Live Where the Songs Are: How a Russian Romani Woman Conquered America

Fifteen-year-old Oksana appears to be an ordinary American teenager, but in reality, two ancient cultures—Roma and Armenian—clash within her, shaped by a childhood spent in the Soviet Union.

Every member of her unusual family—her grandfather, a theater impresario; her grandmother, a witch; her father, a lover of the occult; and her bohemian mother—has left an indelible mark on her, leaving her with an unanswered question: Who am I, really?

Emigrating to the United States, moreover, brought a series of unpleasant surprises. America doesn’t always look like it does in MTV music videos, and the family doesn’t necessarily stick together. Everyone copes with the role of immigrant in their own way—some with an extra drink, some by opening a fortune-telling parlor—but Oksana learns to appreciate the rich tapestry of her origins and find peace within herself rather than in the approval of others.

An autobiographical book with crazy comedy traits, yet imbued with a gentle sadness over the loss of innocence and one’s original way of life. The author shatters prejudices about the Roma, reveals a piece of an unknown world and at the same time appeals to what is universally human in us.

The original title American Gypsy. Published by Triton.