The Gypsy Poet
by Maxine
Zoli, the most recent novel by Colum Mccann, is loosely based on the life of Polish Gypsy poet, "Papusza". Zoli is a Gypsy from Slovakia who is also a talented singer and poet. Raised by her grandfather after her parents are drowned by the Hlinka Guard, Zoli is discovered by a publisher who wants to use her as a symbol of the new Czechoslovakia, post 1945, a socialist state where Gypsies will be given permanent homes even if this goes against everything their culture stands for. The Gypsies view Zoli as a traitor and she is banished from their community. Zoli becomes a true wanderer, escaping Eastern Europe on foot and barely surviving. This is a beautifully written, compassionate portrait of a rich culture in danger of losing its identity.
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