Buondì.

The penultimate in our FREE, 30-part Summer Series of Italian articles with audio is ready for you to read and listen to.

Over the past couple of months, we’ve had a thousand years of warriors, nobles, kings, emperors and popes, men whose, mostly bad, deeds have been sufficiently notable to earn them a slot in the Italian school history curriculum (by which our writer was no doubt inspired), and sometimes even their own Wikipedia page!

But what about the medieval women? We’ve heard little or nothing of them, apart from the occasional daugher being traded in marriage for dubious and short-lasting politcal advantage.

There were female Romans, I recall. Though admittedly their roles were restricted to childbirth, prostitution and serving protective deities in temples (find out more on our History page.)

So what about the ladies of the middle ages?? And I choose the word ‘lady’ deliberately, because if anyone was going to be remembered, it was likely they’d have been born into privilege…

Fortunately, our series writer is also of the female persuasion, and having churned out twenty-eight ‘Game of Thrones’ style episodes packed with power struggles and gore, she’s devoted the final two to profiles of the very few medieval women whose names and deeds are still remembered.

Enough with the naughty boys, already. Let’s hear from the fair sex!

Il Medioevo, Episodio 29, Le rare protagoniste dei “secoli bui”, prima parte | History page

A venerdì.

Published today: ‘Ashraf, l’arciere dell’imperatore’, just £5.99!

It’s been a while since I’ve pushed our ebook ‘easy readers’ consistently, or published anything new, though I’m 100% sure they’re a help with language learning, at least for anyone who likes to read.

In part it’s just been too hot, up to 40 degrees C at one point. But now the summer’s ending – the weather’s due to break here in northern Italy in the next day or two.

In part it’s because we’re reorganising, or hoping to, with a view to separating our various bits out into more defined legal entities. For example, EasyItalianNews.com will be its own thing, while our online shop will be legally separated from the club website (in case I defame someone…). It’s complicated, but you get the idea.

Anyway, fall is nearly on us, and our Summer Series is coming to an end, which means it’s time to put on a pair of socks, and sell some  ebooks!

Today’s NEW ebook ‘easy reader’ is set in the medieval period, hence the rush to publish it…

‘Ashraf, l’arciere dell’imperatore‘ has B2/C1 on the cover, but I reckon it’s suitable for anyone whose reading/listening skills are at least intermediate, and who likes a good yarn!

What’s an ‘arciere’? Look at the picture…

What’s it about?  Below is a copy/paste of the blurb from the shop, which saves a lot of typing:

An original Italian easy reader by Francesca Colombo

In the early thirteenth century, Frederick II became Holy Roman Emperor and King of the southern parts of Italy. But in Sicily, a large muslim community rebelled against his rule, so were brutally deported, a safe distance away, to the mainland city of Lucera.

An educated man, the Emperor could speak multiple foreign languages, including Arabic. He enjoyed mixing with the wise men of his day, many of whom were muslim scientists, philosophers or political advisors. With their advice and support, he went on to make peace with the Sultan and to become King of Jerusalem.

Fredrick’s relationship with contemporary popes, at the time the ultimate spiritual authorities and so rivals for power in the Italian pensinsula and elsewhere, was much less positive! Perhaps suspicious of the conflicted loyalties of fellow Christians, the emperor recruiting muslim archers, cavalry and even his personal bodyguard from the exiled Sicilian muslim community, men who would be loyal only to him.

Meanwhile, back in Lucera, a muslim young boy is being schooled in archery by his unsmiling, one-armed father…

• .pdf e-book (+ audio available free online)
• .mobi (Kindle-compatible) and .epub (other ebook readers) available on request at no extra charge – just add a note to the order form or email us
• 8 chapters to read and listen to
• Comprehension questions to check your understanding
• Italian/English glossary of ‘difficult’ terms for the level
• Suitable for students at intermediate level or above
• Download your Free Sample Chapter (.pdf)

How do I access my ebook?

When your order is ‘completed’ (normally immediately after your payment), a download link will be automatically emailed to you. It’s valid for 7 days and 3 download attempts so please save a copy of the .pdf ebook in a safe place. Other versions of the ebook (.mobi/Kindle-compatible, .epub) cannot be downloaded but will be emailed to people who request them.

++++

Got all that? Then do take a look at the FREE SAMPLE CHAPTER (.pdf).

Too hard? Or too easy, maybe? Then check out our shop’s Catalog page, where you’ll find all our easy Italian readers listed by type and in level order, nearly all of them with free sample chapters to download immediately, if you wish.

Two things: firstly, don’t forget to check out the online audio version of Ashraf, and of our other easy reader ebooks at various levels. You’ll find the link to the online audio for the WHOLE TEXT in the free sample chapter .pdf, which means that, assuming you’re OK with just listening and don’t need the support of the written text, you can enjoy virtually all of our stuff for free!

Secondly, assuming you do prefer to have the .pdf as well as the audio, this first week only, Ashraf, l’arciere dell’imperatore costs just £5.99, rather than the usual ‘easy reader’ ebook price of £7.99. That 25% discount will end on Tuesday 21st September.

Buy ‘Ashraf, l’arciere dell’imperatore‘ – just £5.99 | FREE SAMPLE CHAPTER (.pdf) | Catalog

+++

OnlineItalianClub.com | EasyItalianNews.com | Shop