Out Of This Furnace: A Novel of Immigrant Labor in America
by Thomas Bell

Based on the true story of three generations of a Slovak family working in the steel mills outside of Pittsburgh, this story is representative of all the lives of immigrant laborers during these times, no matter what their nationality.

Gypsies: Wanderers of the World
by Bart McDowell

Told by Clifford Lee, a British Gypsy, who took a trip from Britain to India, visiting his Romani people along the way in different countries. A National Geographic publication which has beautiful photographs.

Gypsies
by Jan Yoors

A first-hand and personal account of a young boy who ‘ran away with the Gypsies’ from his privileged, cultured Belgium family home to spend about ten years as part of their wandering band. Great Photos. One of my favorites!

HUNKY: The Immigrant Experience
by Nicholas Stevensson Karas

An adroit blend of history, biography, autobiography and fiction that traces the Americanization of two families in the coal mines and steel mills of Pennsylvania and the shoe factories of New York.

We Are the Romani People
by Ian Hancock

A source book that provides information about Romani origins, an overview of politics, culture, language and cuisine, a surprising list of notable people of Romani descent, a description of the centuries-long period of slavery in the Balkans and a brief description of the Romani Holocaust.

Gypsies: The Hidden Americans
by Anne Sutherland

Where are the Gypsies in the United States? How do they live? What social structures keep them together and apart from non-Gypsies? Many people of Gypsy heritage have been assimilated into the population and can no longer call themselves Gypsies,  but there are still about 500,000 Gypsies in the US. 

Familiar Strangers: Gypsy Life in America
by Marlene Sway

Sociologist Marlene Sway provides detailed and accurate information about Rom life and beliefs, family and legal customs, non-violent convictions, religion and the cultural norms that keep the Rom isolated from the non-Rom.

Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey
by Isabel Fonseca

Described as a ‘passionate and dramatic defense of the defenseless….”, Fonseca’s book is a beautifully written story that speaks in a way of all who do not want to submit to the reverses of fortune, who seek their own place on earth.

The Heroic Present: LIFE AMONG THE GYPSIES
Kore Yoors

A collection of photographs and memoirs collected by Kore Yoors whose father, Jan, lived with the Gypsies on and off as a youth. Introduction by Ian Hancock who is one of the foremost authorities in America on the Romani people.

Tsigan: The Gypsy Poem
by Cecilia Woloch

Cecelia Woloch skillfully intertwines her personal journey of identity with the larger forces in the world that have shaped the Roma people’s fate and fortunes.

Pittsburgh’s Immigrants
by Lisa A. Alzo

This book pays tribute to the hardworking men and women who made significant contributions to the growth and development of western Pennsylvania and left a legacy of rich and vibrant ethnic culture. Is your family part of this history?

Gypsy Fires In America: A Narrative Of Life Among The Romanies Of The U.S.A. And Canada
by Irving Brown

Encounters between the author, part Romani, and Gypsy people in the U.S.A. and Canada. A rare, inside glimpse at Gypsy life during the early 1900s.

Patch/Work Voices  The Culture and Lore of a Mining People by Dennis F. Brestensky, Evelyn A. Hovanec and Albert N. Skomra (available for purchase through the Coal and Coke Heritage Center)  compiled, written and edited by Evelyn A. Hovanec (available for purchase through the Coal and Coke Heritage Center)

Common Lives of Uncommon Strength: The Women of the Coal and Coke Era of Southwestern Pennsylvania Compiled, written and edited by Evelyn A. Hovanec (also available for purchase through the Coal and Coke Heritage Center)  Original narratives about the life and challenges in the Connellsville Coke Region and southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response by Peter Balakian. A historical account of the events that led to the Armenian Genocide and the response of Americans, establishing us as a people who comes to the aid of others for purely humanitarian reasons.

Black Dog of Fate by Peter Balakian.  A memoir of an American Armenian who discovers the painful history of the Armenian Genocide as part of his passage into adulthood.

Chicago’s Southeast Side –Images of America by Rod Sellers.  Short history of the neighborhood ‘the Bush’ located on Chicago’s southeast side where the South Works Steel Plant was located.

Polish Immigrants and Industrial Chicago: Workers on the South Side 1880-1922 by Dominic A. Pacyga.  Academic account of the workers on the South Side of Chicago.

Cloud By Day, A Story of Coal and Coke and People by Muriel Earley Sheppard. Written from the author’s personal knowledge of the region, Cloud By Day traces the turbulent history of the coal and coke era in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Nan of the Gypsies by Grace May North, written in 1926. Young Adult Fiction about the adventures of a Gypsy girl adopted by a wealthy woman. Used copies available from Amazon.

Les Roulottes: Une invitation au voyage by Jeanne Bayol. Photographies by Bruno Suet. A beautiful book about the renovation and decoration of Gypsy Caravans.

Zoli by Colum McCann is loosely based on the true story of the Gypsy poet Papusza and set against the backdrop of the Second World War. Zoli is a love story, a tale of loss, and a parable of modern-day Europe.

Within the Realm of Happiness by Kinley Dorji   A collection of 13 short stories, memoirs, and essays that represent a mix of childhood memories, travel tales, and contemporary reflections on a rapidly changing populace in Bhutan.