Goa is a dream destination for India as well as international travelers. One of the many dream things to do in Goa is to sit on a beach and read. Not a very practical thing to do, but it makes a picture-perfect moment to hold a book, maybe books on Goa, in hand while posing on a beach.
I moved to Goa in 2014. The first thing that I do when I move to a new place is to read a few books to know the place. Till I came to Goa, I had never read a book on this tiny state, not even a travel guide. Every time I visited Goa, we spent the time on the beach, and in the markets around the beach before heading back.
As I drove around, walked its villages, and adjusted to living in a small town, I discovered many facets of Goa. Still, a lot of what I know came from books I read about this state. So here are my recommendations for some of the books to know Goa.
Non-Fiction Books on Goa
Moving to Goa by Katharina Kakar
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Moving to Goa is a dream for many people. The publication of this book was perfectly timed with my moving to Goa. I could relate to every word that the author wrote. If you are planning to move to Goa, this is a must-read book to prepare yourself mentally for Goa. There are a lot of things only those who have moved and lived here can tell you like – You will always remain an outsider here. She also introduces you to the multiple facets of Goa that most outsiders miss like its hinterlands, its community, and its love for its own land and language. You also get a peep into the so-called outsiders’ world that you would be a part of, in case you move.
Goa Gold Goa Silver by Prajal Sakardande – Books on Goa
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Dr. Prajal Sakardande is a well-known professor of history in Goa. He has authored this authoritative book on Goan history after 20 years of research. It covers Goan history right from pre-historic times to modern times. A comprehensive book, full of historical facts, most of which are lesser-known as the closer history of the Portuguese era tends to dominate the popular discourse.
Highly recommended for anyone with a keen interest in Goan history – Ancient, Medieval, and Modern.
Hear Prof Sakardande speak a bit about this book.
Goa – A Daughter’s Story by Maria Aurora Couto
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Maria Aurora Couto belongs to the elite class in Goa, often referred to as royalty in Goa. She was born to Goan parents, though she studied in Karnataka, and lived in Bihar before returning to Goa as an IAS officer’s wife who was posted here post Goa’s liberation and merger with India. She tells her story as Goa’s daughter. It is an elite Christian’s view of Goa and Goa’s past. Biases are bound to be there. But, nonetheless, readable.
Green Room by Wendell Rodricks
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Green Room was the first book I read when I landed in Goa. What I admired about Wendell Rodricks was his making an international career in the field of fashion while living in Goa. I also envied the fact that he traveled so much. This book is written like a ‘Son of Goa’. He traces his family’s roots to the Hindu Kshatriya community and talks about Goa through his own personal journey of setting up his fashion business here. A long read but insightful.
The Hippie Trail – A History by Sharif Gemie & Brian Ireland
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Goa is where the famous Hippie trail of the 1960s and 1970s terminated. This is where a lot of Hippies found a home they did not want to leave. They talk about Anjuna as the world’s largest nudist colony while describing their days living here. A small Hippie community continues to live in those villages in Goa. Tourism in Goa has its roots in the Hippie culture, an image that Goa continues to carry. This fascinating journey connects Goa to the rest of the places on the Hippie trail.
The Goa Inquisition by Anant K Priolkar – Books on Goa to read
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This book is for those interested in the serious history of Goa. It talks about the darkest period of Goan history during the Portuguese era based on first-hand contemporary accounts of the times like archival material, travelers’ accounts, and a prisoner’s account. I have read it in bits and pieces. Many historians use this as a reference book for Goan history.
Mario De Miranda Books – Recommend his Books on Goa
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Mario Miranda is the signature artist of Goa. His cartoons can be seen everywhere in the state and lots of Goan books that he illustrated. There are books from his travels, books based on his cartoons and books that he illustrated, and books on him. You take your pick from what interests you.
Read More – Mario Miranda All Over Goa
Goa and the Blue Mountains by Richard Burton
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Published in 1851, this book has been on my reading shelf for at least 20 years now. I am yet to read this first book by the famous author who translated Kamasutra. It is a travelogue of the mid-19th CE. Such travelogues are timestamps that capture the destinations in a time frame for the rest of eternity. I hope to read it soon.
Two other very popular books on Goa are Goa Travels and Ferry Crossings by Manohar Shetty. I am yet to read them. Hopefully soon.
Fiction Books on Goa
Teresa’s Man & Other Stories from Goa by Damodar Mauzo
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Damodar Mauzo is one of the most popular authors from Goa, a Sahitya Academy Award Winner. He writes short stories and novels in Konkani, and most of his works are translated into English. His stories carry the essence of Goa, especially life in its villages. This short story collection takes you through various human emotions and the dilemmas we face on an everyday basis. It brings out the faces behind the masks we all wear. Simple, heartfelt stories rooted in Goa.
The Sea of Innocence by Kishwar Desai
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Drugs, Prostitution, and Gambling are the underbelly of the Goan tourism economy. As much as the locals would like to deny them or denounce them, it exists. Kishwar Desai in a beautifully crafted story takes you through the web of financial investors, local mafia, and politicians who are also a part of the beaches of Goa. The story may leave a distaste for Goa but it is a page-turner, an absolute thriller.
Poskem by Wendell Rodricks
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You have probably never heard this word – Poskem. I had no idea what it is until I picked up this book to read. These are abandoned children that grew up in posh Goan villas and their strange relationships with the families they grow up with. Inspired by real-life stories, this book reveals a side of Goa that most people do not know. It is a very small book that also comes with a lot of Goan recipes. Another reason to pick it up and read.
Let Me Tell You About Quinta by Savia Viegas
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This is a haunting tale about Goan society. It is an insider’s view of how Goans see outsiders and how they keep them strictly ‘outsider’. It also has mystical and paranormal angles that add a layer of mystery to the story set in a pristine South Goan village. Talks about the changes the change of regimes brought in the life of Goans and how the national or global quest to live in a Goan village is impacting them. This is an insider’s story.
Inside/Out: New Writing from Goa – An Anthology
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This is a platter of writing on Goa – fiction and non-fiction published by Goa-based publishers. It has stories from Goans, part-time Goans, new residents, and those who migrated out. This is like a potpourri, and you never know what the next story is all about. Some stories are too much rooted in Goa while others take you back in time and some give you an outsider’s perspective. An interesting Mélange to explore.
Afterlife – Ghost Stories from Goa by Jessica Faleiro
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This book could have been written better, but it brings you the ghost stories from Goa. Believe me, there are a lot of them.
Do you know of a great book on Goa that I should read? Tell us in the comments below.
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A novel set in Goa which I enjoyed was Tivolem by Victor Rangel-Ribeiro. It’s set in a fictional village in the 1930s, and is a charming meander through Goan village life and the stories of the characters there. Not a novel to keep you up reading throughout the night, but it’s a gently handled addition to the fiction about an underwritten state.
Rae – Goa is no way underwritten, but yes, it can be read more than it is seen.
I have authored a children’s book ESPI MAI & OTHER GOAN TALES translated to Konkani, Portuguese and Marathi available with the Other India Bookstore, Mapusa, Goa
Good to know Anita.
Priolkar’s The Goa Inquisition though presented as non-fiction would be better classified as a flight of fancy as it relies on a handful of sources to tell a one-sided story of this historical event. Priolkar likes to make it seem as if Hindus were crushed under the heel of the tribunals but fails to explain how the Saraswats, then and now, continue(d) to wield power. The main target of the Inquisition was new converts to Catholicism and Jewish conversos. Much work has been done on this subject, but listicles like this one would rather dredge up the same tired works that maintain the status quo and refuse to acknowledge the danger of material that parades itself as being academic.
In a similar vein, Sakardande’s sweeping study of Goan history is far from being a well-researched work on the subject. Indeed, Sakardande has made a career of positioning himself as an authority because he teaches the subject, but this is not the same as actively researching it.
In comparison, look at work by such historians of Goa as Teotonio de Souza and Anjali Arondekar who delve deeply into specific periods, movements, and communities rather than believing that one book can cover the entirety of a region’s history.
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I really enjoyed this article and also interested to travel this place in the future.
Amid this pandemic, I see Goa the only place we can give a visit to. Thanks for the article.
I am really impressed with your blog. Your blog on Books on Goa is very informative and useful!
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Extremely informative!
Hi, it’s such a joy reading your articles or posts.
Very beautiful article. If you are planning to visit Goa, check out BanBanjara.
I live in Goa, Dhiraj.
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Hi!
Thanks for putting together this helpful article 🙂
Do you think Moving to Goa is relevant today? I am coming to Goa for a couple of months 🙂
Yes Ashwin, it is still relevant and prepares you well for what you should not expect as a resident of Goa.
Dear Anuradha,
Greetings!
Just came across your blog and was happy to see listings of books both fiction and nonfiction set in Goa.
This is to request to include my thriller fiction novel titled Blue Jeans too in this list. It’s a fiction fully set in Goa. It has been endorsed by some leading journalists of India and has been well received by readers. Sharing here the Amazon link of the book for your reference.
https://amzn.eu/d/6H222gm
Thanks and regards
Dr. Manisha Saxena
“Thanks for sharing this—it’s exactly what I needed to read!”