Canada Reads is a week-long CBC radio show hosted by Jian Ghomeshi. In this annual literary bun-fight, five celebrity panelists are asked to defend their favourite Canadian work of fiction. Day by day, books are voted off the list, until one panelist triumphs with the book for Canada to read this year.

The selections for CBC Radio’s Canada Reads 2010 program were announced on December 1st.  Five celebrity panelists each chose a title that they will champion in debates during the week of March 8th.  The contenders are:

Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott (also a London Reads selection), defended by Vancouver TV and radio host Simi Sara

Nikolski by Nicolas Dickner, translated by Lazer Lederhendler, defended by Montreal author and publisher Michel Vezina

Generation X: tales for an accelerated culture by Douglas Coupland, defended by poet and hip-hop artist Roland Pemberton, aka Cadence Weapon

The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy, defended by humanitarian Dr Samantha Nutt

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald, defended by Olympic athlete Perdita Felicien