Throughout history, the Romani people—as representatives of an oral culture—have been written about by outsiders, often idealised, defamed, or condemned, but seldom portrayed accurately. Only in the last century have the Roma begun to speak for themselves through their own writing.
This anthology brings together fifteen Romani authors from former Czechoslovakia, whose stories reflect the people, places, and experiences that shaped their lives. Moving between rural Eastern Slovakia, postwar Czech towns, and contemporary cities, these narratives confront hardship and discrimination while affirming pride, resilience, and a deep connection to Romani language, culture, and community. Together, they offer a picture far removed from the stock character of “the Gypsy” pervasive in world literature.

Velvet Blues is a collection of short stories that reverberates with a confident literary polyphony of Romani voices, demonstrating that mainstream society will never truly understand their history until they listen to all those who help to shape it. An important and powerful read!
—Kateřina Tučková, award-winning author of Gerta

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This pioneering anthology showcases Romani authors whose compelling short stories address themes such as the Holocaust, everyday life under communism, and the resurgence of racist violence after the Velvet Revolution. Sharply-observed, witty, uplifting, and at times deeply sad, Velvet Blues offers a unique insight into Romani experiences of socialism and post-socialism in Czechoslovakia.
—Celia Donert, Professor of History at the University of Cambridge