The Gypsy in Me: From Germany to Romania in Search of Youth, Truth, and Dad (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

His mother was German and the father he didn't know was a Romanian Jew. And at the age of 50, shortly after his mother's death and long after his absent father's, Ted Simon embarks on a 1,500-mile journey (mostly by foot), covering the lands between his mother's Germany and his father's Romania, discovering as much about his paternal ambivalence as he does about the cultures and realities of Eastern Europe. The book is a fine example of the travelogue, with humor, evocative description, and a poignant inner journey as interesting and well-explored as his Romanian-bound route.

From Library Journal

Simon, whose previous work, Jupiter's Travel (Jupitalia Prods, 1983, 3d ed., pap.), recounted a motorcycle trip around the world, has now walked through parts of Germany, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and Romania. Armed with a few youthful memories, he visits sites associated with his family and finally reaches his destination, Romania, where he finds the roots of his Jewish parents and grandparents. Freed of his usual obligations and social context, he learns as much about himself along the way as he learns about the country. His odyssey offers readers memorable sketches of life in eastern Europe in the post-Cold War era. This work joins a growing bookshelf of well-written travel literature. It belongs in general collections and should have broad appeal.?Rena Fowler, Humboldt State Univ., Arcata, Cal.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 318 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1st edition (June 24, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679441387
• ISBN-13: 978-0679441380
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #340,514 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best travel books..., August 1, 1999

By A Customer

I have read quite a few travel books, and this one is one of the best, by far. When you try to describe to someone a chapter you have just read, you realize that there is not much action to convey, but what he does leave you with is an amazing insight into his and other peoples emotions.

This book reminds me of sitting around and listening to a favorite uncle tell tales of yesteryear. The images are first rate and the storyteller makes it very obvious he was often touched in ways that is almost beyond description. I highly recommend this book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great read for a journey through Eastern Europe, October 29, 1998

By A Customer

I am an American student living in Vienna for four months and travelling throughout Central Europe. I've read many travel books during my trip and found Simon's to be one of the best. Simon's walk through Central Europe provides the reader with a better understanding of the region and its people while also challenging the individual to find more in his or her daily experiences.

When travelling in Central Europe at the end of the millenium, you are bound to ask yourself questions about the changes that have taken place over the last decade and how those changes are effecting the people who live in these countries. The Gypsy in Me provides some answers and challenges the reader to stray from the big tourist sites and find some locals to just sit and talk.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the honest and luminous prose of a natural writer., October 7, 1999

By A Customer

I love Ted Simon's writing for his honesty, integrity, his luminous descriptions of people and places, his empathy, revealing of his inner thoughts and his philosophy of life. He makes you wish you were half as good. I'd walk to the Arctic Circle with him tomorrow. Eagerly awaiting more.