"American Roma: A Modern Investigation of Lived Experiences and Media Portrayals," written by Romanichal-American Dr. Melanie Covert, is a non-fiction piece designed for readers of university-grade academia. From an insider perspective, as well as through the life histories of her twenty-three Romani "Gypsy" interview subjects, she tackles a stream of tough issues, largely emphasizing the long-term societal effects of past and still-current racism which American Roma face via Hollywood exploitation, in their personal relationships, as well as from the legal system which sets Roma apart from their fellow citizens.
The biggest negative which may strike readers about this book is Dr. Covert's literary voice, which seems a trifle unpracticed, as though this may be either one of the first, if not the first book, that she has ever written. Particularly in the beginning of the book, there are moments where she seems to have a lack of confidence regarding her ability to successfully pull off creating the project that she has envisioned in her mind. Also, there are sections which tell the reader what to anticipate in future chapters. This could have been cut, allowing readers to simply read the table of contents instead.
That said, scarcely can a paragraph pass in this book without Covert backing up her writing with an endless stream of source material, arguably doing this much more than the average non-fiction author might. Particularly as anti-Roma discrimination, both in the United States and internationally, tends to be an issue which winds up either ignored or disbelieved, Covert's above-and-beyond diligence can only be described as exemplary. While her literary voice does seem shaky at times, at no point does her conviction, or the way in which she skillfully arranges her data, fall short.
Ultimately, Covert's readers will not only learn, but will also come to empathize with this too-often marginalized ethnic minority. As for the book's most noteworthy flaw, hopefully "American Roma" will only be Dr. Covert's beginning of a long, promising career in Romani rights literature. With time, her tone will undoubtedly grow bolder, as the full potential of her rising star status is realized.
