Tales from the Tent

From the author of Jessie's Journey, a memoir of finding her own way in the world after growing up in a family of Scottish travellers.

As Tales from the Tent begins, Jess Smith has left school, and after a miserable spell working in a paper mill, she abandons the settled life and takes to the roads once more. The old bus she lived in as a child has gone, to be replaced by a caravan and campsites. Times are changing, and it is becoming harder and harder for travellers to make a living by doing the rounds of seasonal jobs like berry-picking.


Conscious that the old way of life was disappearing before her eyes, Jess stored up as much as she could gather from the rich folklore of the travellers' world. Now she retells some of the many stories and songs she heard by the campfire or at the tent's mouth. Interwoven with these tales is the story of Jess and her life on the road—her first loves, her friendships, her days hawking and berry-picking, the exploits of her lovable but infuriating family, and the unforgettable characters she meets.

Praise for the trilogy:

"Skillfully takes her reader into the world of Scottish Travellers in her own down-to-earth, straight-from-the-heart manner." —Travellers' Times

"Heartwarming reminiscences." —Sunday Post