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Jess Smith
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Jessie's Journey: The True Story of a Gypsy Childhood New Ed Edition, Kindle Edition

by Jess Smith (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 304 ratings
A “remarkable” account of a family’s years wandering Scotland and England in a bus, living the traditional life of their people (Caledonia).
 
From the ages of five to fifteen, Jess Smith lived with her parents and sisters and a mongrel dog in an old blue bus. They traveled the length and breadth of Scotland, and much of England too, stopping here and there until they were moved on by the local authorities or driven by their own instinctive need to travel. By campfires, under the unchanging stars, they brewed up tea, telling stories and singing songs late into the night.
 
The “unforgettable story of a Scottish Gypsy girl” (Maggie Smith Bendle, civil rights activist), Jessie’s Journey describes what it was like to be one of the last of the traditional travelling folk. It is not an idyllic tale, but despite the ever-present threat of bigoted abuse and the challenges of scattered schooling, humor and laughter run throughout a childhood teeming with unforgettable characters.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

A vividly told account of the author's unconventional childhood roaming the country, a never-ending struggle to survive as free nomads. The family's riches came from freedom, in a world full of laughter, love and adventure.
Scots Magazine

The story of ... the family events, the moments to cherish, the strange and peculiar aspects to life -- and the sheer joy of living.
Dundee Courier

Jessie's Journey recounts a magical childhood and offers a fascinating insight into the world of Scotland's traditional travellers.
Sunday Post

About the Author

Jess Smith was brought up as a traveller in Scotland and is the author of several books, including her autobiographical trilogy beginning with Jessie's Journey. She is married with three children and six grandchildren and lives in Perthshire. As well as being a charismatic singer and storyteller at events throughout the world, Jess is a tireless advocate for travellers and gypsies. In 2011 she secured an official apology from the Church of Scotland for the injustices and discrimination suffered by Scottish travellers over many centuries.

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  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 304 ratings

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Jess Smith

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
304 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the book's stories, with one describing it as a fantastic book with touching stories. They find it to be a fantastic read.

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Story qualityReadability
7 customers mention "Story quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the stories in the book, with one customer describing it as a fantastic book with touching stories, while another mentions the loving parents portrayed in the narrative.

"...This lady knows how to write and she has great stories to tell. I'm so glad she took the time to write these stories down...." Read more

"...Part of a large family, caring and loving parents, friends, sisters and a dog...." Read more

"...I felt like I travelled each and every mile of her journey and loved her stories...." Read more

"Couldn't have enjoyed it more. A very warm, personal way of telling a good tale, has this Jess Smith. She's a jewel...." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it is mostly humorous.

"This is a fantastic book. This lady knows how to write and she has great stories to tell. I'm so glad she took the time to write these stories down...." Read more

"What a wonderful book! I felt like I travelled each and every mile of her journey and loved her stories...." Read more

"A fantastic book with touching stories, some sad, mostly humerous. Looking forward to reading more of her books." Read more

"GREAT READ..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This is a fantastic book. This lady knows how to write and she has great stories to tell. I'm so glad she took the time to write these stories down. I am a reader and this one was a real pleasure to read.
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  • John M. Ickes
    5.0 out of 5 stars An introduction to the vanishing lifestyle on the Scottish roads.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Jess Smith is just exactly like many of us. Part of a large family, caring and loving parents, friends, sisters and a dog. The only difference is that, for a large part of the year, she lives in a blue Bedford bus rather than an established home. Jess is a "traveler", part of a millenia-old culture that has been maligned, misunderstood and (still) mistreated. There is little bitterness in her narrative, though, as she warmly welcomes the reader into her life in this unique culture.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Miss W Dean
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a wonderful book! I felt like I travelled each and ...
    Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    What a wonderful book! I felt like I travelled each and every mile of her journey and loved her stories. What a beautiful and loving testament to her family and 'Travelling' people. Jessie showed us a side to her families traditions we would never have known but for her stories.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • BlackIsNotAColor
    5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT READ
    Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Couldn't have enjoyed it more. A very warm, personal way of telling a good tale, has this Jess Smith. She's a jewel. Now I hope to see the rest of her writings here to be told the rest of her tale!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Julia Anne Watts
    3.0 out of 5 stars Traveler life
    Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Intersting good life all those years ago. Not the same anymore. Glad I read it. Would like to read more on the travelers life
    2 people found this helpful
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  • A. Biancalana
    5.0 out of 5 stars Not to be overlooked
    Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I have almost finished reading this book and I highly recommend it. It’s about a traveler family in Scotland in the 1950s. From this book I have learned so much about their culture.
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  • Yirdy Machar
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very Interesting for would-be travellers.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A fantastic book with touching stories, some sad, mostly humerous. Looking forward to reading more of her books.
    One person found this helpful
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  • kat
    2.0 out of 5 stars boring, could not even finish this
    Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    the story idea was great. The actual written story was boring. I really tried to get into it but could not.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Tony Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars A TRULY MAGICAL AND REWARDING READ
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    First of all, I would like to state that although I share a very common surname I do not know the author. I mention this because I cannot praise Jessie's Journey highly enough. The book transports the reader back in time and although I have never had the pleasure of meeting the author or her family I felt by the end of the autobiography they were old friends. Jessie's Journey is well written and chapter after chapter tells of meetings with characters that will live long in the memory. It is a quite magical book packed with some stories of hardship and struggles but always told with such love and good humour. I have never been to Bonnie Scotland but after enjoying this account of some of its travelling people and beautiful stopping off places I will have to make the trip north of the border with my own family. In summary, a truly beautifully told tale and I have already ordered further accounts of Jessie's later journeys through life.
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  • thomasP
    5.0 out of 5 stars Liebenswerte Erinnerungen aus der Kindheit
    Reviewed in Germany on October 26, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Jessie's Geschichte gibt einem einen Eindruck in die Lebensweise und Welt der Scottish traveller und erfreut den Leser mit den Geschichten und Kindheitserinnerungen von Jessie und ihrer Familie. Es werden keine großen, spannenden Geschichten erzählt (dies ist kein Krimi), sondern liebenswerte kleine und größere Erinnerungen kurzweilig und lebendig beschrieben.

    Über manche der Geschichten musste ich schmunzeln, manchmal lachen. Manche machten betroffen oder gingen unter die Haut.

    Wie von Vorrezensenten geschrieben, ist das Buch mit örtlichem (gälischem) Slang durchsetzt. Aber auch wenn man diese Worte nicht unbedingt versteht, einige werden mit der englischen Bedeutung übersetzt, andere ergeben sich aus dem Kontext. Alles in allem lässt sich das Buch flüssig lesen (mit gutem Schulenglisch!). Ich bin der Meinung, dass gerade der Slang und die ruhige Stimmung das Buch erst lesenswert machen. Wer natürlich Action und Tempo erwartet, ist hier definitiv falsch!

    Das zweite Buch "Tales from the Tent" habe ich mir gerade auch gekauft.
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  • A. Ch Lanz
    2.0 out of 5 stars habe mich tapfer durchgekämpft . . .
    Reviewed in Germany on October 1, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    . . . . und außer, dass ich mich nebenher mit der Landkarte von Schottland vertraut gemacht habe, nicht viel davon gehabt.

    Gründe:
    1) Ich spreche, lese, schreibe und verstehe Englisch in jeder Version fließend - nur in großen Teilen ist das Buch nicht in Englisch sondern in Gaelisch / Keltisch-Misch mit örtlichem Dialekt geschrieben, dazu noch unsäglich Schottische Slangausdrücke versucht in Schrift zu fassen . . . . nervenaufreibend zu lesen und zu versuchen zu verstehen.
    2) Im wiederkehrende Ausdrücke, wie z.B. "wee" in jedem 2. Satz, stellenweise sogar in jedem Satz, sobald es sich um wörtliche Rede handelt - hab' mich leider dabei erwischt, dass ich im (englischsprachigen) Büro auf einmal selbst dieses Wort benutzte, von dem ich nicht mal ganz sicher sagen könnte, was es bedeutet.
    3) Obwohl ich selbst ein Kind der geschilderten Zeitepoche bin, konnte ich mich mit so gut wie nichts inhaltlich - nicht mal im Sinne von träumerisch - identifizieren. Weder mit den Schilderungen des "Tinker-" Lebens noch mit dem der sesshaften Bevölkerung. Hätte für mich genau so gut ein mäßig gefasster SciFi sein können.
    4) Teilweise totales Durcheinander von Menschen, Charakteren, Namen, Herkünften, etc. (wobei ich anerkennte, dass ein großer Familienclan nun mal viele Mitglieder hat), die meisten davon absolut flach und nichtssagend beschrieben.
    5) Mag mich täuschen, aber vieles klingt für mich einfach nicht real - ob sich da kindliche Erinnerungen mit "wäre schön gewesen" und "hätte ich gerne so erlebt" mit dem Erwachsenen-Ich kreuzen, kann ich nicht beurteilen. Identisch kam es für mich jedenfalls oft nicht rüber.

    Vielleicht sollte man Schotte sein, um dieses Buch schätzen und vor allem LESEN zu können.
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  • Just my opinion!
    5.0 out of 5 stars A step back into a magical time.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Absolutely magical. Reading this book took me straight back to my own 50s childhood in Oxfordshire. How well I remember the gypsy family who every summer would pull in and camp in the field opposite our home. They were honest and trustworthy and were never any trouble to anybody. Maybe their children were not always very well dressed or clean but back then not after the war, neither were we. I remember falling from the high slide on the children's recreation ground nearby and being carried home by the gypsy father. My parents were certainly grateful for his care and kindness. This book is well worth reading and I recommend it to anybody.
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  • Frank Schmitt
    2.0 out of 5 stars Langatmig und langweilig
    Reviewed in Germany on September 29, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Ich habe jetzt nach 20% des Buches beschlossen nicht mehr weiterzulesen, denn das Buch ist wirklich langweilig und langatmig. Weiterhin ist es für Nicht-Schotten durch den verwendeten Slang anstrengend zu lesen, selbst wenn man sehr gute Englisch-Kenntnisse hat.
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