Which book/CD series should I buy to learn Italian quickly?

I am studying abroad in Rome next semester (Winter/Spring 2008) and need to pick up as much Italian as possible before I go. I was wondering what series of books and CDs would be best for learning practical, modern Italian quickly. For the audio part, I would prefer to have the old-school method of the word/phrase being repeated in both languages. It would also be helpful if the book had many insights into the culture, too.

Thanks!