and Culture

Bought this for my daughter who took AP Italian. It's better than what she's using in college now.

This book is simply the best intermediate level italian text available. As a matter of fact, one has mastered this book might well considered one's self to be the master of Italian. That is the nickname I have given myself. Unfortunately, this book is not my cup of tea. It requires thought, effort and discipline to learn a language, and I lack all three in adundance. I wish there was someway to seemlessly and subliminally learn things, but, unfortunately, there isn't. I would like to know a lot, as I think knowledge is one more missile in my chick up picking arsenal, but the effort required simply turns me off. Italian is particularly annoying as so much commonly used vocabulary is multisyllabic. If I'm trying to say a long word, I lose my interest after the third syllable. Usually, I can't be bothered to finish the word. But if you want to know Italian, this is the book for you.

This book has it all - I'm currently living in Italy and whenever I need to check ANYTHING concerning language I can turn to it and know that I'll be able to find what I'm looking for - set up in an easily comprehensible, yet very elaborate way......Perfect, perfect, perfect.....