I Met Lucky People: The Story of the Romani Gypsies

by Yaron Matras

Their own origins myths put them at the scene of the Crucifixion, deprived of a home of their own, doomed to a life of wandering, and granted by God the right to steal from other people in order to survive. In the Middle Ages, it was believed they had come out of Egypt. And yet their language shares a number of words with Greek, and has its roots in India. So who are the Romani people, really?

As one of the last remaining societies in the Western hemisphere with a strictly oral culture, the Romani people have no written record of their history that can be consulted. From the early 1990s, linguist Yaron Matras has been working with the 'Rom', as they call themselves, one of a handful of people to have done so. Travelling widely in central and eastern Europe, studying their language and learning their dialects, he has witnessed their campaign for recognition. In I Met Lucky People Matras gives us the first comprehensive account of their culture, language and history. It is a story of the echoes of a rich past left in language and customs, and of how the changing fortunes of Europe throughout the centuries have been imprinted on Romani culture.

The Romani people are a nation like few others: without territory, national sovereignty or formal institutions, and with no tradition of agriculture or ownership of land. As the wider global society that surrounds them struggles to define itself, what will become of the Roms? Unlike other groups who have won a measure of inclusion in recent decades, they have struggled to have their voice heard. If they are to have a future, it is time we brought our thinking about them out of the dark ages and into the modern world.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Historical, Cultural, Book Club, Sociology, Society

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2014

About the author

Yaron Matras is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Manchester, and Editor of the journal Romani Studies. His involvement with Romani issues began in the advocacy and civil rights arena. Matras was media relations officer to the Roma National Congress from 1988-1995, and founding editor of RomNews, one of the very first advocacy information services on Romani issues. He has worked closely with the Open Society Institute's Roma programmes, is a founding member of the European Academic Network on Romani Studies, and has led several large-scale research projects on Romani language and culture, including an international research consortium on Romani migrations. He is the author of over a dozen books and numerous chapters and articles on Romani language and culture, and speaks the Romani language fluently.

Reviews

[Verena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really information dense, which is why it took me forever to get through but also really interesting

[East West Notes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Met Lucky People: The Story of the Romani Gypsies offers a rare overview of the Romani people and their history, from their origins in India to modern day activism within the European Union.

For those with an interest in migration and linguistics, the first chapters provide a fascinating look at the Sanskrit roots of the Romani language. “People are often surprised to hear that Romani is in fact a fully fledged language just like any other, that it has its origins in India, that it is related to Sanskrit, an ancient language associated with Indian scholarship and religion, and that it has been preserved by the Romani populations through oral traditions and in a variety of dialects for many centuries.” Even in modern times, “On the rare occasions when Romani Gypsies meet south Asians from India or Pakistan, they are astonished to discover that they can understand many of the words these people use in their language, such as Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. There is thus a connection with eastern Europe - Romania and Hungary - but also with far-away India.”

I especially like how this book clears up the differences between the Romani, Irish Travellers and other groups often lumped together under the term 'Gypsy.' Many people are still under the impression that being Romani is a lifestyle, perhaps even one they can adopt themselves! It also describes how the Romani people have layered identities, with their ethnic backgrounds, countries of residence and countries of citizenship resulting in historical and cultural differences. This might be frustrating for some readers who were expecting an easy guide to the 'Gypsy lifestyle.'

These differences among the Romani people offers a challenge to an author who couldn't possibly cover every Romani community worldwide. “What do women who live in houses, wear traditional long skirts, speak Romani to their family members and are offended when somebody calls them 'Gypsies' have in common with women who live in caravans, wear shorts, use only the occasional Romani word and refer to themselves as 'Gypsies?' What does a Romani coppersmith in Bulgaria share with a Romani used-car dealer in Los Angeles? How can a Spanish musician of Gitano background feel represented by a Hungarian Romani member of the European Parliament?”

Unfortunately Matras does not explicitly outline how Romani face discrimination because of their (often) darker skin and surnames that are (often) immediately recognisable to the majority population as being a Romani surname. This has terrible implications for accessing employment, healthcare and housing and many readers may assume that a Romani person could easily pass as 'White' or just change their 'lifestyle' and avoid facing discrimination. Imagine applying for a job in a country where your surname basically means 'Gypsy.' For some, 'passing' is not possible. Indeed, there are many examples in this book of Romani attempting to pass as Greek, Italian, Jewish or other races to avoid discrimination, especially in countries that have a more multicultural population where such a thing is possible. “I recall my Romani friend who drives from village to village to offer his services to potential clients and who claims, when asked about his origin, to be Irish or Italian. 'I make a living by denying who I am,' he says.” Another telling story involves a Romani person giving an overview of the history of his people. “But on one occasion he was lost for words. 'If it's all as bad as you describe,' asked an inconspicuous young man at the end of one of the lectures, 'then why did you choose to become a Gypsy?' His image of Gypsies had marked them as a mere lifestyle, a fashion, a brand.”

I would have also liked if it the author had specifically addressed the impact of slavery (a system in place until the 1850s) and segregated schooling has had on Romani people from certain countries. They are often described as the least integrated and the most visible, but few readers would have any knowledge that they had been held in long term slavery or had been denied education or put into segregated classes. If I recall correctly, he introduces the topic of slavery in another section briefly, when I think many of the readers would have little knowledge of slavery outside of African-American history or perhaps Russian serfs. “Romani slaves were in demand because of their skilled crafts and their importance to the economic market. With the growing dependency of landowners, monasteries and the Crown on Romani slaves, the Romanian term Tigan came to be used synonymously with 'slave' and it still has a derogatory connotation in the Romanian language today.” All these topics are covered in the books, but given frequent media debates about why some Romani people have 'failed' to integrate, I think a conclusion to that chapter really discussing the impact of these policies would have been helpful. On the other hand, so many books and articles on the Romani people are based strongly on the author's opinion or political leanings that perhaps the author wanted to avoid that.

I see the reviews are a bit mixed and I believe it might be because of an uneven style of writing between the book chapters. For example, for some of the chapters Matras includes personal stories and direct quotes from Romani people. In other chapters, especially within the chapter covering the 1940s, the history is directly presented mainly through facts. I imagine this could be to avoid heated debate or to clear up misconceptions, but it does make for dry reading. For example, he says "Many Romani prisoners at Auschwitz were subjected to the medical experiments of Josef Mengele and his collaborators."

How much more impact this chapter would have had if he had included, say the story of a survivor such as Theresia Seible ? Her story, from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum: "The response was the Theresia should be allowed to continue the pregnancy on condition that the babies would be turned over, upon their birth, to the clinic at the University of Wuerzburg. There, Dr. Werner Heyde, professor of neurology and psychiatry, and a key member of the Nazi euthanasia program, was conducting research on twins. Apparently, Dr. Joseph Mengele also took a personal interest in the Sinti twins...The babies were not included, and Theresia immediately went to the clinic to see them. When she arrived she was told she could not see them, but Theresia pushed her way in. She found Rolanda lying dead in a ward with a bandaged head, the victim of experiments with eye coloration. Hysterical at this discovery, Theresia grabbed the surviving twin, Rita, and fled. Later that day or the next, Rita was removed from her parents and taken back to the clinic. Theresia and Gabriel did not see her again for another year. Within a few days of these events Rolanda's body was released to her parents and they arranged for a proper Sinti funeral. A week later Theresia was forcibly sterilized.' (Source here, under About this Photograph)

I say this because there is some debate in the reviews for this book about whether the Romani people really suffered enough during World War II or trying to make this some awful competition between them and the Jewish people. Indeed, there is no shortage of people in this book who have both Romani and Jewish heritage. “Claims for compensation for physical damage through sterilization and for psychological damage through incarceration were not recognized for this reason. Claims for lost possessions were rejected on the basis of a wholesale prejudice that Gypsies did not own possessions. Claims for compensation for lost income on the basis of a reduction of earning capacity (as a result of physical and psychological damage and years lost due to imprisonment) were rejected on the grounds that Gypsies were unlikely to have sought employment even under more favourable circumstances. Like the German Jews, the Roms had been stripped of their citizenship rights by the Nazi regime's racist legislation.”

There is a scathing and lengthy summary of women who pretend to have Romani heritage, with no family tree or genetic testing proof to back up their claims. These seem to arise after employment issues, taking an interest in the new age or the arts. I have seen the Romani community on Reddit and Tumblr absolutely fed up with people pretending to be of Romani heritage to lend credibility to their tarot card reading or witchcraft publications, but honestly, I wish some of those pages had been dedicated to the very real victims of the Nazis. The women profiled seemed mentally unwell and caught up in a fantasy of what it means to be Romani ("have embraced a Gypsy brand of individuality and rebellion as an escape from situations of emotional despair where they felt desolate, abandoned and excluded.") However, I hope the author obscured their identity well enough as I fear seeing themselves called out like this might result in some sort of self-harm. One of the women profiled is supposedly from my own state here in Australia. In fact, I attended a lecture here in Australia by a criminologist covering how many non-Romani women would dress up as 'Gypsy fortune tellers' during WWI to give families news of their boys at the front, and then of course people would blame actual Romani people for preying on anxious and grieving families. This is nothing new.

I'm not looking to debate cultural appropriation or mental illness here, but rather point out that the Romani people have a lengthy history of hiding their racial background (for good reason) and forced adoptions dating all the way back to the reign of Maria Theresa, if not even earlier. Forced removals is a common topic on the European Roma Rights Centre website and a number of posts in the Romani Reddit community are from Americans who were adopted from Eastern Europe wondering how they can find out about their background. For example, the author states “The thought of even more permanent separation of children through boarding schools or foster homes is even more troublesome, and Roms in countries such as Norway, Sweden, Hungary and Switzerland are still haunted by the memory of periods in the history of their communities during which the practice of separating Romani children from their families was encouraged by authorities as a means of forcibly integrating the young generations of Roms into mainstream society.” I personally would have hesitated to 'call them out' until they at least offered to provide a family history or genetic testing, which would typically show South Asian and West Asian heritage. Overall it's a fine and occasionally humorous part of the book, but again more personal stories from the era covering WWII through the Cold War would have been better.

I enjoyed reading about the personal dramas of activists and the workings of the European Union, but it does require an interest in politics and bureaucracy. One can see the author has limited patience for many activists or some of their methods. He does recognise that some Romani come from more privileged backgrounds than others in this chapter. “Many Romani activists are in fact of mixed parentage. They are often individuals who grew up within the mainstream culture, ashamed of, or afraid to acknowledge, their Romani family connections. Others are persons of Romani background who acquired an education and spent the early years of their careers capitalizing on their Romani connections by engaging in academic research on Romani culture or providing expertise to public services and institutions on Romani society. They feel a strong commitment to challenging prejudice and to improving the destiny of their people. But many years of their lives have been spent struggling for recognition and acknowledgement among their non-Romani colleagues and peers.”

Overall, I found this book to be a useful, if occasionally dry, overview into the Romani Diaspora. I wish more people would pick up this book rather than watch My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and think they know or understand all about the Romani people worldwide. I have found many people have very strong opinions on the Jewish and Romani people, but can't even describe who those people are and they have no familiarity with the different types of Jewish and Romani people. As the book says, “But I do hold the view that we need to rethink and revise our picture of the Romani people and to move away from the literary images and brands, and on to understanding the real everyday lives and aspirations of a real people.”

I note that many of the negative reviews on GoodReads refer to Yaron Matras as 'she' or 'her.' One review says "The author also spends a great deal of time talking about her experiences working with the Gypsy population as if that makes her an expert on it, when she should really be considered one of those do-gooder leftist types that tends to inflame rather than resolve the problems of identity politics in the contemporary world.' I'm just basing this on the author profiles on The University of Manchester website, GoodReads, Amazon and Wikipedia, but Yaron Matras is a man and is referred to everywhere with 'he' and 'his.'

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yaron Matras’s comprehensive and fascinating study of the origins, history and culture of the Romani people is both entertaining and extremely interesting. From the first ever mention of the Roma people to the present day, Matras covers all aspects of their lives and traditions. It’s a difficult story to trace as there is little documentary evidence, as stories were usually passed down orally. They have no homeland, and are scattered all over the world. Repeatedly shunned, harassed and persecuted, they have always lived on the margins of society and to a large extent still do, with the subsequent suspicion and distrust given to the outsider. Never a homogeneous group, it is sometimes even difficult to define exactly who is a member of this diverse and diffused group. There has been relatively little scholarship devoted to them which makes this book even more timely and welcome, both to academics, policy makers and the general reader. Few people are unaware of the stereotypes, and certainly here in the UK there is deep distrust of so-called travellers. With chapters on Romani society, customs, language, identity and origins, Matras has delved deep into background of the Romani people and offers here a wide-ranging and well-researched book that gives a new perspective as well as an update on the current generation of better educated and self-confident activists who are ensuring that the Romani voice is at last listened to. A very worthwhile and enjoyable account of this little understood people.

[Brett C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned quite a deal of newer information about the Gypsy people. The book talks about their history (loaded with dates, places, people), their social customs and cultural intricacies, the Gypsy language, and the Gypsies among European society. They are followed from Medieval times to modern post-Communist Europe. The most interesting chapter was the Gypsies "Between Romanticism and Racism." The author claims to have lived with the Gypsies and presents the information clearly and concisely.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit frustrating to read.  That doesn't mean it was a bad book--it was quite a good book from the level of its technical competence.  Yet it is not only competence by which a book is to be judged.  For one, there is the larger political context of a book, and this book is full of discussion of the identity politics of the Gypsies and how it is that uniting gypsies together in Europe and North America has been an immensely difficult task.  The author makes grand sweeping statements about the experience of the Gypsies (including equating the experience of the Gypsies with that of the Jews in World War II as a way of ramping up the sympathy for them, which is not an entirely accurate view of history and is clearly done with political motivations).  The author also spends a great deal of time talking about her experiences working with the Gypsy population as if that makes her an expert on it, when she should really be considered one of those do-gooder leftist types that tends to inflame rather than resolve the problems of identity politics in the contemporary world.

This book of about 300 pages is divided into seven chapters along with other material.  The author begins the book by asking the question of the identity of the Romani people, giving a brief discussion of their supposed history as well as their travels throughout the Middle East and into Europe, where they appear in history in the late Middle Ages in Eastern Europe (1).  The author then spends a fair amount of time talking about the nature of Romani society, with its family-based and honor-based traditions (2).  After this comes a look at some of the customs and traditions of the Romani, many of which will (not surprisingly) seem very odd and puzzling to those who are not Romani themselves (3).  The author spends a bit of time talking about the Romani language but not to the detail that one would hope for (4).  After this comes a discussion of the Romani and their experience in dealing with various nations, which has generally been negative (5), after which the author looks at the experience of the Romani in the 19th and 20th centuries struggling with romanticism and racism (6), as well as the problems of contemporary Romani identity and its fragmentation and complexity (7), after which there is an appendix on Romani groups, notes, a selected bibliography, and an index.

Given the preliterate nature of much of Romani culture and the way that they have often sought to survive in various niches that often played to stereotypes that others had of them, it is perhaps unsurprising that the Romani themselves should be so intensely divided, because it is hard to build up unity in the absence of shared institution or overall structures.  The author is clearly sympathetic to the Romani, but is herself also aware of the extent to which many Gypsies seek to deny who they are to outsiders and by their marginalization find themselves easily misunderstood.  Quite honestly, it does not appear as if the Romani want to be understood by the majority cultures they live around, and perhaps they fear (not without reason) that their superstitions and culture would be viewed negatively if it were better understood by others even if it does not correspond to the precise nature of the stereotypical views that others often have of them.  In reading about the gypsies myself I have managed to find a great deal of compassion for their suffering but also some frustration with some of the more backwards aspects of their ways, and a respect for having endured centuries of marginal status with frequent periods of exploitation and abuse.

[iltatee · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit all over the place, but I guess it had to be since it was such a basic introduction text to almost everything about the Romani people and the Romani language. It emphasized the disruption between the image people tend to have on Roms (as "free and lawless G*psies") and the reality of a history of oppression (and of course oppression in the current moment, too, but the book focused on history).

I feel like the Goodreads two stars "it was okay" sums up my feelings quite well. If I hadn't been reading this for an exam, I would probably have skipped some parts.

[Zeynep · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yaron Matras' non-fiction book on the Romani people is a must-read for those interested in linguistics or the Roma. Osman Cemal Kaygılı's book (Çingeneler - Gypsies) was somewhat disappointing due to its dramatic nature. Therefore, I chose this book before Isabel Fonseca's Bury Me Standing because of its focus on linguistics.

Why linguistics? I believe that linguistics— and much like etymological connections—has the power to break down prejudices, stereotypes and discrimination. The transformation of a language over time, the cultures it has been influenced by, and the characteristics of the societies where it is spoken, to me are akin to DNA. When you dig deeper out of curiosity, you shatter your prejudices. When you delve into your own language, you feel the memory that brought you to this point deep within your bones. This might be a bold statement, but I often find linguists more reliable than historians.

History has always written about the Romani from the perspective of others. If we look at the sources from the communities they've lived with (and the book references many historical documents), it’s always a one-sided view. When we look at works of art, the Roma are either overly romanticized (like in Osman Cemal Kaygılı’s works) at best or demonized at worst. Until recently, their access to formal education was limited, so there are very few writers, scholars, or scientists among them. Beyond these tangible reasons, something inside me tells me that the Roma have never really wanted this "visibility" anyway. I think they’ve found a certain freedom in remaining somewhat unknown, unseen, and mysterious—here today, gone tomorrow. In this sense, they don’t seem to have a need to explain themselves to us (those who are not of them). So, when we become curious about them beyond our own perspective, the most reliable information we get is indirectly through their language.

In short, this book has strengthened my faith in linguistics in every sense.

Matras lists his reasons for writing the book as follows:
"I have learned from the Roma how sorrow and agony can coexist with generosity and a sense of security through mutual support. I witnessed an astonishing ability among them to adapt quickly and spontaneously to changes while still protecting the values that define who they are. Perhaps most importantly, the years I spent researching their language, culture, and history taught me important lessons about our own society: its fears and insecurities, its fantasies and superstitions, and the reflections of our suppressed desires and hidden passions onto the Roma."

For my part, the idea of using these people, who are always among us but always foreign and often invisible, as a mirror greatly appealed to me.

The book provides a wide-ranging perspective, covering everything from the origins of the Roma, their initial migrations to Anatolia and Europe, their cultural characteristics, their language, their influence on the art of the societies they lived in at different times, how they were affected by historical events—particularly the genocide they faced after the 18th century and during World War II—and their situation today. The sections on linguistics, specifically on the Romani language, are certainly very successful compared to the chapters on history and culture.

On the other hand, there are many works of art that are not mentioned. In the history section, the Balkan countries and Northern Europe are discussed, but France and England are given little attention compared to other countries. I believe that reflecting something as it is, is important in terms of objectivity. However, that alone is not sufficient. Even when attempting to be impartial, focusing on certain regions while glossing over others can be seen as compromising objectivity. For example, what the Roma experienced in France during World War II is also very interesting. The fact that this period is not mentioned, and no explanation is given as to why, is a shortcoming. Now, why did I focus on the absence of France instead of America? Because after the French Revolution, France created a typhoon effect in Europe with the idea of equality among people (liberté, égalité, fraternité). Despite this, the experiences of the Roma in France, the cradle of equality, are particularly intriguing. Finally, I believe that after spending many years with the Roma, the author shows the effects of the romantic perspective towards them, which he frequently highlights. These are the shortcomings I found in the book from my perspective

[Horus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much like Angus Fraser’s earlier book, The Gypsies, this book should now be the current go-to for anyone interested in learning about the Rom. Matras has many years of experience in this field, researching Romani linguistics and history and working to help establish rights for a people both long persecuted and romanticized. While the book does spend some time discussing linguistics, this is not a linguistics text and readers should not be intimidated by the content. He begins with a general discussion, moving into what we know of Romani history and origins, which naturally leads into linguistics, simply because that is where the most evidence of their historical movements lies. He spends some significant time detailing their persecution at the hands of the Nazis in the second world war, as well as their more current fights for equal rights in the countries they currently reside (although the discussion is mostly limited to European examples). A well written primer with more current research and information; this book should be on all shelves of those interested in anthropology and human rights.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interest of mine - this was a scholarly reference and was informative but left out information I felt was important. The author however is respected in his community and I was very pleased with the book.

Other Romani books approach the Rom in less scholarly terms and this adds great citing and bibliography - it is an important look at a puzzling culture and people that do not assimilate - whether for their own reasons or because societies have been (and are) hostile to them in almost every country win which they live. Suggest also Isabel Fonseca “Bury Me Standing” for her insight from her stay among Romani.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who's really only read one book related to Romani culture (a book on gypsy jazz), I thought this was a good accessible look into Romani history and culture. Not overly romanticized, except for some personal anecdotes the tone is academic without being too full of special jargon. Especially interesting to read in terms of how Romani relate to stereotypes and outsider identity. Insightful too in terms of a brief overview of the terms used (and potentially misused) in identifying and relating the Romani to other groups of people who are known to travel frequently/a sense of home or identity less fixed in a single location. Read just enough now to want to seek more information.

[Douglas Summers-Stay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is intended more for policy makers, nonprofits, and so forth than the casual reader. It's pretty dry. I knew very little about the subject going in. Gypsies all over Europe speak the same language and have common customs. They're kind of like Jews in that way: a people united by language and custom, living in other countries. I was also unaware of the Romani people here in the U.S. Also, like mobsters, they partly define themselves by media representations of themselves made by others. Their language pretty clearly shows them coming out of India around 500BC-500AD and passing through Greece and Turkey.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and very educational. Well documented and with accessible language.

I concur with other reviews I've seen: at times the book will be a bit dry (with long arrays of stats and dates) whilst in other passages the author will bring to the fore his personal experiences and anecdotes, making the narration more vivid.

It covers a good deal of ground - language, historical origins, depiction in art or traditions of the Roma, just to name a few areas-. On the one hand this is great, on the other, at times it leads to a bit of repetition of certain arguments.

Nonetheless, I'd recommend it, in particular if you are new to the subject.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. This started out really fascinating and I kept telling people to read it, but it became very repetitive and also a level of detail on topics like linguistic development that probably isn’t of interest to people reading for non-academic purposes. Also, whilst I obviously laud his efforts to dismantle stereotypes and prejudice towards Roma peoples, sometimes he seems to defensive that he’s not quite being honest/showing the full picture.

[Martijn]

There is surprisingly little written about the Romani and this book serves as a good introduction into their culture, history and their relationships with the communities around them. I'm not in a position to judge its accuracy and the book was at times a tad dry, policy-focused, but it is short enough, pretty well written and I am glad I read it.

[Kevin Buckley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I selected this book to be read in my book club. I wanted to walk away with a more comprehensive understanding of the Roma population I see begging in the corners of Stockholm. Though some sections, such as the one on culture were interesting; I did not find what I was looking for in this book. I would have enjoyed more on their lifestyle and less in the specifics of language.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super interesting look at the culture, history, and activism of the Romani people! I learned a lot and appreciated the author's attempts to dispel centuries-old stereotypes about this community.

[Anthony Cleveland · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting work written by an academic focusing on the oral history, language, religious, culture and social customs of the Romani people. A highly informative and relatively easy to read book.

[Rupert Wolfe-Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for anyone who thinks they know about the Roma minority.

[penelopewanders]

Quite a comprehensive overview of story of the Romani people. Occasionally there is overlap or redundancy from one section to the next, but on the whole this provides a very comprehensible description of many aspects relating to the Romani.
Of particular interest to me was the relatively brief section on the fantasy vs reality aspect, and how the Rom have been perceived and described in literature, music and the visual arts.
Likewise recent developments and efforts to find a voice for the Rom, with all the frustration and obstacles involved, was well-described.
Ever since, at the age of 17, I read the Gypsies by Jan Yoors, I have been intrigued by this people. In light of the on-going prejudice and discrimination persistent in so many countries, it is essential to continue to inform, and be informed.
I have chosen this theme for an EFL class with teenagers for the second time, and may well be able to use parts of this text with the group.

[Theresa Rothschadl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book riveting. It's a glimpse into an insular world, and I found many of Yaron Matras's explanations of Romani life to be absolute revelations. Suffice to say, these people think very, very differently about the world than the rest of the West, and they've held on to their lifeways with impressive tenacity. Ex.: in many cases, Rom parents don't want their children to attend school after the elementary level, because the culture so strongly emphasizes communality and togetherness that the parents are upset to be separated from their children. Not only does this have a compelling internal logic, it also explains quite a bit about Rom life outcomes and European stereotypes.

Read it for the first four chapters, which describe Rom customs, language, and society; the author's later discussions of how outsiders have viewed "Gypsies" in art and the struggle for a political identity are considerably less interesting.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to see a new publication on the Romani released since almost everything I've read on them was published in the 70s or earlier. Yaron Matras' work did not disappoint.

Matras gives a thorough and well researched account of the story of the Romani people. He also delves into their beliefs, customs, and superstitions. Much of the information he provides in this book I already knew, but he presents it in a new and refreshing manner. I also appreciated the passion with which he portrays the Romani people; he has a genuine love for these people that comes across in his writing.

As someone writing about this culture, I was fascinated by his take on representations of the Romani in literature and film and how even today these images are full of stereotypes and misconceptions. This is something I hope to see change in my lifetime.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting study of the Romany (Gypsies) and their culture and language. The portrayal of their folk beliefs and the differences in their culture depending on their location were especially fun to read along with the author's discussion of how Romany differ from the Gypsies of popular culture. I wish this book had more illustrations than a couple of maps.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know how little I knew about the Romani people until I read this. Unfortunately, it leaves a lot of questions unanswered and lacked specific examples and stories that would have made the people come to life for me. I really wish it had more about American Roms, since that's where my interest lies.

[Sezin Koehler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic overview of Romany culture. Not as detailed as Bury Me Standing, but useful nonetheless and especially in understanding why the Romany are the most hated group in the world. Lots of inspiration for my third novel in here, and I'm sure I'll be picking this up again before the year is over.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection. The finest book on the Romany people I have ever read. I would advise reading a basic history before starting this book, but once you have a decent background on Romany history I would recommend this book above anything else I have read.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of the Romani Gypsies their migration the language . Also the treatment of them throughout history.

[Angela Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dry... Tons of information though. Not a leisure read.

[Darci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably could have learned most of this on Wikipedia rather than have read this book.

[Mills College Library]

909.04914 M4338 2015