Best Italian Literature Books of 2025

The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli is a classic guide for autocrats on how to govern using deception and manipulation of the government's constituency. The author advocates the use of evil for political expediency, where the end justifies the means. Machiavelli's system of government is ruthless, and the book is a must-read for anyone interested in Italian history books. It is a masterpiece that explores the darker side of politics and power that is still relevant today.

The Complete Strategy Collection is a valuable compilation of historical works on strategy, conflict, and adversity. From Sun Tzu's Art of War to Machiavelli's The Prince, the techniques and philosophies outlined in each work can be adapted to modern-day life. The Book of Five Rings, originally written as a martial arts and strategy guide, has also been adapted for business and conflict management. Overall, this collection offers valuable insight into the past while providing practical advice for navigating present-day challenges.

The Divine Comedy: Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso is a classic literature and fiction book that contains all three cantos in one volume. This edition includes an introduction by Nobel Prize-winning poet Eugenio Montale, notes, a bibliography, and 42 drawings selected from Botticelli's illustrations. The translation by Allen Mandelbaum is astonishingly Dantean and captures the life of the original. The Divine Comedy is a masterpiece that recreates the depths and heights of human experience and has become the key with which Western civilization has sought to unlock the mystery of its own identity. This book is a must-read for those who appreciate classic literature and poetry.

The Written World and the Unwritten World: Essays is a collection of essays, forewords, articles, and interviews by Italo Calvino, exploring the meaning of literature in a rapidly changing world. From classics to contemporary literature, Calvino masterfully explores reading, writing, and translating through careful discussion of works by various authors. The book, translated with precision by Ann Goldstein, is a major statement in literary criticism. Overall, this anthology is a necessary addition to our knowledge of and conversations about Calvino, one hundred years after his birth.

I segreti di Miriam is a collection of short stories designed to help beginner to intermediate level Italian learners improve their language skills while enjoying the reading experience. The book features modern and authentic stories that gradually increase in complexity, making it easier for readers to retain new vocabulary and structures. The connected stories are linked in sequence, allowing readers to focus on new information and vocabulary. The book also includes special learning aids such as a vocabulary list, summaries in both English and Italian, and comprehension questions. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for Italian learners who want to learn in an entertaining way.

“The Decameron reads in some ways as a guide to social distancing and self-isolation.” —The New York Times. “The 14th-century Italian book that shows us how to survive coronavirus.” —New Statesman. A complete edition of the hilarious, bawdy, irreverent masterpiece of medieval Italy—and the inspiration for the film The Little Hours—in an acclaimed translation In the summer of 1348, as the Black Death ravages their city, ten young Florentines take refuge in the countryside. They amuse themselves by each telling a story a day for the ten days they are destined to remain there—a hundred stories of love, adventure and surprising twists of fate. Less preoccupied with abstract concepts of morality or religion than with earthly values, the tales range from the bawdy Peronella hiding her lover in a tub to Ser Cepperello, who, despite his unholy effrontery, becomes a Saint. The result is a towering monument of European literature and a masterpiece of imaginative narrative.. This is the second edition of G. H. McWilliam’s acclaimed translation of The Decameron. His introduction illuminates the worlds of Boccaccio and of his storytellers, showing Boccaccio as a master of vivid and exciting prose fiction.

My First Italian Book is a great educational resource for bilingual children to learn Italian in an exciting and fun way. This Italian-English picture book contains over 200 words on different topics, bright and vivid illustrations, and is written in both languages to help parents who don't speak Italian. With 30 pages of colorful content, this book is perfect for kids ages 0-5 to learn their first Italian words and phrases. This book is an excellent tool for parents to teach their children the Italian language while also improving their bilingual ability.

This book is a collection of letters written by Francesco Petrarca, a renowned Italian poet, to various influential figures of his time. The letters offer a glimpse into the life of Petrarca and the tumultuous state of Europe during his time. The ninety-seven letters in this selection, freshly translated, cover a range of topics such as the rediscovery of classical texts, Church reform, education, and ancient moral philosophy. The book also includes Petrarca's imaginary correspondence with the ancient authors he admired and his autobiographical Letter to Posterity. The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the Renaissance period and classical studies.

The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli is a 16th-century political treatise that serves as an instruction guide for new princes and royals. Machiavelli argues that the ends justify the means, even if those means are immoral. It is a classic work of modern political philosophy that challenges the dominant Catholic and scholastic doctrines of the time. The Prince is a thought-provoking and controversial read that continues to be relevant today.

The "Conversational Italian Dialogues" book is a must-have for anyone struggling to learn Italian. This book offers over 100 conversational Italian stories for beginners, with translations, and is perfect for those who want to learn how to order a meal or book a room at a hotel in Italian. Each chapter has a fresh, new story between two people trying to solve a common issue that you might encounter in real life. The book is simple, useful, and incredibly helpful, providing important strategies, tips, and tricks to get the most out of the learning material. Overall, this book is a unique and valuable resource for learning Italian.