Books about Gypsies?

donna.RemoveThis@dragonflybooks.com wrote:

 >It's really only in the past 20 years or so that I have found
 >anything--fiction and non-fiction--that was truly accurate about the Rom.

Have you read _Hard Hearts are for Cabbages_? I've always wondered how accurate
that was.

--Helen

--Helen<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies? 

In <xSarb.14934$8x2.6999849@newssrv26.news.prodigy.com> "Donna Pedaci" <donna.TakeThisOut@dragonflybooks.com> writes:

 >It's really only in the past 20 years or so that I have found
 >anything--fiction and non-fiction--that was truly accurate about the Rom.
 >There are a myriad of misconceptions--for instance the cleanliness laws you
 >are referring to differ among different groups, the top/bottom male/female
 >distinctions are more common among Eastern European Rom rather than British
 >Rom. The Rom in most children's books are usually a mishmosh of different
 >groups, rather than an accurate portrayl of the Rom who would be in that
 >area. As far as the word Traveler, there is still some argument as to
 >whether the Travelers are actually Rom, it's also believed that they are
 >descendents of those displaced during the potato famine.

Interesting. There's an upcoming book called _See You Down the Road_ by
Kim Ablon Whitney, focusing on a Traveler family in the US. I don't have
the knowledge to speak to its authenticity, but while there are occasional
uses of cant, they never identify as Rom or even, IIRC, mention the
term--there is not only a rejection of the term "gypsy," but a suggestion
that there's a specific meaning to it about culturelessness. They're
definitely Irish, and there's mention of the differences (in a discussion
of clannishness) between them and the Scottish Travelers.

The gender distinctions there are more in accord with some older views in
America in general--the girls and women are on a pretty tight leash,
whereas the boys and men are held to much different standards. The book's
particularly focusing on the protagonist's possible upcoming arranged
marriage (she's sixteen), to a son of family friends, and it explicitly
involves a bride price as well as some other traditions.

I keep thinking there was another YA book about Travelers back about five
years ago. I want to say it was a Cynthia Grant book, perhaps called Mary
Dove or Mary something, but it may just be something I read at the same
time!

Anyway, if you or anybody has any references that would give some
sociocultural background on the subject, I'd be really interested to know
about them.

--
Deborah Stevenson
dstevens.TakeThisOut@OBSTACLESuiuc.edu
[eliminate OBSTACLES to email me]<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies? 

In article <bojs50$hen$1@reader2.panix.com>,
Deborah Stevenson <dstevens.TakeThisOut@OBSTACLESuiuc.edu> wrote:

 >I keep thinking there was another YA book about Travelers back about five
 >years ago. I want to say it was a Cynthia Grant book, perhaps called Mary
 >Dove or Mary something, but it may just be something I read at the same
 >time!

I think you're thinking of _Mary Wolf_ by Cynthia Grant, but I don't
think it's about Travelers, unless that term is a very general one.
--
"I couldn't believe this was a book. It didn't even give me a
headache." -- Chris Crutcher on _To Kill a Mockingbird_
Eeek - the wicked pigeon ladies are back in the garden!:
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.windowsill.net/vol11.no6.html" target="_blank">www.windowsill.net/vol11.no6.html</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies? 

Lenona321 wrote:
 > Or Travellers, as you please.
 >

Not "about" Gypsies, but Herge's "The Castafiore Emerald" from the Tintin
series, has a significant portrayal.
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0316358428" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0316358428</a>

On the movie side, I heartily recommend Kusturica's "Time of the Gypsies", a
magic-realist feast.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies? 

Donna,

Do you think Sally Watson makes up for her negative portrayal of the Rom in
Lark? In that book, James and Lark are helped by the Rom. I don't know how
accurate the depiction is, though.

Anita

"Donna Pedaci" <donna DeleteThis @dragonflybooks.com> wrote
 > Witch of the Glens by Sally Watson features a Gypsy character in 1600's
 >Scotland, but it's a pretty negative portrayal.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies? 

Deborah Stevenson wrote:

 > Donna Pedaci wrote:

  >> As far as the word Traveler, there is still some argument as to whether the
  >> Travelers are actually Rom, it's also believed that they are descendents of
  >> those displaced during the potato famine.

 > Interesting. There's an upcoming book called _See You Down the Road_ by Kim
 > Ablon Whitney, focusing on a Traveler family in the US. I don't have the
 > knowledge to speak to its authenticity, but while there are occasional uses of
 > cant, they never identify as Rom or even, IIRC, mention the term--there is not
 > only a rejection of the term "gypsy," but a suggestion that there's a specific
 > meaning to it about culturelessness. They're definitely Irish, and there's
 > mention of the differences (in a discussion of clannishness) between them and
 > the Scottish Travelers.
 >
 > Anyway, if you or anybody has any references that would give some
 > sociocultural background on the subject, I'd be really interested to know
 > about them.

[http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/gypsy/travell.htm]

[http://www.gypsyloresociety.org/cultureintro.html]

[http://www.pitt.edu/~alkst3/USA.html]

[http://foclark.tripod.com/gypsy/]

[http://www.travellersrest.org/]

[http://www.rickross.com/groups/irish_travelers.html]

Stephen.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies? 

In <BBD73A2A.116C0%none@none.com> Stephen Kane <none DeleteThis @none.com> writes:

I said:
  >> Anyway, if you or anybody has any references that would give some
  >> sociocultural background on the subject, I'd be really interested to know
  >> about them.

 >[http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/gypsy/travell.htm]

 >[http://www.gypsyloresociety.org/cultureintro.html]

 >[http://www.pitt.edu/~alkst3/USA.html]

 >[http://foclark.tripod.com/gypsy/]

 >[http://www.travellersrest.org/]

 >[http://www.rickross.com/groups/irish_travelers.html]

Thanks much, Stephen. Looks like most of the web stuff is a bit on the
soft side, but it's got some print references for further exploration. It
would be useful if there were a Traveler equivalent to the Oyate site, but
I guess things don't come into existence merely because I'd find them
useful .


--
Deborah Stevenson
dstevens DeleteThis @OBSTACLESuiuc.edu
[eliminate OBSTACLES to email me]<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies? 

Yes, the portrayal of the Rom in Lark is much more positive, but highly
inaccurate. For instance, wooden caravans weren't used until about the mid
1800's. In the 1600's Rom probably would have been using tents. It's been a
while since I read it, but I remember that particularly. It seemed a rather
exotic, romantic portrayal of carefree wanderers.

Donna



"Anita Wilhelm" <wilhelm RemoveThis @megsinet.net> wrote in message
news:vr3cugf8uf3212@corp.supernews.com...
 > Donna,
 >
 > Do you think Sally Watson makes up for her negative portrayal of the Rom
in
 > Lark? In that book, James and Lark are helped by the Rom. I don't know
how
 > accurate the depiction is, though.
 >
 > Anita
 >
 > "Donna Pedaci" <donna RemoveThis @dragonflybooks.com> wrote
  > > Witch of the Glens by Sally Watson features a Gypsy character in 1600's
  > >Scotland, but it's a pretty negative portrayal.
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies? 

Re books about Gypsies, George Borrow's books are great reads,full of
authentic information on customs and language in a highly romantic
atmosphere. I first ran across them at eleven or twelve and loved
them, still do. In looking up the spelling of Lavengro I found a
rebound set I wouldn't mind having!! Too bad! Suzanne Price
The Works of George Borrow. 14 volumes. Frontis. portrait. 12mo, 3/4
dark blue morocco bindings by Zaehnsdorf. Gilt tooling, raised bands
and red floral designs on spine (some vols. are very lightly
shelfworn). London: John Murray, 1841-1874. First editions, near fine.
$2250.00 The collection comprises: The Zincali, 2 vols., 1841. The
Bible in Spain, 3 vols., 1843. Lavengro, 3 vols., 1851. The Romany
Rye, 2 vols., 1857.Wild Wales, 3 vols., 1862. Romano Lavo-Lil, 1874.
 >> Stay informed about: Books about Gypsies?