Description
An original Italian easy reader by Enrico Maso
Forty years from initial commissioning to completion, Michelangelo’s Moses “rests with one arm on the tables, and with the other holds his long glossy beard, the hairs, so difficult to render in sculpture, being so soft and downy that it seems as if the iron chisel must have become a brush.”
‘Michelangelo e il Mosè’ is an original Italian easy reader written for students at intermediate and advanced levels. Use it to improve your reading and listening skills, while getting a glimpse into the life of one of the most famous Italian painters and sculptors!
- .pdf e-book (+ audio available free online)
- .mobi (Kindle-compatible) and .epub (other ebook readers) available on request at no extra charge – just add a note to the order form or email us
- 8 chapters to read and listen to
- Comprehension questions to check your understanding
- Italian/English glossary of ‘difficult’ terms for the level
- Suitable for students at intermediate level or above
- Download your Free Sample Chapter (.pdf)
How do I access my ebook?
When your order is ‘completed’ (normally immediately after your payment), a download link will be automatically emailed to you. It’s valid for 7 days and 3 download attempts so please save a copy of the .pdf ebook in a safe place. Other versions of the ebook, where available, cannot be downloaded but will be emailed to people who request them. There’s a space to do that on the order form – where it says Additional information, Order notes (optional). If you forget, or if you have problems downloading the .pdf, don’t worry! Email us at the address on the website and we’ll help. Also, why not check out our FAQ?
Julie Docker (verified owner) –
I warmly recommend tis easy Italian reader. Its vocabulary is challenging but is rich because it is colloquial.
I particularly liked the fact that it was not ‘just’ about Michelangelo in a cool art history way, but entered into the emotions of this great artist, in particular his disappointment in how the tomb was continually put off. But the author clearly left hints that he understood the art history so I trusted the book. And now I have fallen in love with the statue of Moses. And I loved the clever ending! Thank you to Enrico Maso and to everyone involved!
******
Colin Marsh (verified owner) –
This story has the advantage of drawing on our interest in the life of a compelling figure in cultural history: Michelangelo at work on his sculpture of Moses (and I will take this opportunity to say that for the same reason, I enjoyed ‘Vivaldi e la chiesa della Salute’ and ‘Caravaggio nei vicoli di Roma’). We have the sense that we are gaining insights into the personality of the great artist; in other words, content matters in a foreign language reader, and this story provides it. The text presents a good degree of challenge while remaining accessible for readers ready for this level (B2/C1). Not all the vocabulary is familiar, nor should it be, and I occasionally needed the help of my dictionary; but in any case the meaning often emerges naturally from the context. This was a very positive and enjoyable reading and learning experience.
Donna K. (verified owner) –
I really enjoyed this book—as I have every book that I have bought from you, but this is my first review. Now that we are under “house arrest,” there is no excuse!
Anyway, I am always looking for B2/C1 level books, and this one hit the mark. I particularly enjoy reading books that deal with Italian culture: art, people, and history.
The story has created a desire In me to revisit this statue and research the artist. In other words, this was not just language activity, but an interactive , mind provoking experience which I highly recommend.
Thank you.
Zsuzsanna Snarey (verified owner) –
I was being a little ambitious in buying this book but having seen Moses in “the flesh”, David in Firenze and also the Sistine Chapel have always been a great fan of Michelangelo. It took me sometime to listen to the whole story and thoroughly enjoyed it even though there were many words I did not know. I will endeavour to look them up now that we are in isolation but I have just noticed the parrallel text which is very tempting!
Martha Wilson (verified owner) –
An enjoyable blend of art history and personality. I found it a “fast read” the first time through, getting the gist of the story but not studying it per se. The audio is what makes the e-readers particularly useful. (If you are looking for a more serious treatment of Michelangelo and Moses, this is not it. As I think Daniel has mentioned before, if you can read at B2/C1, you’d be able to find in-depth material in Italian to challenge yourself.)
jadwiga jarvis (verified owner) –
Per un libro così breve, “Michelangelo e il Mosè” è veramente un grande capolavoro!
Ci sono un sacco di nuove parole; non vedo l’ora di poter usarle. Sarebbe molto soddisfacente dire ad un politico: Sciagurato! Voglio vederti strisciare!
I liked the subtle references to the 1972 smashing of the Pietà and the 1991 hammer attack on David’s toe; I enjoyed being momentarily stopped in my tracks by the comment “forse se avesse scolpito il Mosè con la testa rivolta a sinistra …” (?! But he did!) The story is full of fun and light-hearted mischief, with just enough new vocabulary to keep the educational component humming along without impeding upon the pleasure of reading ─ a perfect balance for those of us who are wavering between B2 and C1.
Not for the first time: Bravo Enrico Maso! Sei uno scrittore molto divertente.
N.B. Does Enrico do requests? Mine would be a book about Leonardo centered on his magnificent ‘Dama con l’ermelino’.
Linda Ann Novelli Thompson (verified owner) –
Another enjoyable book. I have seen the statue and think it is incredible so I was interested in this book. From other books that I have read I found Michelangelo’s personality to be what I expected. I am always trying to increase my vocabulary so I find this to be a helpful way to do so.
Mike Jolly (verified owner) –
I wasn’t sure if I was ready for a book containing a little C1 material but it was nicely written, interesting and very manageable as the grammar is only slightly harder than B1/B2 books.
The audio is good and the way I listen to it, as usual, is to take one chapter at a time and listen without reading two or three times. Then listen again but reading the book simultaneously (it is so much easier! ) I look up all the vocabulary I don’t know – and this is sometimes a lot and put it in into Anki (a fantastic learning programme – so much more than a flash card app -and no I am not connected with Anki except as a daily user of it).
I will certainly try some more at this level (especially as the Easter sale is on) probably Colombo as the previous reviewer rates it as slightly harder.
Tony Prosser (verified owner) –
Another excellent Easy Reader. The plot does maintain interest so that there is motivation to continue; I think that is a big advantage of the Easy Readers format. The level seems to me precisely as described; I would rate my level at B2 and it was just about right; perhaps a bit easier than ‘Colombo e il mare oceano’ but a bit harder than ‘Segreti e polpetti’ both of which I have also used. I agree with the previous reviewer that some more, and more demanding, exercises would be an improvement.
I am using the Easy Readers not so much to improve my Italian reading skills, which are well in advance of my oral skills due to old fashioned lessons many years ago. Instead, I am trying to improve my relatively weak listening comprehension. This is never a fast process, but I have found that use of the Easy Readers is helping a lot. I listen to RAI News 24 and find I am understanding more; I also have occasional conversations with an Italian colleague and find that I am understanding more of her uncompromisingly fast speech. As this suggests, this level is not for beginners but I have found the discipline of following through the Easy Readers is a very effective way of building up the skills I already had.
Sherry Fyman (verified owner) –
Pros: I’m not sure how historically accurate this book is, but it was a lot of fun to read! We see the Master going to the marble pits of Carrara to pick out the right block of marble, storming around in the office of the secretary of the Pope, annoyed that he fears he is being shut out from the top commissions.
Cons: In each section I could have used a longer words list. I would have liked a more challenging groups of exercises. Even if there is no way to process right or wrong answers for essay questions, I would find comprehension questions more helpful.