The best books you read in 2005 ...

[spacedonkey]

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)

Message withdrawn

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...

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.

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.

2005

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

Are there two best books of 2005 running?

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

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

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!

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.

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