Matteo tries to steal a woman’s bag, but things don’t go as planned. Instead of calling the police, Rosa surprises him with kindness. This short story, written in easy Italian for beginners, shows how a small act of humanity can change someone’s path. Includes vocabulary notes for A1 learners.
Lorenzo lives a quiet, uneventful life—so uneventful that people literally fall asleep when he talks. Desperate to change, he tries everything to seem exciting. But the more he tries, the stranger things get. A humorous and unpredictable story about boredom, identity, and how even the most overlooked lives can take a bizarre turn.
Two artists leave the city for a quiet village, hoping for a peaceful life among flowers and hills. Everything seems perfect—until one of them falls seriously ill. As autumn approaches, only a single red rose remains in the garden. But the rose doesn’t fall. And neither does hope
Every first Monday of the month, in a quiet and orderly office, employees must write the name of a colleague on a blue sheet of paper. Riccardo is new and soon discovers the cold and ruthless side of that simple rule.
In a quiet town in Alabama, two would-be kidnappers believe they have found the perfect plan to get easy money. But nothing goes as expected. Between absurd situations and an uncontrollable child, their adventure turns into a mix of comedy and desperation.
An excellent reading opportunity for students of Italian at A2-B1 level.
In a chilly New York autumn, Soapy sits on a park bench and prepares for winter in his own way: by getting arrested. For him, prison on Blackwell’s Island means warmth, food, and rest. But as he tries one absurd plan after another, something unexpected happens. A story that blends irony and melancholy, set in a city that looks the other way.
December 1918. The war is over, and a tired soldier named Antonio arrives in a desolate mountain village. Hungry and alone, he finds not hostility but silence and emptiness. Yet from a simple idea—stone soup—he kindles something extraordinary. In a time of scarcity, his imagination turns cold kitchens into warmth, silence into music, and strangers into a community.
A short and easy story for beginners learning Italian
A man once gentle and loving descends into darkness, tormented by guilt, alcohol, and something more sinister. When a one-eyed cat returns from his past—or perhaps never left—his mind unravels. What begins as a confession becomes a psychological spiral of horror and doom. In this chilling tale, madness and remorse are as real as fur and blood.
In 13th-century Alexandria, where spices fill the air and food vendors line the streets, a hungry man finds comfort in the aroma rising from a cook’s pot. He tastes nothing—only the scent. But when the cook demands payment for the smell, the matter escalates to the Sultan himself. A tale of hunger, pride, and a curious debate about what is worth paying for.
Clelia wants a perfect beach photo for her social media. With Marta’s help, she prepares everything carefully. But something unexpected appears in the background, and the photo goes viral for the wrong reason. A light and funny story about appearances, friendship, and how plans can change in surprising ways.
