Cikán je Cikán – Ostalowská Lidia (2016)

The Roma have always differed from the "majority" society – they have fascinated and irritated it. Persecution and attempts at assimilation have been present in the history of this nation since the Middle Ages when they arrived in Europe. The literary reports of the renowned Polish reporter bring closer the lives of Roma in post-communist countries from many perspectives. The author ventures among the Roma in northern Bohemia, Bulgarian prisons, and Romanian ghettos, observing the clash of the old nomadic, free-spirited culture with the modern world. She examines how the relationship with the Roma changes in relation to historical and political developments, or how Western European states react to their presence – for example, in connection with the mass emigration of Czech and Slovak Roma to England or Canada. Ostałowska strives to perceive the situation impartially, speaking not only with Roma but also giving a voice to city representatives, prison staff, neighbors... The book Gypsy is a Gypsy offers a surprising insight into the multifaceted and colorful Roma world, which still remains partially shrouded in mystery.