I chose to read the book Italianissmo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best for my assignment. This book is was a simple read but had a ton of great information in it. The book is broken into several sections varying from foods (i.e.balsamic vinegar), sports, and fashions just to name a few. In this review I am going to discuss some of my favorite parts of the book.
I Gesti Italiani (hand gestures): This was my favorite chapter because it listed 12 different hand gestures they use in Italy along with a picture of what the gesture looks like. The book states that the use of hand gestures is an integral part of Italian vocabulary. Fun fact: the use of hand gestures in Italian communication got its start in Naples. The best thing about communicating with these gestures are they communicate phrases such as “what do you want”. Learning these gestures I feel are a little easier than speaking the actually words.
La Famiglia (the family): “family is forever” This chapter discusses how important the family institution is in Italy. I have already begun to see this with my own host family. In Italy one is close to not only their nuclear family but also their extended family (cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles). The book explains that if you ever have an emergency, relatives are the first to offer unconditional assistance. Fun fact: Traditionally, the Italian woman retains her maiden name after marriage. This is not a feminist statement but rather a reiteration of the familial tie.
Le Superstizioni (superstitions): Do you worry about Friday the 13th? Well in Italy 13 is not an unlucky number but be weary of 17! While some in America are worried about spilling over salt that is not the case in Italy. Here are some superstitions that exist in Italy.
-Olio versato porta male: It is bad luck to break a bottle of olive oil
-Non regalare ombrelli e fazzoletti, perché portano lacrime: umbrellas and handkerchiefs should not be given as gifts; they will bring rain or tears.
IL Parmgiano (the king of cheese): This section is about parmigiano cheese. I don’t like cheese but the chapter title made me giggle when I was first reading the table of contents.
IL Capodanno (New Year’s): Here’s a new tradition you can start this year. In Italy the color red is believed to eschew the evil eye. In December people begin to wear red underwear to wane away the evil eye. Here is the kicker; it is believed that the tighter the underwear is worn on the body, the more effective its powers for bringing luck in the coming year. Good luck with this one boys.
Fare La Coda (waiting in line-or not): I thought this was particularly interesting. This chapter states that Italians do not like forming lines to wait in. They find waiting in line tedious and boring. The book explains that if you were to walk into a busy pharmacy you would call out “who was last”. Once that person has been served it would be your turn to go. I will be interested to see how this works in a school setting. Some “modern-minded” shop keepers have started to install take-a-number machines however.
I hope you have learned some new things about Italy! I would recommend this book to any reader. Like I stated before, this is a quick, easy read with great information about Italy.
