The Stopping Places
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The Stopping Places
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Narrated by:
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Damian Le Bas
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By:
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Damian Le Bas
About this listen
Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Stopping Places, written and read by Damian Le Bas.
*BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week*
'I needed to get to the stopping places, so I needed to get on the road. It was the road where I might at last find out where I belonged.'
Damian Le Bas grew up surrounded by Gypsy history. His great-grandmother would tell him stories of her childhood in the ancient Romani language; the places her family stopped and worked, the ways they lived, the superstitions and lores of their people. But his own experience of life on the road was limited to Ford Transit journeys from West Sussex to Hampshire to sell flowers.
In a bid to better understand his Gypsy heritage, the history of the Britain's Romanies and the rhythms of their life today, Damian sets out on a journey to discover the atchin tans, or stopping places – the old encampment sites known only to Travellers. Through winter frosts and summer dawns, from horse fairs to Gypsy churches, neon-lit lay-bys to fern-covered banks, Damian lives on the road, somewhere between the romanticised Gypsies of old, and their much-maligned descendants of today.
In this powerful and soulful debut, Damian le Bas brings the places, characters and stories of his to bold and vigorous life.
2019, Thwaites Wainwright Prize, Long-listed
2019, Somerset Maugham Award, Short-listed
2019, Jhalak Prize, Long-listed
2019, Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards, Short-listed
©2018 Damian Le Bas (P)2018 Random House AudiobooksListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Stopping Places
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M Andrews
- 17-05-21
Fantastic
If the subject interests you, this book is fabulous. A wonder personal introspective and history / story of the Roymani in the UK
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mrs gaynor m fuller
- 21-08-22
A must listen
Fab narration and accurate content delivered through short story chapters. Delivered with genuine emotion
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- veyza
- 04-10-22
A window another world view
Provides an absorbing window on a vital but neglected element in the tapestry of people in the British Isles.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 09-09-18
Can well recommend
First heard some highlights on book of the week R4. The full edition is really enjoyable and unravels the secret ways of the true travelling community that are still practiced. Really good narration by the author. Enjoy :)
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Sreep
- 22-02-20
Insightful and personal
It didn't really go anywhere, a little bit tortured and sad. Interesting and I felt I learned more about traveller cultures from it.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jane Chester
- 25-04-21
Interesting and engaging
The narration felt slow at first but was perfect for this book. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jay Cono
- 13-01-19
Most enjoyable audiobook ever
I loved Stopping Places. Damian gives such a seemingly honest account of his experiences, balancing the mix of his way of life, giving us an insight into the history and modern day traveller life. His writing is beautiful with the everyday observations of nature, his descriptions and impersonations of the characters he meets and the baring of his feelings. Just loved this, still have half a chapter left to read cos I don’t want to finish it!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bear
- 17-09-19
Recommended by an actual Traveller
The world of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people in the UK is little understood and much mischaricterised. Through the medium of a self-exploratory road trip this audiobook covers almost every salient point pertaining to Traveller life in the UK, both as it is today and historically. Le Bas gives a gentle but spellbinding spoken performance. This is the book our peoples need your peoples to read. It's raw enough not to shy away from some of the harder realities (for example the association of Travellers with theiving, confronted frankly within the first few chapters) but soft enough that maybe, just maybe, the warmth, diversity and resilience of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people might at last be visible to the settled majorities of the UK. Get this audiobook, not because I would like you to have it, but because you will like it, you will enjoy it. It is spoken beautifully.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dellyish
- 17-07-23
Captivating
Damian's naration of his quest brings this poignant tale out with great beauty. So many struggle these days to truly know their place in life but ultimately we're all humans with families and roots. I chose to sit out in the field with my black and white cob ponies on a cool summer night to listen to the final chapter. I was gifted a shooting star. 🙏
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mr. S. Ruffle Coles
- 11-08-20
great read
I came to this book wanting to listen to a book about British Romanis (owing to my Grandad being one and me know next to nothing about what that was or meant - a common thread in these reviews). I can't say that I got the history lesson I was initially seeking and it took me quite a while to realise what I was listening to but once I did, I realised I was enjoying it a lot 👍
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2 people found this helpful