Giller prize: Padma Viswanathan reads from The Ever After of Ashwin Rao
Author's nominated novel explores the Air India bombing and its effect on Canadians
Padma Viswanathan is among the six finalists for the 2014 Scotiabank Giller prize, Canada's richest literary honour, now worth $100,000 to the winner.
Born in Nelson, B.C., in 1968, Viswanathan won acclaim for her debut novel, The Toss of a Lemon, which was published in eight countries and was shortlisted for several literary awards.
Now, a resident of Arkansas, the author tackles the aftermath of the 1985 Air India bombing in her new novel The Ever After of Ashwin Rao. The story centres on Canadian families who lost loved ones in the tragedy, as explored by an Indian psychologist, trying to turn grief into healing.
In the video above, Viswanathan reads from her shortlisted work of fiction and explains why she first thought she'd missed the cut.
The winner will be announced, in a gala hosted by Rick Mercer, Monday in Toronto.
Watch the broadcast at 9 p.m. (10 p.m. AT /10:30 NT) on CBC Television and livestreamed on CBC Books.