An Italian Affair

About AN ITALIAN AFFAIR


When Laura Fraser's husband leaves her for his high school sweetheart, she takes off, on impulse, for the Italian island of Ischia, to nurse her shattered ego. There she meets M., an aesthetics professor from Paris with an oversized love of life. What they both assume will be a casual vacation tryst turns into a passionate, transatlantic love affair, as they rendezvous in Marrakech, Lago Maggiore, Stromboli, London, and San Francisco--each encounter a delirious immersion into place (sumptuous food and wine, dazzling scenery, lush gardens, and vibrant streetscapes) and into each other. And each experience also becomes for Laura another step toward a fully recovered sense of her emotional and sexual self.

Both travelogue and memoir, An Italian Affair is wonderfully made of rich, sensual detail, with the irresistible honesty of a story told from and about the heart.

"Luscious. . .Fraser is such a charmer, so smart, honest, observant, incisive and funny, that within a few pages the reader is entirely hers." --Washington Post

"Sweet, smart. We are smitten from the start. . .How Fraser makes such familiar material fresh and alluring is the heart and soul of this likeable, assured memoir." -- O Magazine

"[This] sexy memoir gives new meaning to the word wanderlust." -- Glamour

"Fraser's narrative is both a grand travelouge and a thoughtful look at reclaiming independence."--Conde Nast Traveller

 

BASIC ITALIAN

Greeting people

Hi, hello, bye (informal)Ciao
Good morning (until lunch)Buon Giorno
Good afternoon and early eveningBuona sera
Good nightBuona notte
Good-bye, see you laterArrivaderci
See you soonA presto
Pleased to meet youPiacere
Thank youGrazie
You're welcomePrego
Excuse meScusi
PleasePer favore

 

Saying a little more

My name is...Mi chiamo...
I'm from...Sono di...
Where are you from? (formal)Da dov' è Lei?
Where are you from? (informal)Da dove sei?
How long will you stay here?Quanto tempo rimanerai qui?
Is this seat taken?È libero questo posto?
How are you? (formal)Come sta?
How are you? (familiar)Come stai?
How long have you been here? (fam)Ci stai da quanto tempo?
Do you like this place?Ti piace questo posto?
What kind of work do you do?Che tipo di lavoro fai?
I am..Sono...
I don't speak much ItalianNon parlo molto italiano.
I love Italy, it's a beautiful countryMi piace tanto l'Italia, e un paese bellisimo
No, unfortunately I don't have a drop of Italian blood.No, mi dispiace, non ho neanche una goccia di sangue italiano.
This is the best food I've ever tasted in my life.Questo è il migliore cibo che abbia mai assaggiato.
Those shoes are really beautiful.Quelle scarpe sono veramente stupende.
A little bigger, please?Un po' piu grande, per favore?
I'll take them. How much are they?Le prendo. Quanto costano?
How long have you been traveling?Per quanto tempo sei stato in viaggio?
It's a beautiful day, no?È una bella giornata, no?
Are you alone?Stai da solo?
Can you recommend a good restaurant here?Mi puoi consigliare dove posso trovare un buon ristorante qui vicino?
How's the wine?Com'è il vino?
Have you explored the island?Hai fatto un giro dell' isola?
Do you live here?Abiti qua?
Are you a real Italian?Sei un vero italiano?
I don't understand.Non capisco.
I understand very well.Capisco bene.
A glass of red wine, please.Un bicchiere di vino rosso, per favore.
A little more, pleaseAncora un po, per favore.
Enjoy your meal!Buon appetito!
DeliciousBuonissimo, squisito
It's so beautiful here.È bellisima qua.
People eat well in Italy.Si mangia bene in Italia.
I'd like a little red meat, please.Vorrei un po' di carne rosso, per favore.
That was the smoothest grappa I've ever tasted.Quella grappa era il piu morbido che abbia mai assaggiato.

 

Other useful words and phrases (feminine)

hy don't you sit here next to me?Perchè non ti siedi qui accanto a me?
I'm happy to meet you, too.Anche io sono contenta di incontrarti.
Tell me a little about the art.Raccontami qualcosa del' arte?
How unfaithful, really, are Italian men?Quanto sono infedeli, in realta, gli uomini italiani?
I'd love to have dinner with you.Sarebbe un piacere cenare insieme.
Dinner was delicious. What's for dessert?La cena era squisita. Cosa c'è per dolce?
You're too sexy, I can't stand it.Sei troppo sexy; non posso piu.
Kiss me.Baciami.
We understand each other, right?Ci capiamo, eh?
He no longer loves me.Non mi ama piu.
That was such a sweet kiss.Quello estato un bacio molto dolce.
You have the softest lips.Tu hai le labbra le piu morbide del mondo.
Maybe we'd better stop.Forse dovremmo smettere..
You're not married, are you?Non sei sposato, no?
That feels wonderful.Questo mi fa sentirmi meravigliosa.
No, don't stop.No, non smettere..
What's your name again?Come ti chiami, ancora?
You have such a sweet touch.C'è l'hai una bella tocco.
You have such a sweet touche.C'è l'hai un bel culo
Take off my clothes.Spogliami.
Hug me.Abbracciami.
Slower.Piu piano.
Faster.Piu in fretta.
I love you.Ti voglio bene.
Tell me a secret.Dimmi un segreto.
You're so sexy.Sei tanto sexy.
I never want to get up.Non voglio alzarmi mai.
You're going to kill me.Mi ammazzarai.
Oh my God.Oh, Dio.
KittenMicio
BunnyConiglietto
Little sparrowPasserotto
Little mouseTopolino
My treasureTesoro mio
My angelangelo Mio
My soul Anima mio
My loveAnima mio
That was incredible.Era incredibile.
What would you like?Cosa vuoi?
Should we get up, or stay in bed?Alziamoci o stiamo a letto?
Aren't you hungry by now?Non hai gia fame?
Let's take a quick swim before lunch.Facciamo un bagno veloce prima di pranzare.
Again?Ancora?
I'll miss you.Scrivami una cartolina.
I'll never forget you.Non ti dimenticher˜ mai.
Not on your life!Neanche un idea!
My boyfriend will be here soon.Il mio fidanzato arriva presto.
Turd (jerk, asshole)Stronzo
Complete assholeProprio uno stronzo
Biggest assholeProprio uno stronzo de la prima categoria
Cretin (jerk, asshole)Cretino
What are you, crazy?Ma sei pazzo?
Don't touch meNon mi tocchi
You're disgustingFa schifo
Not even if you were the last man on earthNeanche se Lei fosse l'unico uomo sulla terra.


 

About AN ITALIAN AFFAIR


An Interview with Laura Fraser


An excerpt: Chapter 3 of AN ITALIAN AFFAIR "Sant' Angelo"

Photographs from the time and locations portrayed in the book

ESSAYS BY LAURA FRASER

On Writing A Book About One's Own Personal Life

Why I Stopped Being a Vegetarian

Why It's Rude to Diet in Public

The Question of Marriage

Tips to Fit in With the Locals

Travel Packing Tips

RECIPES

Southern Italian Pasta Sauce

Other Recipes

ITALIAN PHRASES

Handy Italian Phrases for Lovers

 

 

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Laura Fraser has written for Salon.com, Vogue, Glamour, Mother Jones, Self, The San Francisco Examiner, Gourmet, and Health, among other publications. She has taught magazine writing at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley. She lives in San Francisco.



An excerpt: Chapter 3 of AN ITALIAN AFFAIR "Sant' Angelo"

Photographs from the time and locations portrayed in the book

ESSAYS BY LAURA FRASER

On Writing A Book About One's Own Personal Life

Why I Stopped Being a Vegetarian

Why It's Rude to Diet in Public

The Question of Marriage

Tips to Fit in With the Locals

Travel Packing Tips

RECIPES

Southern Italian Pasta Sauce

Other Recipes

ITALIAN PHRASES

Handy Italian Phrases for Lovers

 


An Italian Affair Memoir/Travel | Vintage Books | Trade Paperback | May 2002 | $12.00 | 0-375-72485-0