"Wanda Skof was Slovenian, not Slovakian. It is a rather important
distinction as Slovenia borders northeast Italy." 

I stand corrected for my momentary "mental short circuit". 

Yes, Slovenia is on Italy's northeast border, 
while Slovakia is on the opposite side of Austria or Hungary. 

Besides the "geographical" closeness, I believe I am being encouraged to 
consider:
that this closeness has resulted in both warm friendships, and tensions.

(1) Istria, (a western Part of Slovenia) has frequently over time been a part 
of Italy. 

(1) In 1941, during World War II, Germany, Hungary, and Italy divided 
Slovenia among themselves. In 1947, Slovenia acquired Slovenian-speaking 
districts on the Adriatic Sea (in Istria) from Italy.

(2) Italy and Slovenia, as late as the late 1990's, worked successfully to 
negotiate their dispute over the property rights of ethnic Italians who fled 
Slovenia after World War II and whose property was confiscated by the 
Yugoslav government. 

(3) Italy is important to Slovenia as a trading partner, and tourism. 

(4) Friuli-Venezia-Guilia is the closest Italian Region to Slovenia, and is 
only one of four regions in Italy to accept autonomy (in 1963). Autonomy is 
usually insisted on in Regions where there are many non Italians, and/or are 
a 
great distance from Rome. 

However, since the Review leads us to believe this all took place in Parma,
all that discussion may be irrelevant.

I'll just have to wait and see whether Italy is used as just a beautiful 
backdrop, 
and Italians as bit players, and my original concerns are justified, or I get 
to be pleasantly suprised.  
=========================================================
For those who have the interest and the time, SLOVENIA, Encarta excerpts 
follow:  

History

Under the Roman Empire (27 BC-AD 476), Slovenia was part of the provinces of 
Pannonia and Noricum. During the 6th century AD, the region was invaded by 
the Mongolian Avars and later by Slavs who threw off Avar domination. A 
period of Bavarian rule ensued, during which most of the people converted to 
Roman Catholicism. In AD 623, chieftain Franko Samo created the first 
independent Slovene state, which stretched from Lake Balaton (now located 
within Hungary) to the Mediterranean. It lasted until late in the 8th 
century, when the region became part of the Frankish Empire. In the 10th 
century it was reorganized as the duchy of Carantania by Holy Roman Emperor 
Otto I. From 1335 until 1918, except for a brief interlude from 1809 to 1814, 
Slovenes were governed by the Habsburgs of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 
Austrian crown lands of Kärnten (Carinthia), Carniola, and Steiermark 
(Styria), except for a minority in the republic of Venice. During the 
Napoleonic Wars, the region was taken from Austria by France and reorganized 
as part of the Illyrian Provinces from 1809 to 1814. This brief period of 
liberal rule fostered Slovene and South Slav nationalism that triumphed at 
the close of World War I in 1918, with the formation of the Kingdom of the 
Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929).

In 1941, during World War II, Germany, Hungary, and Italy divided the 
territory among themselves. In spite of forced transfers of populations 
during the war, since 1945 most Slovenes have lived in the Slovenian 
republic, which in 1947 also acquired Slovenian-speaking districts on the 
Adriatic Sea (in Istria) from Italy.

Slovenia's dissatisfaction with the Yugoslav federation grew during the 
1980s, with increased sentiment first for greater autonomy and then for 
independence.

In June 1991, following various political upsets, including Serbian refusal 
to transfer the country's rotating presidency to the Croatian representative, 
Slovenia and Croatia each declared independence from Yugoslavia. The 
Serb-dominated Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) sent forces to both republics in 
an attempt to secure Yugoslavia's borders. 

In Slovenia, a ten-day war ensued, in which Slovene forces defeated the JNA. 
The JNA's defeat, perhaps coupled with fighting in Serbia's closer neighbor, 
Croatia, allowed Slovenia quickly to secure true independence as well as 
international recognition as a separate republic. In January 1992 the 
European Community (now the European Union, or EU), led by Germany, 
acknowledged the independence of Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and 
Herzegovina. The United States acknowledged their independence in April.

Italy and Slovenia worked successfully to negotiate their dispute over the 
property rights of ethnic Italians who fled Slovenia after World War II and 
whose property was confiscated by the Yugoslav government. 

Italy had threatened to block Slovenia's entry into the EU until the issue 
was resolved, but the Italian government backed off from this stance in early 
1995. In June 1996 Slovenia signed an association agreement with the EU; in 
December 1997 it was invited to begin the process of becoming a full member.

The population of Slovenia at the 1991 census was 1,962,606.  Slovenes, a 
Slavic ethnic group, constitute about 88 percent of the republic's 
population. Slovenes speak Slovenian, the republic's official language. 
Unlike other Slavic cultures, Slovenes have been heavily influenced by German 
and Austrian cultures for nearly a millennium. Despite more than 70 years of 
affiliation with Yugoslavia, Slovene culture exhibits many similarities to 
Germanic cultures. Slovenian is written in the Latin alphabet—unlike Serbian 
and many other Slavic languages, which are written in the Cyrillic 
alphabet—and has many dialects. In addition, most people in Slovenia are 
Roman Catholic. Ethnic Serbs (about 2 percent), Croats (about 3 percent), and 
various other ethnic groups (about 7 percent) constitute the remainder of 
Slovenia's population. In addition, in the mid-1990s Slovenia was home to 
some 20,000 refugees from the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Some 52 percent of all Slovenes live in urban areas, particularly in 
Ljubljana (population, 1995 estimate, 269,972) and Maribor (103,113), the 
republic's two largest cities. Many of the remainder live in rural areas 
throughout the republic, particularly in alpine villages, where skiing is one 
of the most popular forms of recreation. In the cities Slovenes enjoy 
concerts, operas, and art galleries.

The Slovene government requires that all children attend school between the 
ages of 7 and 15. Almost all Slovenes over the age of ten can read and write, 
and 36 percent of students receive postsecondary or higher levels of 
education. There are 30 institutions of higher education in Slovenia; among 
them is the University of Ljubljana, which was founded in 1595.

Economy

Prior to independence Slovenia was the most prosperous of the six Yugoslav 
republics. However, the wars that took place in the region during the early 
and mid-1990s seriously affected Slovenia's economy. 

Industry constituted 39 percent of GDP in Slovenia in 1998. The republic's 
chief industries produce electrical equipment, processed food, textiles, 
paper and paper products, chemicals, and wood products. Agriculture accounts 
for 4 percent of GDP, with dairy farming and livestock dominating this 
sector. Major crops include cereals such as corn and wheat, potatoes, sugar 
beets, and fruits (particularly grapes). Germany is by far Slovenia's most 
important trading partner in both exports and imports. The other leading 
countries buying Slovenian goods are Croatia, Italy, France, and Austria. 
Exports include electrical machinery, road vehicles, chemicals and chemical 
products, footwear, and furniture. Tourism is also a major source of revenue, 
with popular resorts at Lake Bled and in the mountains. The largest number of 
visitors are from Italy, Germany, and Austria.

Slovenia has an excellent transportation network. It contained 19,586 km 
(12,170 mi) of roads in 1998, and its largest cities are connected by 
railroads. There are also three major airports and a port at Koper on the 
Adriatic Sea. In October 1991 the republic released its own currency, the 
tolar, to replace the Yugoslav dinar (166 tolars equal U.S.$1; 1998 average).

In early 1993 Slovenia joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the 
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (since renamed the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE). The republic 
also revived economic contacts with Austria and Italy and established new 
relations with Iran, China, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. In June 
1996 Slovenia became an associate member of the European Union (EU). In 
December 1997 it was invited to begin the process of joining the organization 
as a full member.

Government

An emerging democracy, Slovenia has adopted many elements of democratic 
government. In December 1991 the Slovenian government adopted a constitution 
that guarantees a number of civil rights, including universal suffrage for 
all Slovenes age 18 and older, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.