Canne al vento: an Italian book for intermediate learners (B1)
Grazia Deledda · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level B1
Grazia Deledda's classic (1913), rewritten for learners of Italian at level B1: calibrated sentences, footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions in every chapter.
Ebook free with Kindle Unlimited · $4.99 · also in 6×9 paperback
The plot of Canne al vento
In a Sardinian village live the three Pintor sisters, impoverished nobility, and their servant Efix, who works their land to atone for a secret guilt that binds him to the family forever. The arrival of their young nephew Giacinto shatters a balance held for years.
Amid village feasts, debts and superstitions, the characters bend to fate «like reeds in the wind». Deledda's most famous novel is a song of guilt, atonement and the mysterious power of her Sardinia.
Why read Canne al vento to learn Italian
The descriptions of Sardinia are a goldmine of adjectives and descriptive imperfetto, and Deledda's rhythmic prose is beautiful to read aloud. The vocabulary of traditions, feasts and nature opens a window onto deep Italian culture.
Inside this reader
CEFR adaptation
The text is fully rewritten for level B1, with controlled vocabulary and syntax, while staying faithful to the original plot.
Footnotes and glossary
Footnotes on difficult words and a final glossary, so you can read independently without a dictionary.
Comprehension questions
Every chapter ends with questions to check understanding, just like in class.
Paperback and ebook
6×9 paperback on cream paper, or Kindle ebook. The same text also lives in the ti app.
Language focus: what you practise
In this level-B1 edition you mainly practise the present subjunctive, the conditional, real hypothetical clauses and discourse connectors. The vocabulary revolves around nature, traditions and feasts: the key words, with translations, are in the glossary below and recur throughout the text, so you learn them in context.
Essential glossary (Italian · English · Dutch)
| Italian | English | Dutch |
|---|---|---|
| il servo | servant | de knecht |
| la canna | reed | het riet |
| il vento | wind | de wind |
| il destino | fate | het lot |
| la colpa | guilt | de schuld |
| la nobiltà | nobility | de adel |
| la festa | feast | het feest |
| la superstizione | superstition | het bijgeloof |
About the author: Grazia Deledda
Grazia Deledda (1871–1936), born in Nuoro, was the first Italian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1926. In her novels Sardinia becomes a universal landscape of passion and fate.
Details and difficulty level
B1 is the threshold of independence: longer sentences, the present subjunctive, rich everyday vocabulary. This reader suits intermediate students and anyone preparing a B1 certification (CILS, CELI, PLIDA). Format: 6×9 paperback on cream paper or Kindle ebook; 20 chapters with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions. All level B1 books →
Frequently asked questions
What level of Italian do I need to read Canne al vento?
This edition of Canne al vento is rewritten for CEFR level B1. B1 is the threshold of independence: longer sentences, the present subjunctive, rich everyday vocabulary. This reader suits intermediate students and anyone preparing a B1 certification (CILS, CELI, PLIDA).
Is this Grazia Deledda's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Grazia Deledda's original remain, but vocabulary and syntax are rewritten for level B1, with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions at the end of every chapter.
Which formats is it available in?
Paperback (6×9, cream paper) and Kindle ebook on Amazon. The ebook is free to read with Kindle Unlimited. The same text also lives in the ti app, with vocabulary translated into 14 languages.
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