The Romany Rye
George Borrow
Read by Peter Dann
"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) (15 hr 4 min)
Chapters
Chapter 1 | 8:47 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 2 | 9:35 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 3 | 16:55 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 4 | 28:08 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 5 | 9:06 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 6 | 20:18 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 7 | 16:55 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 8 | 12:54 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 9 | 13:14 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 10 | 25:08 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 11 | 14:12 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 12 | 21:00 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 13 | 5:08 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 14 | 13:49 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 15 | 9:02 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 16 | 16:25 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 17 | 17:29 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 18 | 8:38 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 19 | 11:50 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 20 | 3:17 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 21 | 18:11 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 22 | 12:16 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 23 | 8:35 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 24 | 12:14 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 25 | 10:53 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 26 | 18:47 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 27 | 12:57 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 28 | 16:12 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 29 | 12:40 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 30 | 8:54 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 31 | 14:49 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 32 | 12:57 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 33 | 25:34 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 34 | 19:28 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 35 | 4:01 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 36 | 7:18 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 37 | 17:46 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 38 | 4:55 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 39 | 37:50 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 40 | 12:43 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 41 | 36:10 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 42 | 39:29 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 43 | 6:45 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 44 | 16:58 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 45 | 15:38 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 46 | 24:54 | Read by Peter Dann |
Chapter 47 | 3:08 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: A word for Lavengro | 21:00 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: On priestcraft | 16:47 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: On foreign nonsense | 6:57 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: On gentility nonsense | 6:23 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: Subject of gentility nonsense continued | 29:59 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: On Scotch gentility nonsense | 17:08 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: Same subject continued | 13:08 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: On canting nonsense | 20:05 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: Pseudo-critics | 20:32 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: Pseudo-radicals | 15:10 | Read by Peter Dann |
Appendix: The old radical | 23:44 | Read by Peter Dann |