Synopses & Reviews
An Eye-Opening Memoir of Growing Up Gypsy
Mikey Walsh was born into a Romany Gypsy family. They live in a secluded community, and little is known about their way of life. After centuries of persecution, Gypsies are wary of outsiders, and if you choose to leave you can never come back.
This is something Mikey knows only too well.
Growing up, he didnt go to school, he seldom mixed with non-Gypsies, and the caravan became his world. It was a rich and unusual upbringing, but although Mikey inherited a vibrant and loyal culture, his familys legacy was bittersweet, with a hidden history of violence and grief. Eventually Mikey was forced to make an agonizing decision—to stay and keep secrets, or escape and find somewhere to belong.
Gypsy Boy shows, for the first time, what life is really like among the Romany Gypsies. A surprise #1 bestseller in Great Britain, this is a one-of-a-kind memoir of a little-seen world, one both fascinating and heartbreaking.
Review
"A poignant memoir that bears comparison to the bestselling Running With Scissors—but better written and far darker."--Kirkus Reviews
"This is a wonderfully readable tale of love, abuse, and eventual escape--all lived in the heart of an English Gypsy family. The father is one of the most frightening figures I've encountered in years."--Edmund White, author of A Boys Own Story
"Reading Gypsy Boy, I felt invited into a secret society. I've always found Gypsies mysterious and even slightly dangerous, and Mikey Walsh does an excellent job describing the cloistered lifestyle and fascinating traditions of the Romany people. Moreover, Mikey's personal story of being a misfit among misfits is both compelling and universal. I cheered for him every step of the way."--Julia Scheeres, author of Jesus Land
“A revelation. Moving, terrifying, funny and brilliant. I shall never forget it—an amazing achievement.”--Stephen Fry“Touching, insightful, funny, and incredibly shocking.”--Heat magazine (UK)
“Best memoir since Running with Scissors.”--Attitude
“Gypsy Boy sits somewhere between the grittiness of Irvine Welsh and the charming warmth of Frank
McCourt.”--Dermot OLeary, television and radio presenter, The X Factor "Mikey Walsh provides an unsentimental and compelling look at the louche and brutal culture of Romany Gypsies in the U.K. ... Walsh analyzes the grotesqueries of Gypsy life in painful detail--garish trailers, stifling family ties, crime and crudeness, and the constricted options for women who are considered old maids at 21. Yet despite his gruesome experiences, he also praises the fierce loyalty and cultural continuity that have allowed Gypsies to maintain their dignity in the face of hatred for centuries."--Publishers Weekly "A gripping and heartfelt page-turner."--Booklist (starred review) "From family violence to the horrors of cockfighting, from stealing bikes from the local sports center to squeezing juice out of slugs as a remedy for warts, Mikey makes the gaudy world of Romany Gypsies in the U.K. erupt into life, interspersing these scenes with moments of tenderness and goofy comedy."--Shelf Awareness "Fantastic."--Bookpage
Review
"A poignant memoir that bears comparison to the bestselling Running With Scissors—but better written and far darker."--Kirkus Reviews
"This is a wonderfully readable tale of love, abuse, and eventual escape--all lived in the heart of an English Gypsy family. The father is one of the most frightening figures I've encountered in years."--Edmund White, author of A Boys Own Story
"Reading Gypsy Boy, I felt invited into a secret society. I've always found Gypsies mysterious and even slightly dangerous, and Mikey Walsh does an excellent job describing the cloistered lifestyle and fascinating traditions of the Romany people. Moreover, Mikey's personal story of being a misfit among misfits is both compelling and universal. I cheered for him every step of the way."--Julia Scheeres, author of Jesus Land
“A revelation. Moving, terrifying, funny and brilliant. I shall never forget it—an amazing achievement.”--Stephen Fry“Touching, insightful, funny, and incredibly shocking.”--Heat magazine (UK)
“Best memoir since Running with Scissors.”--Attitude
“Gypsy Boy sits somewhere between the grittiness of Irvine Welsh and the charming warmth of Frank
McCourt.”--Dermot OLeary, television and radio presenter, The X Factor "Mikey Walsh provides an unsentimental and compelling look at the louche and brutal culture of Romany Gypsies in the U.K. ... Walsh analyzes the grotesqueries of Gypsy life in painful detail--garish trailers, stifling family ties, crime and crudeness, and the constricted options for women who are considered old maids at 21. Yet despite his gruesome experiences, he also praises the fierce loyalty and cultural continuity that have allowed Gypsies to maintain their dignity in the face of hatred for centuries."--Publishers Weekly "A gripping and heartfelt page-turner."--Booklist (starred review) "From family violence to the horrors of cockfighting, from stealing bikes from the local sports center to squeezing juice out of slugs as a remedy for warts, Mikey makes the gaudy world of Romany Gypsies in the U.K. erupt into life, interspersing these scenes with moments of tenderness and goofy comedy."--Shelf Awareness "Fantastic."--Bookpage
Synopsis
A
shocking memoir that is equal parts Angelas Ashes and Running with Scissors Mikey Walshs father and grandfather were champion bareknuckle boxers in Englands Gypsy Community. But Mikey had no interest in fighting. He was proud of his heritage and loved his mother and sister, but as he grew older he came to realize he had a secret that would never be accepted: he was gay.
Gypsy Boy reveals, for the first time, what life is really like among the Romany Gypsies. Its a culture apart, one that is equally more criminal and more puritanical than our own. A #1 Sunday Times bestseller in the U.K., Gypsy Boy is a one-ofa- kind memoir of a world we know little about, one that is fascinating, heartbreaking and unforgettable.
About the Author
MIKEY WALSH left the Gypsy community and moved to London. He taught himself to read and write and now works at a primary school, where he teaches art and drama, and also picks up the formal education he missed out on as a child. He proposed to his partner on the number 38 bus and they have since married.