Gyppo Paperback – 11 Nov. 2017

I thought this book would be interesting as I imagined it would talk about traditional gypsy ways and lifestyle. However it wasn’t about the gypsy life at all really, mainly about domestic violence and abuse and growing up in old terraces houses in Manchester . I still enjoyed the book although they were some spelling and grammar errors throughout.

I totally enjoyed this book and the way it was told. It has been written particularly well. It contains some sad scenes however, the book made me laugh and shed a tear. The story had me gripped and kept me turning the pages. The aims and purpose of the author was to tell her life story through the eyes of an Irish traveller during the 60s quoting " Criccieth Street was a truly multi-cultural community. There were Africians, Jamaicans, Scotch, Irish (travellers and non-travellers), Asians, English and Polish people all living side by side." All with different outlooks but connected in the community and what went on inside the closed doors is told by the author. The characters are drawn on real life situations and very direct the major theme of the story is around culture diversity and domestic violence through a child's eyes. This book is entertaining with various elements Of mystery. There is intellectual qualities of the writing but not complicating it is simplicity, humour, wit and rhythm. I recommend the book is for older readers and fans of the relationship drama and mystery.Donna Smith

I enjoyed this book, as Irish travellers have to everyone of us been a mystery. This story tells the life of one family with many members, and how they went from roaming to being house dwellers in a decade. Violent domestic abuse, that seemed to them to, be normal. Even some of the children taken into care, but all the time, the great loyalty of the clan.An enjoyable, sometimes sad, but also moving account of Gypsy life in the 60s and 70s.

This is such a wonderful book, I loved it from start to finish. Mary is a beautiful writer, managing to engage the reader from the outset and despite some of the tragic elements to her tale, she still manages to convey the enormity of love that was felt by her and her siblings. It is a subject that is rarely talked about, and many would assume that children growing up in these circumstances would have parents that were fit for nothing, however it is clear that despite their troubles Mary's parents were trying hard to create a stable and loving environment for their children having faced many obstacles before them. There is still a huge stigma attached to being a traveller, yet Mary's story portrays what it is like to feel stigmatized and will hopefully make people open their eyes in the future to be more open and accepting of all. A fantastic read from beginning to end.

Although this is a short book I really enjoyed it. To learn more about the Traveler way of life was really interesting, my cousin married a traveling man who was an amazing man who treated her like a princess but sadly died in his 50s.Many of Mary's relatives died very young and I wonder if this is common in this way of life. Mary and I are the same age and many of her childhood experiences matched my own especially the fighting between her parents and nobody getting involved or helping us.Well done Mary your book is well written, interesting enjoyable. I would recommend this book to anyone who grew up in the 60s and 70s

Not the greatest read for me I'm afraid. It doesn't really have a story line as such and is quite fragmented in parts. I would have liked to have known in more depth about a Travellers way of life as this book could have been written about any less fortunate family who came to England to seek a better life. I did find some of the dialect and the photos interesting though.

What a wonderful story by Mary Margaret Doherty. Many parts of it are sad - the physical and mental abuse, illness, early deaths and racial abuse, but it isn't exactly a miserable story so I enjoyed reading about it very much. C. Ward.

I found this a very well written account of a young girls family life. I am a traveller but was brought up in Brick mixing with two breads of people. Travellers and Gorgis. Good and bad in both. Sometimes hard to work out whom I was. My parents taught me there ways but also allowing me to progress with education and to find a happy medium to both Traveller and Gorgy ways. I am proud to be who I am just like the girl in this story.