La Bella Lingua

My Love Affair with Italy and the most Enchanting Langu age in the World

by Dianne Hales

On Sale: 07/01/2010

La Bella Lingua

My Love Affair with Italy and the most Enchanting Langu age in the World

by Dianne Hales

On Sale: 07/01/2010

Format:

About the Book

In the tradition of UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN, the story of how one woman fell truly, madly deeply in love with Italy through the most seductive language on earth.
'Pronto! (Ready!), Italians say when they answer the telephone. And ready they are - to talk, laugh, curse, debate, woo, sing, lament. their native tongue conveys a sense of something coming alive ...' 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, fascinated by its story and its stories, tantalised by its adventures and ever eager to spend more time in its company.Italians say that someone who acquires a new language 'possesses' it. 'In my case, Italian possesses me. With Italian racing like blood through my veins, I do indeed see with different eyes, hear with different ears, and drink in the world with all my senses...' the result is La Bella Lingua, a joyous, funny and warmly affectionate celebration of Italy, its history, literature, food, music, movies and its people, who helped her not only to learn the world's most loved and lovable language but how to really live like a true Italian. 'La Bella Lingua is the kind of book you want to savour slowly,like a small piece of fine chocolate melting on your tongue...' Michelle Ward, the sweet life blog at www.lolalina.com 'An economic crisis has a way of curbing one's ability to rent a tuscan villa for the summer, but, thankfully, there are other, more affordable means to indulge a passion for all things Italian. Among them: getting a copy of La Bella Lingua.' SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Critical Praise

"In this charming love letter to the language and culture of Italy, journalist Hales recounts her inebriation with Italian's sounds and her lovesickness over its phrases. Enamored of this lovely and lovable language, Hales immerses herself in Italian culture on numerous trips to Italy in her attempt to "live Italian". She comes to think of Italian as "a lovable rascal, a clever, twinkle-eyed scamp that you can't resist even when it plays you for a fool." Hales regales us with the mysteries of the language, such as when a color becomes more than hue. She tells us that yellow, for example, refers to a mystery "because thrillers traditionally had yellow covers." In her rapture over the language, she also swoons over Italian literature (from Dante to Manzoni), opera (Verdi and Puccini) and cinema (Marcello Mastroianni and Fellini) as she rehearses the many ways in which the language has seductively slipped into Western culture and consciousness." -Publishers Weekly "An economic crisis has a way of curbing one's ability to rent a Tuscan villa for the summer, but, thankfully, there are other, more affordable means to indulge a passion for all things Italian. Among them: getting a copy of Dianne Hales' wonderful book, La Bella Lingua " -San Francisco Chronicle "... Hales' readers can come to experience Italy with as much passion and intensity as she recounts in her excellent book. .. .Guide books offer polite and utilitarian phrases to readers such as Non parlo Italiano but Hales teaches Italian as it should be spoken: with style." -The Florence Newspaper "An impassioned student, Dianne Hales takes us along on her delightful pilgrimage to the speaking heart of Italy. The rhythmic beat she comes to feel and love teaches her how to live, in beautiful and idiomatic Italian, "a language as rich in flavors and varieties as Italian cooking." ... a delicious feast of a book, a strong mix of cultural and spoken treasure." -Susan Cahill, Author of Desiring Italy & The Smiles of Rome "Dianne taught me my own language...What a bella figura, thanks to La Bella Lingua! Molte grazie, signora Hales." -Beppe Severgnini, author of Bella Figura and Ciao America! "Her decades-long affair with all things Italian is so vividly told, you'll soon be craving gelato." -Girlfriend Getaways "La Bella Lingua will keep you turning pages, nodding along in agreement, laughing, even learning... And Dianne's writing? A sheer pleasure. Truly. La Bella Lingua is a must for any lover of the Italian language." -Michele Fabio, www.bleedingespesso.com "To say Dianne's journey and her book were captivating would be an understatement. The uniqueness of her story, the vibrant prose contained within this non-fiction book, and her tales of some of her mishaps as she learned to speak Italian, kept me turning the pages, eager to learn more. Her book honors Italy and Italians everywhere. A highly recommended read-but beware-it will make you want to vacation there yourself. Brava Dianne! Encore!" -Mirella Patzer, www.bestofitaly.blogspot.com "La Bella Lingua is the kind of book you want to savor slowly, like a small piece of fine chocolate melting on your tongue... In Dianne's expert hands a grammar lesson becomes an ambrosial experience, and by drawing on the riches of Italian art, history, cooking, literature, film, customs and romance (as well as countless anecdotes from her travels and research), Hales tempts us to fall as madly and deeply in love with Italian as she has." -Michelle Ward, the sweet life blog at www.lolalina.com -

Resources

Product Details

  • ISBN: 9780730450870
  • ISBN 10: 0730450872
  • Imprint: HarperCollins
  • On Sale: 07/01/2010
  • Pages: 320
  • BISAC1 : BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs
  • BISAC2 : FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY / Italian

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