Romany Rye

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By Listen TheBook Posted on Mar 14, 2025

In Category - Literary Fiction

Authors: George Borrow In Year : 1907

Book Language: English

Audiobook: Romany Rye

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Appendix: A word for Lavengro
Appendix: On priestcraft
Appendix: On foreign nonsense
Appendix: On gentility nonsense
Appendix: Subject of gentility nonsense continued
Appendix: On Scotch gentility nonsense
Appendix: Same subject continued
Appendix: On canting nonsense
Appendix: Pseudo-critics
Appendix: Pseudo-radicals
Appendix: The old radical

"The Romany Rye" is a direct continuation of George Borrow's "Lavengro", taking up the latter's story immediately where it (rather abruptly) concluded. Borrow himself referred to both books collectively as "Lavengro", and asserted that he wrote the work for the express purpose of inculcating virtue, love of country, learning, manly pursuits, and genuine religion, for example, that of the Church of England, and for awakening a contempt for nonsense of every kind, and a hatred for priest craft, more especially that of Rome. While this may be so as far as it goes, Borrow's account of his book's purpose does little to capture the extraordinary liveliness of a work whose genre defies categorisation, but which certainly includes elements of autobiography, travelogue and (often, most amusing) invective. Those willing to come along for the ride with Borrow's narrator will meet some marvellous yarn-spinners and leg-pullers in early- to mid-nineteenth century England. Among others, you'll meet a demoralised inn-keeper whose fortunes are transformed the minutes he refuses to become a Papist, a joyous rat catcher, a dupe caught up in a bank note forgery case, a wistful beekeeper who brews strong mead, a grief-stricken widower who learns Chinese by studying pottery inscriptions but cannot tell the time, a card sharper who almost inveigled the Pope into playing a game of cards with him for money, and many other quirky individuals. You'll learn all about the depredations of coach drivers, how to sell a horse at a horse fair without being taken advantage of, the history of Hungary told by one who knows, why teaching one's beloved Armenian may not be the best way to win her heart, and much else of besides — all told in some of the most interestingly-fashioned mid-nineteenth century English prose you are ever likely to encounter. (Summary by Peter Dann)