Gypsy BalladsGypsy Ballads
Score Classic
What it's about
Federico García Lorca's book of eighteen poems, published in 1928, sets the old Spanish ballad form in Andalusia, among the Romani people of the region. The poems are full of the moon, horses, knives, the Civil Guard and doomed love, and of images that feel both ancient and surreal. The most famous, "Romance sonámbulo," begins "Verde que te quiero verde," ("Green, how I want you green") and is one of the best-known poems in Spanish.
Why it's worth reading
It's on Le Monde's list of the books of the century and the Bokklubben World Library, and it made Lorca the most popular Spanish poet of his time. He was murdered by Nationalist forces at the start of the Spanish Civil War in 1936.
You'll love it if you liked
The Book of Disquiet
Ficciones
CitizenGood to know
A bilingual edition is best, even if you don't read Spanish, to hear the sound. It's short.
By the numbers
- Readers86 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller19 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is Gypsy Ballads worth reading?
Yes. It's on Le Monde's list of the books of the century and the Bokklubben World Library, and it made Lorca the most popular Spanish poet of his time. It ranks #437 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Gypsy Ballads about?
Federico García Lorca's book of eighteen poems, published in 1928, sets the old Spanish ballad form in Andalusia, among the Romani people of the region. The poems are full of the moon, horses, knives, the Civil Guard and doomed love, and of images that feel both ancient and surreal. The most famous, "Romance sonámbulo," begins "Verde que te quiero verde," ("Green, how I want you green") and is one of the best-known poems in Spanish.
How long does it take to read Gypsy Ballads?
About 4 hours (161 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Gypsy Ballads?
If you liked it, try The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa, Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges or Citizen by Claudia Rankine.