Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey

Book Overview: Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey

After the revolutions of 1989, Isabel Fonseca lived and traveled with the Gypsies of Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the former Yugoslavia, Romainia, and Albania – listening to their stories and recording their attempts to become something more than despised outsiders. In Bury Me Standing, alongside unforgettable portraits of individuals – the poet, the politician, the child prostitute – are vivid insights into the wit, language, wisdom, and taboos of the Roma. In a compelling narrative account of this large and landless minority, Fonseca also traces their long-ago exodus out of India and their history of relentless persecution: enslaved by the princes of medieval Romania; massacred by the Nazis in what the Roma call “the Devouring”; forcibly assimilated by the communist regime; and, most recently, evicted from their settlements by nationalistic mobs in the new “democracies” of the East, and under violent attack in the Western countries to which many have fled.

ISBN-13	9780679737438
ISBN-10	067973743X
Publisher	Vintage
Publication Date	1996-10-29
Edition	Reprint
Language	en
Pages	352
Dimensions	in x in x in
Weight	lbs

About the Author

Isabel Fonseca

Isabel Fonseca is an award-winning American-Uruguayan author, renowned for her insightful exploration of culture, identity, and the human condition. Born into a family of artists and intellectuals, Fonseca’s upbringing in New York City provided fertile ground for her creative and intellectual prowess. She studied at Columbia University and Oxford, granting her a deep intellectual foundation that would later inform her provocative contributions to literature.

Fonseca first earned critical acclaim with her debut nonfiction book, “Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey”, published in 1995. Within its covers, she provides an intimate look into the lives of the Roma community, illuminating their history and challenges through her compassionate narrative. This book dramatically altered global perspectives on the marginalized community and solidified Fonseca’s reputation as a fearless and empathetic author.

Aside from her groundbreaking nonfiction work, Fonseca has also displayed exceptional ability in the realm of fiction. Her novel “Attachment” was published in 2008 to positive reviews, showcasing her adept characterization and keen observations of relational dynamics. Isabel Fonseca’s works continue to push boundaries, provoke thought, and offer readers a deeply humanistic perspective on a diverse range of topics.