With all the scandal surrounding the Azzurri and Serie A right now, a great way to catch up with the covoluted history of Italian footy would be to read this book, which is written by British historian John Foot. It's a breezy read, and its 500 pages (!) are filled with everything you need to know about calcio's pull on the peninsula. It's interesting to see how Rome's derbys compare to those of Turin and Milan. We also get a solid summary of the British influence on the Italian game, from nomenclature to organization. An essential read for any serious student of the Beautiful Game.
