View source for The Romany Rye

{{other uses}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}

'''''The Romany Rye''''' is a novel by [[George Borrow]], written in 1857 as a sequel to ''[[Lavengro]]'' (1851).
 
==The novel==
Largely thought to be at least partly autobiographical, ''The Romany Rye'' follows from ''Lavengro'' (1851). The title can be translated from [[Romani language|Romany]] as "Gypsy Gentleman". Mrs George Borrow wrote on 18 October 1853 to [[John Murray (publishing house)|John Murray]], his publisher, saying her husband had completed his work – "which he proposes to call ''The Romany Rye – A Sequel to Lavengro.''"

The story itself follows the journey of a learned young man living with [[Romani people|Romanies]]. It is a philosophical adventure story of sorts.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=uYem-aWDd84C&dq=%22the+romany+rye%22+george+borrow Lavengro and The Romany Rye], [[Google Books]].</ref> The book involves meetings with a number of eccentric characters. It also contains what could be called ethnographic material on the customs and views of the Romani women.  The author obtains a valuable horse from his Romani friend Jasper Petulengro and eventually sells it to a Hungarian at the Horncastle horse fair. As with Lavengro, the story ends rather abruptly with the author's realisation that the Romani language has close links to the Northern Indian languages: he resolves to travel to India but Borrow himself did not do so.

==In popular culture==
A pub located in Colman Road, [[Norwich]], was named ''The Romany Rye'', and later ''The Romany Beer House'' before it ceased trading in November 2008.<ref>[http://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norwich/rnorwich/ncrry.htm Norwich pubs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012013458/http://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norwich/rnorwich/ncrry.htm |date=12 October 2008 }} Retrieved 10 May 2012</ref> The [[Wetherspoons]] public house chain used the name ''Romany Rye'' for their pub, opened in [[Dereham]], Norfolk, in 2011. Borrow was born in the town.<ref>[http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-romany-rye Wetherspoons] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422124701/http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-romany-rye |date=22 April 2012 }} Retrieved 10 May 2012</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikisource}}
* {{Gutenberg|no=422|name=The Romany Rye}}
* {{librivox book | title= The Romany Rye|  author= George Borrow}}
* {{StandardEbooks|name=Lavengro|Standard Ebooks URL=https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/george-borrow/lavengro}} includes ''The Romany Rye''


{{DEFAULTSORT:Romany Rye, The}}
[[Category:1857 British novels]]
[[Category:English novels]]
[[Category:Fictional representations of Romani people]]
[[Category:John Murray (publishing house) books]]
[[Category:George Borrow]]

{{1850s-novel-stub}}
{{Romani-stub}}