Donna J. Young

Donna J. Young grew up speaking Spanish. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts and two Masters degrees: one in Spanish, and the other in South Asian History. She became interested in Goa, India when a professor (who became her thesis adviser) persuaded her that Goan culture with its Portuguese colonial past, was similar to Latin American culture. She traveled and conducted research in both Portugal and India, and concluded that Goa has an interesting and unique history. During her time in India, the author became very attached to Goa and the Goan people.

Her first book Defining Goan Identity: A Literary Approach and was published by Verlag Dr. Muller in Germany in 2008 and recently re-published by AV Akademikerverlag in August of 2012. Her second book Mirror to Goa, was published by Goa 1556 in Goa, India in 2010. Her second book was dedicated to her thesis adviser, the late James Heitzman, who in his sneaky way, opened a whole new world for the author. Young is currently residing in the Southwest region of the United States.