In the Gypsy language, Lavengro means Master of Words. It was the pet name bestowed on George Borrow by his Gypsy friends for being such an outstanding linguist. Even so, this remarkable book is not about a teacher, but about a pupil. It describes the coming of age of an authentic genius, George Borrow himself, who by the end of his life mastered 60 languages, the mythology of a dozen nations and the literature of two thousand years. Lavengro, George Borrow himself maintained, is a dream . And so it is. Step by step it ...
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In the Gypsy language, Lavengro means Master of Words. It was the pet name bestowed on George Borrow by his Gypsy friends for being such an outstanding linguist. Even so, this remarkable book is not about a teacher, but about a pupil. It describes the coming of age of an authentic genius, George Borrow himself, who by the end of his life mastered 60 languages, the mythology of a dozen nations and the literature of two thousand years. Lavengro, George Borrow himself maintained, is a dream . And so it is. Step by step it guides us through the enchanted landscapes of his childhood in the early 19th century. As a boy he wanders to every corner of the British Isles in the wake of his father s regiment and roams freely over the windswept heath with his Gypsy friend Jasper Petulengro. We see him fail as an apprentice lawyer for being too restless and too kind-hearted. We see his stunning success as a budding linguist when taken in hand by the brilliant William Taylor. He goes to London to seek his fortune as a poet, but falls into the claws of an unscrupulous publisher, who squeezes him dry for every drop of talent. At last he escapes, and joins the road people, travelling with a cart and pony through the pristine land, living in the wilderness with Gypsies, pugilists, tinkers and postillions, horse thieves and horse dealers, and with one formidable young woman who can knock down a bull with one blow of her fist. cBy the time he reached manhood, George Borrow had become a dazzling Master of Words, not only as a linguist, but also as a writer. Lavengro itself proves the point. Woven from the strands of memory on a flawless loom of art, embroidered with the silken yarns of poetry, it possesses all the grace and beauty of a masterpiece. His descriptions of people and scenery are often unparalleled. The strength of the dialogues and the elegance of the thoughts expressed have few equals in the literature of the Victorian Age. It is, in fact, more than a dream. It is a revelation.
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Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $7.58, fair condition, Sold by Kayleighbug Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from CEDAR GROVE, WV, UNITED STATES, published 1938 by Humphrey Milford.
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Seller's Description:
Fair. No Stock Photos! We photograph every item. edge wear to boards and spine tips, foxing throughout. Falling somewhere between the genres of memoir and novel, Lavengro has long been considered a classic of 19th-century English literature. According to the author lav-engro is a Romany word meaning "word master". The historian G.M. Trevelyan called this "a book that breathes the spirit of that period of strong and eccentric characters". Its protagonist, whose name is never mentioned, is born the son of an officer in a militia regiment and is brought up in various barrack towns in England, Scotland and Ireland. After serving an apprenticeship to a lawyer he moves to London and becomes a Grub Street hack, an occupation which gives him ample opportunities to observe London low-life. Finally he takes to the road as a tinker. At various points through the book he associates with Romany travellers, of whom he gives memorable and generally sympathetic pen-portraits. Lavengro was followed by a sequel, The Romany Rye. Neither of the two books is self-contained. Rather, Lavengro ends abruptly with chapter 100, and carries on directly in the The Romany Rye. Thus both need to be read together, in order.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $7.98, good condition, Sold by Bookmonger.Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hillside, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 1969 by Heron.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $8.50, good condition, Sold by Montclair Book Center rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Montclair, NJ, UNITED STATES, published by G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $9.79, good condition, Sold by Bookmarc's rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from La Porte, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1926 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Seller's Description:
Good. No Jacket. A3-A hard cover book in good condition. Book is worn with tears on the top spine, worn on the cover corners and bending, wear on the edges and sides and cover, some white dots on the spine and small white line on the back, light scratches on the picture plate on the front, previous owner's name written on the top of the front loose endpaper, discoloration (browning), and normal shelf wear. Riverside Bookshelf. 8.5"x 6". 330 pages. Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $13.61, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published by Grosset & Dunlap.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $13.99, fair condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $14.68, good condition, Sold by Phatpocket Limited rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Waltham Abbey, ESSEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1972 by Dutton Books.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Ships from UK in 48 hours or less (usually same day). Your purchase helps support Sri Lankan Children's Charity 'The Rainbow Centre'. Ex-library, so some stamps and wear, but in good overall condition. 100% money back guarantee. We are a world class secondhand bookstore based in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom and specialize in high quality textbooks across an enormous variety of subjects. We aim to provide a vast range of textbooks, rare and collectible books at a great price. Our donations to The Rainbow Centre have helped provide an education and a safe haven to hundreds of children who live in appalling conditions. We provide a 100% money back guarantee and are dedicated to providing our customers with the highest standards of service in the bookselling industry.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $15.00, good condition, Sold by Novel Ideas Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Decatur, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1906 by G. P. Putnam's Sons.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $15.00, very good condition, Sold by The Hermitage Bookshop rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 1970 by Everyman's Library.
Add this copy of Lavengro to cart. $15.00, good condition, Sold by Pepper's Old Books rated 1.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hanson, KY, UNITED STATES, published 1926 by Houghton Mifflin Co.
