In preparation for the BBC2 series The story of India, I have just started the book by micheal wood, not read much yet , but looks good, and there are some great photos.

I read and loved this book about Goa. Its called "Goa: A Daughter's Story" and is written by MARIA AURORA COUTO. She attempts to define what she terms as "Goanity".
She's done a lot research and has also travelled many times between Goa and Portugal, to get details for her book, which traces the evolution of Goa's society.
Maria Coutto has said that often, during writing the book, she would end up taking cruises to the little islands that made up Goa - "just to get a feel of the people." Her verdict: Life hasn't really changed dramatically for many of them."
By the way this book and others will be available in local book stores for a fraction of the price that you would pay in the UK.
Enjoy...
I'm currently reading, "India after Gandhi' by Ramachandra Guha - its an excellent read about India after independence. Easy to pick, gripping and you can begin just baout anywhere in the book.

smartpati ! Thanks for reminding me of this book, I bought it last time in Goa, 350Rs, must get round to reading it now.
Here are two more Iv'e just read -- The Tailors Daughter by Ben Antao -- set in Goa in the 1950's
Quote -" This is a novel with an unusual theme, it's a story that takes a searing look at the hypocritical and traditionaly caste-bound society of seemingly modern Goa".
The other is - Riot - by Shashi Tharoor penguin india 225Rs " Who killed 24yr Priscilla Hart ? And why would anyone want to murder this idealistic American student who had come to India to volunteer in a woman's heath programme ? Had her work made a killer out of an enraged husband ? Or was her death the result of a xenophobic attack ? Was she involved in an indiscriminate love affair that had spun out of control ? Or was she simply the innocent victim of a riot that had exploded in that fateful year of 1987 between Hindus and Muslims ?".

Hi all,

Just thought I'd share an experience of buying a Rough Guide to Goa book last week through the pennguin books website.

They allowed me to purchase the book, have taken my money and now say that they don't have the book in stock - I can't cancel my order, and can't get my money back for 30 days!!! I've contacted their customer services department and they have not yet responded!! Is this an omen??

The book was supposed to be a birthday present for the OH before we go at the end of Nov - so a word of warning if you are looking to purchase The lastest version of Rough guide to Goa!

Hi lassigirl - its a pleasure. I am a book freak meself and spend a fortune on books and have books every where, including my bedroom! My OH insists that i choose between him or my books... No choice at all! He simply converts (will give his fingers a break from pressing all those buttons on the remote) or we add a new room to our house for a library.
Anyhow, back to books, highly recommend most of the books already listed here, but have a few more to add:
Almost Single by Advaita Kala, new author, about single unwed women in India, matchmaking, working, etc - a bit like a desi (Indian) version of Bridget Jones' Diary or Sex and the City but very nice. You can read an excerpt on her website http://www.advaitakala.com. Also on my current list is My Life in Orange by Tim Guest, about a young boy who grew up in the Rajneesh Ashram - fascinating. Don't buy it from Amazon, its at some unearthly priceof USD12, but you can get in India for about Rs. 200. And I've just got another book by my all time favourite - Paul Theroux - The Elephant Suite about his travels in India priced at Rs. 350 in India. By the way, there is an excellent bookstore in Mumbai, called Strand Bookstall, and the website is INVALID URL and is a great place for books of any kind. They have all the best and recent and best selling and all and any books at the best (read discounted) prices. And whats more if they dont, they will order the book for you and send it to you. In fact, they deliver books anywhere in India and across the world too (though I think this is by sea-mail), anyhow, its worth a dekho (taking a look!) because they also give pass on the book retailer's discount to the customer. I am a regular buyer of the books, and they are entirely reliable and trustworthy - in fact, the owner was given India's highest civilian honour - the Padma Bhushan. Any book-mad person in Mumbai who wants to buy more books and make her money last, calls them first! Ask for Jagat (the best salesman in the shop) and give the reference of a pal of mine (if you need one - this is typical of India !) - called Clarence. Just say to Jagat, Clarence was telling me about you, can you help me! But even if you dont, Jagat is very helpful and all the others are very nice too!. Some more books that just came to mind while talking about Strand and Jagat:
1. Around the Hearth: Khasi Legends by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, Khasis are a fierce, matriarchal tribe in India - daughters are prized more than sons, and the daughter inherits
2. Hindi-Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan - oh, this was great, its about these three women reaching adulthood, tweaking their mothers' cooking to suit their Western lifestyles. The book is interspersed with traditional home style mom's cooking recipes
3. Above Average by Amitabha Bagchi which stars Arindam Chatterjee, a middle-class Delhi boy who has an aptitude for science and maths but wants to be a drummer of a rock band and needs to get into IIT- India's premier engineering college.
4. The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani - i loved this one -
After an arranged marriage in India, Priya moves with her husband to California, where they share a house with his parents. Playing the traditional daughter-in-law role, she's expected to clean, cook, and-because she doesn't immediately get pregnant-find a job as well.
5. Water: A Novel by Bapsi Sidhwa - and the movie is great too. Set in 1938 India against the backdrop of Mahatma Gandhi's rise to power, Water follows the life of eight-year-old Chuyia, a child-bride who is abandoned at a widow's ashram in Benares after her fifty-year-old husband dies.
6. My Sainted Aunts by Bulbul Sharma
7. The Inheritance of Loss: A Novel by Kiran Desai - won the Booker Prize - she is Anita Desai's daughter, and Anita Desai was nominated thrice but never won, her daughter wins it with the debut novel.
8.Mahashwetha: A Novel by Sudha Murty - I enjoy all her books. Talks about social justice, Indian attitude towards women.
9. My Nine Lives: Chapters of a Possible Past by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala who explores 9 possible lives answering the eternal question of "What would happen if I were granted an alternative life?"
10. Dollar Bahu (Bahu meaning daughter-in-law) by Sudha Murty, tells the story of a couple and the Indian preference for a person who earns in foreign currency, and whose wife is held in high esteem, while his counterpart who earns in Rupees and his wife are looked down upon.
11. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
12. The Gin Drinkers by Sagarika Ghose
13. Ferry Crossing : Short stories from Goa by Manohar Shetty
Ok am going to stop now or risk boring every one
Off for a cup of strong Assam chai...
smartpati

Wow thats a great list pati, it is very hard to find information on books that are only available in India.
I will be there with my list in december/
Many thanks lassi

anytime lassi! hope it works out for you. if you need some more names, let me know

Just finished Shantaram, how I enjoyed reading this, so well written, had me laughing, smiling and even crying, such a vivid picture of his life in India.

loved Shantaram as well, I've got my next lot of books packed ready for 2 weeks time, they are: "A Breath of Fresh Air" by Amulya Malladi, "Yadav" by Jill Lowe, "The Mango Season" again by Amulya Malladi, "Bollywood Confidential" by Sonia Singh, "Such a long journey" by Rohinton Mistry and another by the same author "Tales fron Firozsha Baag". You can see what I intend to do for 3 weeks of course I will partake in a few Honeybees and Limca's as well as meeting a few people who frequent the forum as well

Jayne

Ive got shantaram also. I have had it 18 months. I have read the 1st 20 pages 3 times and it was brill but I am def going to read it this holiday and pass it on

Shantaram was a brilliant read.

I'd like to add two more , both by Manju Kapur.
Difficult Daughters, set around the time of Partiction, is the story of a young woman torn between the desire for education, and the lure of illicit love.
Home, this one I really loved, it's about the problems of living in a traditional joint Indian family in " modern india " arranged marriage, caste, problems with mother in laws, all very moving.
amazon has reveiws of both
ps- just found a copy of Goa Freaks on ebay germany, but it's already at 51 euros and there's still 4days to go ! Really must get down to reading Shantaram

I recently discovered this Author - Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, all her books capture the essence of India.
Out Of India- a collection of stories is really good.
Sadly most were written some time ago so are hard to find, but I think they are well worth looking out for.

While in Goa i bought SHANTARAM and busy reading it now its very good.
I also bought The circle of Reason by Amitav Ghosh 250rps any one read that one?

Just back from Goa and read Shantaram whilst there. Great read and it seems like a lot of people have read this thread as almost everyone else on the beach had a copy.

Smartpati - I tried a few bookshops in Panaji and Bangalore, but none had "The Village Bride of Beverly Hills" by Kavita Daswani.

A similar question for lassigirl - you recommended "Difficult Daughters" by Manju Kapur. Again, none of the bookshops I visited stocked it.

Did you both get the books from Amazon?

Thanks

Hi Dona Paula, sorry, just saw your post. I bought the book at a book exhibition in Panjim. But I just checked for you - its also available on Amazon and you can order it from the Penguin online book store. On the other hand, if you are in Mumbai or Bangalore, Crossword might have it or Nalanda. I also recommend Strand Book stall - main branch in Mumbai and Bangalore branch on Dickensen Road - if they don't have it, they will order it for you.
Cheers and a Happy New Year!

Hi Donapaula !
I found my copy of Difficult Daughters at The Reading Habit on Panjim road Miramar ,near the Marriot hotel, but it is available on Amazon. Aother good bookshop in Panjim is the Broadway on 18th June road.
Sorry for the late reply I've been in Goa, just back last night.

Hi smartpati and lassigirl,

Many thanks to both of you. Will visit recommended bookshops during my next trip.