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Original poster

The best books you read in 2005 ...

37 replies

spacedonkey · 04/01/2006 11:49

Along the lines of the book choices that appear in all the papers at the end of the year, what were the best books you've read in the last year (old and new)?

My top picks are:

We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver (stunning, gripping, thought-provoking)

The Reader - Bernhard Schlink (moving, beautifully written spare prose, thought-provoking)

The Brothers - Bernice Rubens (epic family saga, now revisiting as many of her books as possible)

An Intimate History of Humanity - Theodore Zeldin (original, brilliant)

Toast - Nigel Slater (made me cry, unputdownable)

Cooking with Fernet Branca - James Hamilton-Paterson (funny, quirky)

The Diary of a Nobody - George and Weedon Grossmith (but I read that every year)

Is it just me or is everything shit? - Lowe/MacArthur (excellent next-to-the-toilet curmudgeonliness)

OP posts:
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MrsSpoon · 18/01/2006 21:50

They've got Saturday in ASDA for £3.73, bought it the other day, I like Ian McEwan.

greenbean · 18/01/2006 21:49

Space donkey Saturday is out in Paperback now.
Very pleased Harry Thompson made your best of 2005 Lonely mum.
Last yeat I read lots of Janet Evanoich books Ten big ones and others. Pure escapism in what was an extremely busy year. will try not to take on too much this year - more reading time.

foxinsocks · 12/01/2006 18:23

I had forgotten Fleshmarket Close was a 2005 book. I loved

the whole Henning Mankell (with Kurt Wallander as detective) series. I got them all out of the library and read them in order. If anyone likes good detective novels that are written well, these are well worth a read.

Closed Circle I enjoyed (but not as much as Rotter's Club)

Tell no one, Final Detail and The Innocent by Harlan Coben were good but they are the sort of books that you can read in 48 hours so not too deeply involved!

MrsSpoon · 09/01/2006 23:31

Sorry make that two the other one is worst of 2005, time for bed I think.

MrsSpoon · 09/01/2006 23:30

LOL I've just checked and there are three best of 2005 type thread!

MrsSpoon · 09/01/2006 23:30

Case Histories was definately the best book I read last year.

Are there two best books of 2005 running?

batters · 09/01/2006 10:37

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Fauve · 09/01/2006 10:08

2005

Fauve · 09/01/2006 10:07

My 2006 faves were, in this order: 1. Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller; 2. A Spell in Winter by Helen Dunmore; and 3. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.

puddle · 09/01/2006 10:01

Sheer unputdownability - Notes on a scandal by Zoe heller
Trashy but fab - The Insider by Piers Morgan
Reread - Brideshead Revisited on holiday and really enjoyed it.

Marina · 09/01/2006 10:00

It's in a holding pattern on my bookcase bp. Have got stuck into Jonathan Strange and may be some time. I like Allan Hollinghurst so am looking forward to it...

cod · 09/01/2006 10:00

Message withdrawn

bakedpotato · 09/01/2006 09:59

Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty

cod · 09/01/2006 09:56

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Marina · 09/01/2006 09:53

Case Histories for me - welcome return to form from Ms Atkinson.
On the light and silly front, I enjoyed Jenny Eclair's book about a dire holiday, Having a Lovely Time.
Finally succeeded with Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon, a book I enjoyed but kept getting tugged away from.
Re-read all my Jonathan Coes as usual and my Robertson Davies

Nightynight · 05/01/2006 21:38

the Tortilla Curtain by T C Boyle - heart rending, but a must read.

the Harry Potter books - they really are good.

Anna Karenina - yes, I only just got round to reading it, worth the wait though!

The Reader by Bernard Schink

Lesul · 05/01/2006 21:34

One of the best books I read this year was The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud - by Ben Sherwood, if you liked the Lovely Bones you will also like this book. I have found some of the books recommended in Richard & Judy's book club to be good reads - there are a few of this year's choices in the shops just now and I have bought a few of them as they do look very interesting. If you go to this website you can see all of the 04 and 05 winners and the new recommendations for 06. www.richardandjudybookclub.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?langId=100&storeId=10101&catalogId=15201&categoryId=15551&top=Y

Mercy · 05/01/2006 21:24

Hidden Lives - Margaret Forster

Must add - I love Diary of a Nobody and Oranges are not the Only Fruit

sobernow · 05/01/2006 21:18

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tiredemma · 05/01/2006 21:15

loved case histories, thought it was a fantastic book.

going4potty · 05/01/2006 21:09

mourning ruby, cant remember author

Salsa · 05/01/2006 20:40

Harry Potter (JKR)
100 years of solitude (Gabrielle Garcia MArquez)
Cry the Beloved Country
The Take ( I like Martina Cole)
Blindness

Off hand can't remember the authors.
I will try to think of more, I read about 5-6 per month.

Any recommendations very welcome. Will be back in UK for a few days next week and can stock up.

Caribbeanqueen · 05/01/2006 20:33

Kite Runner - brilliant

tamum · 05/01/2006 20:32

Case Histories, definitely. Found Saturday very disappointing. I really enjoyed State of the Nation by Douglas Kennedy- not really deep, but very believable.

mummytosteven · 05/01/2006 20:30

And the Sixth Lamentation by William Broderick