The Girl in the Painted Caravan


Book Description

Born into a Romany gypsy family in 1939, Eva Petulengro’s childhood seemed to her to be idyllic in every way. She would travel the country with her family in their painted caravan and spend evenings by the fire as they sang and told stories of their past. She didn’t go to school or visit a doctor when she was unwell. Instead her family would gather wild herbs to make traditional remedies, hunt game and rabbits, and while the men tended horses to make a living, the young girls would join the women in reading palms. But Eva’s perfect world would be turned upside down as the countryside became increasingly hostile to all travellers. Eva describes the wonderful characters in her family, from her grandfather ‘Naughty’ Petulengro to her four beautiful aunts who entranced everyone they met, as well as the fascinating people they came across on the road. Moving, evocative, romantic and funny, The Girl in the Painted Caravan vividly captures a way of life that has now, sadly, all but disappeared.




The Girl in the Painted Caravan


Book Description

Born into a Romany gypsy family in 1939, Eva Petulengro's childhood seemed to her to be idyllic in every way. She would travel the country with her family in their painted caravan and spend evenings by the fire as they sang and told stories of their past. Her family would gather wild herbs to make traditional remedies, hunt game and rabbits, and while the men tended horses to make a living, the young girls would join the women in reading palms.




The Girl in the Painted Caravan


Book Description

'The Girl in the Painted Caravan' vividly captures a way of life that has now, sadly, all but disappeared. The book tells the story of Romany gypsy, Eva Petulengro.




Travelling Art


Book Description

Travelling art




The Fairy Caravan


Book Description

THE FAIRY CARAVAN is the story of a miniature circus, William and Alexander's Travelling Circus. It is no ordinary circus, for Alexander is a highland terrier and William is Pony Billy who draws the caravan. Beatrix Potter wrote this chapter book for older children towards the end of her writing career. She wrote it for her own pleasure and at the request of friends in America who shared her love of the Lake District and north country tales.




Caravans


Book Description

To the mountain fastness of Afghanistan comes Mark Miller, an American diplomat attached to the Embassy in Kabul. He is investigating the disappearance of Ellen Jasper, an independent young woman in search of the freedom offered by the wildest and weirdest land on earth.




Circus Girl


Book Description

When a new girl comes to school while the circus is in town, she helps two classmates become friends.







Gypsy Boy on the Run


Book Description

An English man struggles to define himself and his sexuality outside the bounds of traditional Romany culture in this intimate memoir. “Funny, touching, and heartbreaking in equal measures . . . a coming-of-age tale like no other.” —Grazia magazine Mikey Walsh didn’t know what life was like beyond his Gypsy community. But after fleeing home at age fifteen, he had no choice but to find out. After centuries of persecution, Gypsies are wary of outsiders, and if you choose to leave, you can never come back. Torn between his family and his heart, Mikey struggled to come to terms with the Gypsy culture and its violent, conservative traditions. At last, he decided to set out on his own. He soon discovered the outside world wasn’t all that he expected, and his life would never be the same again. A shocking yet ultimately triumphant memoir, Gypsy Boy on the Run follows Mikey as he comes to terms with himself, his family, and his past—and builds a new life for himself. “A great-hearted book of tenderness and brutality.” —Kirkus Reviews “Every bit as stellar as its predecessor. If you’re searching for something for vacation, weekending or just because, Gypsy Boy on the Run is the best escape.” —The Washington Blade




Caravans and Wedding Bands


Book Description

More evocative memories from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Girl In A Painted Caravan. For Romany Eva Petulengro, marrying outside her culture was a big step to take. And now she had to adapt to living with a gorger - and her husband had to adapt to living with her! In this charming sequel to The Girl in the Painted Caravan, she describes their first eventful years of married life in Brighton, and the birth of their four children. She also reveals how she became famous as a clairvoyant, the advice her clients needed, and the attack from an enraged wife who assumed her husband's meetings with Eva meant he was having an affair. In the Swinging Sixties, a sheltered Romany girl could easily find herself out of her depth, and Eva's innocence led her into some strange situations, including a narrow escape from a notorious duchess. She also weaves in the story of her wider family, from her brother Nathan's romance and the adventures of her charming brother Eddie to her aunts and cousins in Blackpool. Funny and heartwarming, Caravans and Wedding Bands is a poignant reminder of a time when life was changing irrevocably for the Romany, and yet their spirit remained the same.