What started my panic last week was reading, "Let's Go Italy," 2006 edition where it states "Italy does not allow entrance if the holder's passport expires in under six months." Then I found this post so I was just making sure after other attempts failed to Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Looks like 3 mos validity upon return home is fine. The book must contain inaccurate or old information. It better!

actually - the book is accurate IF you are from a country that Italy requires citizens to have visas. 6 months is the rule for those visitors. That isn't an issue for you

Just to add our own experience. My husband's passport was only good for one month after return on our trip to Italy this summer. We tried to get an appointment at the DC passport agency to expedidte it and were assured that it was not nessacery, and we would be fine. Actually they would not make an appointment since it was not an emergency situation. It was never even mentioned by the airline or the officials in Italy.
Again-its just my experience.