Latest news with #MadelinePotter
Wall Street Journal
6 days ago
- General
- Wall Street Journal
‘The Roma' Review: A People and a Prejudice
The Roma arrived in Europe hundreds of years ago from present-day Rajasthan in northern India—and they still aren't welcome in many quarters. For centuries their lot has been hatred and prejudice, persecution and poverty. They have been enslaved and oppressed, expelled from some countries and marginalized in others. Today there are an estimated 10 million to 12 million Roma scattered throughout Europe, where they are sometimes called the Continent's largest ethnic minority. Until recently, they were known as Gypsies, a now mildly offensive term coined several hundred years ago in the erroneous belief that the dark-skinned foreigners had come from Egypt. The word 'rom' means 'man' or 'husband' in the Romani tongue, a language related to Sanskrit. There are enough stories of Romani suffering, past and present, to fill many volumes, but Madeline Potter, the author of 'The Roma,' adds a new perspective. Without overlooking or playing down the Roma's tragic history, she celebrates Romani arts and folklore, honors individual heroes and heroines, and praises the resilience that has ensured the Roma's survival. Ms. Potter is herself Roma, born in Romania in 1989, and is currently a teaching and research fellow at the University of Edinburgh. Her book adroitly blends personal memoir and academic research to craft a deeply sympathetic picture of Romani life over the centuries.
San Francisco Chronicle
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Book Review: Madeline Potter's 'The Roma' blends memoir and research to look at a marginalized group
'The Roma: A Travelling History' is a fascinating look at a marginalized and misunderstood group of people who have encountered hostility for centuries. Written by Madeline Potter, a scholar of 19th century Gothic literature, the new book recounts how members of the group long have been maligned, enslaved, deported and murdered. Potter, who grew up Romani in post-Communist Romania, weaves together bits of memoir with her archival research into what is described as the first contemporary history of the Romani people. Instead of being raised in an intricately carved horse-drawn 'vardo' that traveled from camp to camp, Potter passed her childhood 'settled' in a towering Soviet-style high-rise, a more typical upbringing as the Romani people increasingly leave life on the road to become settled. In her book, Potter carries us from England, where she currently lives, to Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Germany France, Spain, the U.S. West Coast and finally to Sweden. Potter tells of how King Henry VIII passed the 'Egyptians Act' in 1530, calling for the Gypsy people to be expelled from England due to their alleged crimes, including 'robberies,' 'Palmistry' and 'deceit.' Believed to have migrated from northern India to Europe some 1,500 years ago, and with a language rooted in Sanskrit, the Roma at one time were thought to have originated in Egypt. In Spain, they have been known as Gitanos. During Spain's 1749 'Gran Redada de Gitanos' — Great Gypsy Roundup, some 10,000 Roma were detained, and families were separated, with the men sent to work in shipyards and the women and children to factories. In Nazi Germany, the Reich Office for Combating the Gypsy Menace set the scene for the Roma and related Sinti people to be rounded up and sent to concentration camps alongside Jews, members of the LGBTQ+ community and other minorities. As many as 500,000 Roma and Sinti are estimated to have been murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during that period. Despite the continued discrimination, the Roma have made important cultural contributions, Potter writes. Potter mentions Carmen Amaya, a Spanish Romani who was known in the mid-20th century as the world's best flamenco dancer. Composer Franz Liszt was so enamored of Hungarian Roma traditions that he absorbed them into his 19th century work. 'There is much sadness in our history, and much pain,' Potter writes. 'But importantly it's not pain that beats at the heart of our story. On each step of my journey, I encountered the wondrous stories of those who have decisively resisted their marginalization, who have refused to be silent and whose stories continue to inspire the Roma today.'
Al Arabiya
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Book review: Madeline potter's 'the roma' blends memoir and research to look at a marginalized group
The Roma: A Traveling History is a fascinating look at a marginalized and misunderstood group of people who have encountered hostility for centuries. Written by Madeline Potter, a scholar of 19th-century Gothic literature, the new book recounts how members of the group long have been maligned, enslaved, deported, and murdered. Potter, who grew up Romani in post-Communist Romania, weaves together bits of memoir with her archival research into what is described as the first contemporary history of the Romani people. Instead of being raised in an intricately carved horse-drawn vardo that traveled from camp to camp, Potter passed her childhood settled in a towering Soviet-style high-rise, a more typical upbringing as the Romani people increasingly leave life on the road to become settled. In her book, Potter carries us from England, where she currently lives, to Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Germany, France, Spain, the US West Coast, and finally to Sweden. Potter tells of how King Henry VIII passed the Egyptians Act in 1530, calling for the Gypsy people to be expelled from England due to their alleged crimes, including robberies, palmistry, and deceit. Believed to have migrated from northern India to Europe some 1,500 years ago and with a language rooted in Sanskrit, the Roma at one time were thought to have originated in Egypt. In Spain, they have been known as Gitanos. During Spain's 1749 Gran Redada de Gitanos–Great Gypsy Roundup–some 10,000 Roma were detained, and families were separated, with the men sent to work in shipyards and the women and children to factories. In Nazi Germany, the Reich Office for Combating the Gypsy Menace set the scene for the Roma and related Sinti people to be rounded up and sent to concentration camps alongside Jews, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and other minorities. As many as 500,000 Roma and Sinti are estimated to have been murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during that period. Despite the continued discrimination, the Roma have made important cultural contributions, Potter writes. Potter mentions Carmen Amaya, a Spanish Romani who was known in the mid-20th century as the world's best flamenco dancer. Composer Franz Liszt was so enamored of Hungarian Roma traditions that he absorbed them into his 19th-century work. 'There is much sadness in our history and much pain,' Potter writes. 'But importantly, it's not pain that beats at the heart of our story. On each step of my journey, I encountered the wondrous stories of those who have decisively resisted their marginalization, who have refused to be silent, and whose stories continue to inspire the Roma today.'
Winnipeg Free Press
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Book Review: Madeline Potter's ‘The Roma' blends memoir and research to look at a marginalized group
'The Roma: A Travelling History' is a fascinating look at a marginalized and misunderstood group of people who have encountered hostility for centuries. Written by Madeline Potter, a scholar of 19th century Gothic literature, the new book recounts how members of the group long have been maligned, enslaved, deported and murdered. Potter, who grew up Romani in post-Communist Romania, weaves together bits of memoir with her archival research into what is described as the first contemporary history of the Romani people. Instead of being raised in an intricately carved horse-drawn 'vardo' that traveled from camp to camp, Potter passed her childhood 'settled' in a towering Soviet-style high-rise, a more typical upbringing as the Romani people increasingly leave life on the road to become settled. In her book, Potter carries us from England, where she currently lives, to Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Germany France, Spain, the U.S. West Coast and finally to Sweden. Potter tells of how King Henry VIII passed the 'Egyptians Act' in 1530, calling for the Gypsy people to be expelled from England due to their alleged crimes, including 'robberies,' 'Palmistry' and 'deceit.' Believed to have migrated from northern India to Europe some 1,500 years ago, and with a language rooted in Sanskrit, the Roma at one time were thought to have originated in Egypt. In Spain, they have been known as Gitanos. During Spain's 1749 'Gran Redada de Gitanos' — Great Gypsy Roundup, some 10,000 Roma were detained, and families were separated, with the men sent to work in shipyards and the women and children to factories. In Nazi Germany, the Reich Office for Combating the Gypsy Menace set the scene for the Roma and related Sinti people to be rounded up and sent to concentration camps alongside Jews, members of the LGBTQ+ community and other minorities. As many as 500,000 Roma and Sinti are estimated to have been murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during that period. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. Despite the continued discrimination, the Roma have made important cultural contributions, Potter writes. Potter mentions Carmen Amaya, a Spanish Romani who was known in the mid-20th century as the world's best flamenco dancer. Composer Franz Liszt was so enamored of Hungarian Roma traditions that he absorbed them into his 19th century work. 'There is much sadness in our history, and much pain,' Potter writes. 'But importantly it's not pain that beats at the heart of our story. On each step of my journey, I encountered the wondrous stories of those who have decisively resisted their marginalization, who have refused to be silent and whose stories continue to inspire the Roma today.' ___ AP book reviews:
Associated Press
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Book Review: Madeline Potter's 'The Roma' blends memoir and research to look at a marginalized group
'The Roma: A Travelling History' is a fascinating look at a marginalized and misunderstood group of people who have encountered hostility for centuries. Written by Madeline Potter, a scholar of 19th century Gothic literature, the new book recounts how members of the group long have been maligned, enslaved, deported and murdered. Potter, who grew up Romani in post-Communist Romania, weaves together bits of memoir with her archival research into what is described as the first contemporary history of the Romani people. Instead of being raised in an intricately carved horse-drawn 'vardo' that traveled from camp to camp, Potter passed her childhood 'settled' in a towering Soviet-style high-rise, a more typical upbringing as the Romani people increasingly leave life on the road to become settled. In her book, Potter carries us from England, where she currently lives, to Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Germany France, Spain, the U.S. West Coast and finally to Sweden. Potter tells of how King Henry VIII passed the 'Egyptians Act' in 1530, calling for the Gypsy people to be expelled from England due to their alleged crimes, including 'robberies,' 'Palmistry' and 'deceit.' Believed to have migrated from northern India to Europe some 1,500 years ago, and with a language rooted in Sanskrit, the Roma at one time were thought to have originated in Egypt. In Spain, they have been known as Gitanos. During Spain's 1749 'Gran Redada de Gitanos' — Great Gypsy Roundup, some 10,000 Roma were detained, and families were separated, with the men sent to work in shipyards and the women and children to factories. In Nazi Germany, the Reich Office for Combating the Gypsy Menace set the scene for the Roma and related Sinti people to be rounded up and sent to concentration camps alongside Jews, members of the LGBTQ+ community and other minorities. As many as 500,000 Roma and Sinti are estimated to have been murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during that period. Despite the continued discrimination, the Roma have made important cultural contributions, Potter writes. Potter mentions Carmen Amaya, a Spanish Romani who was known in the mid-20th century as the world's best flamenco dancer. Composer Franz Liszt was so enamored of Hungarian Roma traditions that he absorbed them into his 19th century work. 'There is much sadness in our history, and much pain,' Potter writes. 'But importantly it's not pain that beats at the heart of our story. On each step of my journey, I encountered the wondrous stories of those who have decisively resisted their marginalization, who have refused to be silent and whose stories continue to inspire the Roma today.' ___ AP book reviews:
