- Published: 07/01/2021
- ISBN: 9781783786404
- Granta Books
- 288 pages
The Language of Thieves
Martin Puchner
You might have heard the saying ‘you’re in a pickle’ meaning you’re in a difficult situation. This is just one example of Rotwelsch, an ancient language of the road influenced by Yiddish and written in rudimentary signs, and spoken by vagrants and refugees, merchants and thieves since the European Middle Ages.
Martin Puchner grew up knowing that Rotwelsch was of unusual interest to his family. When he inherited a family achive, it led him on a journey not only into the history of this extraordinary language but also into his family’s connections to the Nazi Party, for whom Rotwelsch held a particular significance.
The Language of Thieves is a compelling story of the mindset and milieu of Central Europe and of the way language can be used to evade oppression. It is also a deeply moving reckoning with a family’s buried past.
£16.99
A rare find. A journey through language and family, revealing lives lived on the margins and on the wrong side of history
Rachel Seiffert, author of, A Boy in Winter
A fascinating blend of linguistics, history, and autobiography which offers a powerful new approach to humanities research
Bart Van Es, author of, The Cut Out Girl
The Language of Thieves is a revelation: in telling the story of an underground language, Martin Puchner exposes a hidden corner of Europe's-and his own family's-surprising past. Entirely original, infectiously curious, by turns playful and poignant, it offers at once a fresh, fascinating insight into history and a thoughtful meditation on identity and belonging. The book sings with Puchner's pleasure in the power of words to move, delight, deceive, and connect us
Maya Jasanoff, author of, The Dawn Watch
From the Same Author
The Written World
Martin Puchner
From clay tablets to the printing press.
From the pencil to the internet.
From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Harry Potter.
This is the true story of literature — of how great texts and technologies have shaped cultures and civilizations and altered human history.
The inventions of paper, the printing press and the world wide web are usually considered the major influences on the way we share stories. Less well known is the influence of Greek generals, Japanese court ladies, Spanish adventurers, Malian singers and American astronauts, and yet all of them played a crucial role in shaping and spreading literature as we know it today.
The Written World tells the captivating story of the development of literature, where stories intersect with writing technologies like clay, stone, parchment, paper, printing presses and computers. Central to the development of religions, political movements and even nations, texts spread useful truths and frightening disinformation, and have the power to change lives. Through vivid storytelling and across a huge sweep of time, The Written World offers a new and enticing perspective on human history.
