Il piacere: an Italian book for advanced learners (C1)
Gabriele D'Annunzio · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level C1
Gabriele D'Annunzio's classic (1889), rewritten for learners of Italian at level C1: 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 Il piacere
Rome, splendid and decadent. Count Andrea Sperelli, a refined aesthete, poet and seducer, has made his own life a work of art. But he is torn between two women: Elena Muti, the sensual passion who abandoned him, and Maria Ferres, the spiritual love who might save him.
In the salons, antique auctions and baroque churches of the capital, Andrea pursues pleasure until he loses himself. The manifesto novel of Italian Decadentism, written in prose of dazzling beauty.
Why read Il piacere to learn Italian
The most elegant prose of the Italian nineteenth century, made climbable by footnotes and glossary: the ideal training ground before tackling D'Annunzio's originals. The vocabulary of art and beauty is a treasure for anyone who loves discussing culture in Italian.
Inside this reader
CEFR adaptation
The text is fully rewritten for level C1, 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-C1 edition you mainly practise the passato remoto, gerunds and participles, literary vocabulary, shades of register and rhetorical figures. The vocabulary revolves around art, beauty and high society: 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 piacere | pleasure | het genot |
| l'esteta | aesthete | de estheet |
| il salotto | drawing room | de salon |
| l'asta | auction | de veiling |
| la bellezza | beauty | de schoonheid |
| il duello | duel | het duel |
| la rosa | rose | de roos |
| l'anima | soul | de ziel |
About the author: Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio (1863–1938), poet, novelist and legendary figure of Italian life between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, made the «inimitable life» his banner. Il piacere, written at twenty-five, brought him instant fame.
Details and difficulty level
C1 stays close to the original language: structure and style remain near the author's text, with footnotes and a glossary for literary vocabulary. This reader suits advanced students, teachers and lovers of Italian literature. Format: 6×9 paperback on cream paper or Kindle ebook; 20 chapters with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions. All level C1 books →
Frequently asked questions
What level of Italian do I need to read Il piacere?
This edition of Il piacere is rewritten for CEFR level C1. C1 stays close to the original language: structure and style remain near the author's text, with footnotes and a glossary for literary vocabulary. This reader suits advanced students, teachers and lovers of Italian literature.
Is this Gabriele D'Annunzio's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Gabriele D'Annunzio's original remain, but vocabulary and syntax are rewritten for level C1, 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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Il piacere also lives inside the ti app, with tap-to-translate vocabulary in 14 languages and animated scenes. On the site you'll also find 700+ free Italian exercises and the blog for Italian learners.
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