Buondì.
Today we have the third new Italian ‘easy reader’ ebook from our November ‘bulge’, which was caused by having to find work for people to do during the 2020 lockdowns.
As I mentioned last week, I’m now rushing them out before things get busy at Christmas/New Year.
Last week there was Ti racconto la mia giornata, and the week before, Il calendario di Laura – many thanks to everyone who bought a copy of either or both. Ebook sales pay our bills
Before I introduce this week’s new publication, here’s a little ‘brain training’ challenge for those of you whose grey matter, like mine, is getting soggy with age.
I expect you’re familiar with the game of attempting to name all fifty states of the United States of America. I’m sure I couldn’t, probably not even half. And I wouldn’t have much more clue with English counties, either, let alone Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
However, given that I live in Italy, I should, in theory, be able to name all twenty Italian regions. I remember once teaching in a classroom that had a map of Italian regions on the wall, and attempting to learn them. I’ve also traveled around the country, though much less that I would have liked to, due to the pressures of work and famiy life.
So I’m going to try my own challenge (without cheating!) If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. No need to write and tell me. Just see if you can do better!
(If you want to have a go, stop reading here, make your own list of Italian regions, then come back to see how I got on when you’re done.)
So here we go. I’ll begin with the two islands, Sicilia and Sardegna, which are easy. Then, working up from the bottom, we have Calabria on the left and Puglia on the right. Near Puglia is Basilicata, and above Calabria we have Lazio.
There in the middle some place there’s a little one you can drive through in about five minutes, the name of which now escapes me, so I won’t give myself a point for that. I’m up to five, right?
To the right of Lazio there’s Umbria, and above that, Toscana (7!), and on the Adriatic coast at about there same level there’s… it’s on the tip of my tongue, Marche (8). And yes, I know I’m missing the one north (?) of Marche, where Pescara is, but I promised I wouldn’t cheat.
To the right of Toscana, above Umbria and Marche, there’s MY regione, Emilia Romagna (9), and this is where it all starts to go pear-shaped in my head, as I’ve spent less time in the North so am much less sure about which bit is which.
But I’ll have a stab anyway, for your entertainment: Veneto, Lombardia, Trento Alto Adige is it? (12) The other three-word one, would that be Venezia Friuli Giulia, or something like that (13)?
Then there’s Piemonte (14) and Liguria (15 far east, bordering France), and above that there’s, um, the large inland bit containing Torino, the name of which isn’t anywhere near the tip of my tongue. Sorry Torinesi!
So that’s fifteen plus the little one north of Puglia and the big one bordering France, seventeen. Ah! Just thought of another, maybe. Val D’Osta? Where the Monte bianco tunnel to France is? I remember reading it was an autonomous region (like the islands and the zone up north where they speak German not Italian.) I’ll give myself a point for that one too, even if I’m unsure.
So still missing two, one of which I suspect is hiding some place in the Alps/Dolomites, and the other may possibly be over to the far north-east, bordering Croatia, Slovenia, etc. But I’m guessing wildly. Plus the two that I know of, but can’t remember the names – ah hah! One has come to me as I’m proof-reading this: Molise (17.)
How did you you do? Better than me?
But anyway, this week’s new ebook is called Dieci regioni italiane.
Why just ten? No idea, but probably the writer picked out ten of the more interesting ones, or maybe thought that doing all twenty, for what I was willing to pay her, was a stretch…
Italian Easy-Reader Ebook
Italy has twenty regions. Improve your Italian reading and listening while finding out about ten of them, from Piemonte in the north to Puglia in the south!
- .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
- 10 chapters to read and listen to
- 10 exercises at the end of the ebook, to check your understanding
- Italian/English glossaries of ‘difficult’ terms for the level
- Suitable for students at elementary level and above
- Download your Free Sample Chapter (.pdf)
How do I access my ebook? READ THIS!
When your order is ‘completed’ (normally immediately after your payment is confirmed), 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.
As usual, there’s a 25% discount this first week, so you’ll pay just £5.99. From Nov. 22nd, it’ll cost £7.99.
Buy Dieci regioni italiane | Free Sample Chapter (.pdf) | Catalog
A mercoledì, allora.
P.S.
I don’t know why I bother to write paragraphs like this, because it seems people are very resistant to reading them, but two of the most frequent ebook customer service issues are:
1.) “Why didn’t you send me the audio along with the .pdf file?” and
2.) “When I came to download my ebook, the link had expired. Now I’m sad/disappointed/angry/frustrated.”
And the answers to those two mysteries of the universe are:
1.) The audio is online. There’s a link at the top of each chapter. If you had opened the .pdf ebook and looked at it before writing to me, you’d know that. We also offer a free sample chapter, which you can check out BEFORE you buy and which contains the link to the online audio…
2.) Yes, me too. It’s regrettable that, while the download process is detailed on the ‘product information’ page for every ebook, and in marketing messages like this one (scroll up and check), PEOPLE STILL DON’T BOTHER TO OPEN THE EMAILS THEY RECEIVE AT THE TIME OF THEIR PURCHASE AND PROCEED TO ACTUALLY DOWNLOAD THEIR EBOOK! Never mind though – if your link expired, or your iPhone/iPad didn’t play nicely with it, just email and I will send your ebook manually. Sending ebooks as an attachment to an email is more or less foolproof. Except, of course, when people don’t read emails…
Chantal Johnston says
You have forgotten CAMPANIA (all around NAPOLI)!!!! Just above Calabria!
1/2 if the Italian diaspora come from there,
And most of my great grandparents on my mum’ s side come from there ( just one came from Malta)
Daniel says
Mea colpa, Chantal. At least that way you know I wasn’t cheating!
How many of the twenty did you get, by the way?
Jean B says
Hi, Daniel, I had just done le regione with Valentina, my excellent conversation teacher, and I still only managed 17, I forgot Lombardia, (how on earth), Abruzzo, even though I love the wine, and Molise..
Jean
Daniel says
I missed Abruzzo like you, and Calabria… How did your teacher do? Italians spend their whole school lives memorising things, so I bet she had no trouble at all!
Diane H. says
I just had to say I love the idea for the last 2 Easy Reader books, “Il Calendario di Laura” and “Dieci Regioni Italiane” that I bought both. It’s like getting a 2 for 1! I learn the Italian language and I also learn about the culture and regions of Italy. Much more interesting than simply a story. Something good did come out of the pandemic when you reorganized your focus to writing more Easy Reader books. With appreciation for the “double” lessons.
Daniel says
It’s more that people needed work, Diane, so I basically said yes to everything. Mostly stories, though… These four texts date back many years to when we were first trying to hire writers and didn’t have a clear plan. But I agree, it makes a nice change.