In this companion volume to L'Italia verso il Duemila, Ugo Skubikowski provides a glimpse into authentic Italian life through the presentation of twelve interviews with Italians.

Intended as a text for students in second-year university and beyond, Vite italiane brings together discussions with Italians from different regions and backgrounds, who speak candidly about a wide range of experiences. Among those we encounter are a recent university graduate, a widow raising a young daughter as a single mother, a high school teacher who has traded her leftist political activism...

This book is an outstanding collection of readings in Italian designed to introduce language students to contemporary Italian culture while developing their skills in reading, speaking, writing, and listening. The selections in L'Italia verso il Duemila range from essays on serious topics such as recent history and politics, the Italian economy, immigration from developing countries, the North-South gap, and the environment, to lighter pieces on Italian surnames, traditions, food, popular music, and soccer. Suggested activities designed to facilitate development of language...