Gypsies have always intrigued and fascinated - partly because of their mysterious origins and partly because of the romance of nomadism. But because they resist assimilation, having survived as a distinct people for over 1000 years, they have also been the victims of other people's nationalism and xenophobia. The have been persecuted throughout the ages, most recently in German concentration camps, and by nationalist mobs in Rumania. In this study, the author focuses particularly on the gypsies of Eastern Europe (an estimated 6 million) and their future as a distinct race within a nationalist Europe. Her book is a blend of the scholarly - their origins, folklore, customs, dietary laws, myths, taboos - and the personal. While researching the book, Fonseca learned Romany and stayed with the gypsies, becoming deeply involved with their lives and befriending several gypsy kings.