Ilaria Serra, Professor of Italian and Comparative Studies, recently published Italia cantata: Storia d’Italia attraverso le canzoni da Napoleone a Berlusconi, 1797-1997 (New York: Linus Learning, 2021). The volume is an Italian language and culture textbook for intermediate to advanced students.

“I noticed that there was a lack of advanced Italian textbooks that had high-level cultural content, but that were also accessible for our type of students. Either they were interesting but too hard, or easy but too simplistic. I proposed a mid-way solution. Besides the songs, the book includes historical primary sources, such as photos, documents and speeches, in small bits. Everything is then transformed into a didactic activity with grammar-focused review and exercises.”