Côte Saint-Luc, August 11, 2026 — The Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library is pleased to announce that its 2026 book pick for Côte Saint-Luc Reads is Anita Rau Badami’s Asha in Her Garden, in partnership with Penguin Random House Canada and Librairie Paragraphe Bookstore.
Anita Rau Badami will be interviewed by journalist and author Tarah Schwartz on Wednesday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Greenspon Auditorium at City Hall, located at 5801 Cavendish Blvd. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free.
Residents are encouraged to join the city-wide reading experience by reserving their copy of Asha in Her Garden through the library or online at csllibrary.org. The novel will be available in multiple formats, including physical copies, eBook, and eAudio editions through CloudLibrary.
Set between India and Montreal, Asha in Her Garden follows Asha Mohan as she reflects on family, memory, immigration, and identity while tending the garden that has been her sanctuary for decades. Rich with warmth, humor, and insight, the novel explores the enduring ties that shape our lives and the possibility of transformation at any age.
Montreal-based Anita Rau Badami is one of Canada’s most distinguished literary voices and was our very first author for CSL Reads in 2008 – it’s our pleasure to welcome her back in honour of our 60th anniversary year! Her novels, including The Hero’s Walk, Can You Hear the Nightbird Call? and Tell It to the Trees, have garnered international acclaim, literary awards, and devoted readers around the world. Asha in Her Garden marks her first novel in fifteen years.
The Library sincerely thanks all donors and collaborators whose support made this special program possible.
Côte Saint-Luc Reads is an annual program created by the Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library to encourage reading and community engagement.
Media inquiries: Maria Ressina, Programming and Community Engagement Coordinator, [email protected] 514-485-6900 x 4311