It’s night two of your idyllic Roman holiday and it’s so late it’s practically morning. Your traveling companions abandoned you hours ago and, for what seems like forever, you’ve been languishing over grappa in a smoky café, mesmerized by the gaze of a debonair guy named Roberto. Now, wouldn’t it make your evening if you could pause, lean toward him, and whisper in his native tongue, “Is that a banana in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?” (For the record, it’s “Hai una banana in tasca o sei solo contento di vedermi?”) Armed with a copy of L. Brook’s Sex in Every City: How to Talk Dirty in Every Language (Grand Central Publishing, 2008; $12.99), you’re prepared for any and all romantic situations with lines that range from “How you doin’?” to “Are you ready for round two?” Languages include French, German, Russian, Hebrew, and Swedish, and there are good-to-know “Global Sex Facts” peppered throughout. Find this essential suitcase-stuffer on shelves at Barnes & Noble (660 Beacon Street, Boston, 617.267.8484).
