King of the Gypsies

Written in the mid 1970's by Peter Maas, author of both "Serpico" and "The Valachi Papers", "The King of the Gypsies" served as the basis for a very memorable motion picture starring Eric Roberts, Judd Hirsch and several other well known actors. A nonfiction chronicle of gypsy life in the United States, this book is a short but fascinating read. It's divided into four parts. Parts I and IV are primarily about a youth named Steve Tene whom author Peter Maas befriends. Not only is Steve a gypsy, he is gypsy royalty. But because of a loutish, abusive father, Steve makes a break with gypsy life and tries to become part of mainstream American society. Part II is a short history lesson of how gypsies over the centuries have lived as nomads traveling from their probable place of origin in northern India, through the Middle East, into Europe and Northern Africa and eventually to the New World. This part of the book also gives descriptions of classic gypsy swindles and even cites, in detail, real life con jobs taken from actual court proceedings. Part III is about Steve Tene's grandfather King Tene Bimbo, the self proclaimed leader of American gypsies. It describes his crime ridden life and his heavy handed efforts to achieve and hold onto power. To the surprise of gypsies everywhere, while on his deathbed, King Tene bequeaths the symbols of leadership to none other than his prodigal grandson Steve. Of course, "The King of the Gypsies" is not a scholarly text. There isn't a single footnote and much of what is presented is anecdotal at best. It does, however succeed at being quite entertaining while at the same time giving some very interesting insights into how gypsies have maintained their identity over the centuries despite having no flag, no homeland and no religion of their own. One cannot read this book without being conscious of the fact that gypsies are the only ethnic group it remains okay to talk about in disparaging terms. When the antisocial behavior of members of any other ethnic minority is discussed, it is done so with the understanding that outside factors like poverty, racism, discrimination, etc. are very much a large part of the picture. Moreover, it is always made clear that the individuals exhibiting bad behavior do not accurately represent the ethnic group as a whole. Not so with gypsies. This book reinforces and expands on the widely held perception that antisocial behavior comes part and parcel with gypsy culture itself. Examples of such negative perceptions are: Gypsies do not pay taxes nor do they answer census questionaires. They do not send their kids to school. They refuse to participate in gainful employment. Their sworn testimony in a court of law is meaningless. And most importantly they have nothing but utter contempt for the gadjo, that is anyone who is not a gypsy. I found this cogent, easy to read work to be exceedingly thought provoking. Why does political correctness apply to discussions of ever

This is an intriguing work of non-fiction about Gypsies and the lives that they lead here in the United States. It focuses on one particular branch of Gypsies and the clan warfare that made their clan the ascendant one and its leader, Tene Bimbo, the self-proclaimed King of the Gypsies. The author presents an unvarnished look at Gypsies. He notes their insularity and clannishness, their lives lived on the fringes of mainstream society, and the classic cons by which they survive. Scorning education, nine-to-five jobs, and anyone outside of their cultural milieu, they are a fascinating group of people with their own complex rules and regulations by which they live. The book also relates an ongoing and violent family feud, between Tene Bimbo's son, Carranza, and his grandson, Steve, Carranza's son. It is a feud that was exacerbated when King Tene Bimbo died and left his legacy to Steve, bypassing Carranza. What was more surprising was that Steve had rejected the traditional Gypsy lifestyle and was trying to lead a more mainstream life, urging others to do the same. This is a well written, well researched book that provides a fascinating glimpse of a group of people and a lifestyle about which little is known. Gypsies definitely live lives that are outside the parameters of accepted norms of behavior. Those who have an interest in other cultures, as well as those with an interest in the true crime genre, will certainly enjoy this book, which has six pages of black and white photographs.