Cuore

Here's a book that would be a welcome addition to any student's reading list: Cuore, by Edmondo De Amicis. It's the fictional diary of a boy's third year in school. The book, written after the Italian war for independence in the late 1800's, was written to foster appreciation of the newfound national unity. The novel is internationally popular, has been translated into over twenty-five languages, and is part of the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works. And for most Italians, it's required reading in grammar school.