I've got 5 books on my bedside table - which one to read?

[BumgrapesofWrath]

I'm feeling particularly indecisive at the moment, so I've picked 5 books off my bookself but can't pick which one to read. So... should I read:-

Myra Breckinridge - Gore Vidal
The Observations - Jane Harris
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Secret History - Donna Tartt
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

The last two books I read are The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen (disappointing) and A Prayer For Owen Meany - John Irving (fantastic, now in my top 5 books) if that helps...

Read never let me go. Have tissues ready.

The Secret History. My copy is at my parents' house and I was just thinking I wanted to reread it this Easter.

Never Let Me Go

The Secret History - brilliant novel.

I've also got Never Let Me Go and The Shadow of the Wind in my tbr pile :).

Never let me go is the only one of those I've read. It's excellent.

Ive only read Shadow of the wind, i enjoyed it x

never let me go

didn't think shadow of the wind was worth the effort, persoally!

Never Let Me Go, definitely.

It's a fantastic and very thought provoking book. One of my all time favourites.

Only one I've read is Never Let Me Go. OUr reading group liked it iirc.

Is Never Let Me Go written by the same author that wrote Remains of the Day (I loved that)?

Oh the Shadow of the Wind, so amazing. I read it on my honeymoon and practically ignored DH as when I wasn't actually reading it I was thinking about it

Yes, Ragwort, it's the same guy. Kashuo Ishiguro (I think). I loved Never Let Me Go, but not yet read The Remains Of The Day - is it good?

Another vote for Never Let Me Go!

Never Let Me Go is brilliant

I love, love, love Remains of the Day.

Hobs Remains of the Day is a fabulous read. Very controlled and in places quite painful. He is a fabulous writer.

I read Myra Breckenridge when I was a precocious teenager (a little while ago now) and loved it. I have convinced myself, though, that if I read it now it would feel very dated - as Valley of the Dolls does - and probably isn't a 'classic'.

I loved The Shadow of the Wind. I haven't read the others so that is maybe not all that helpful.

I liked Shadow of the wind too and it was brilliant. also read another of his recently.

Dissolution which is a Tudor thriller is also brilliant by C J Samson.

I've only read The Secret History and Never Let me go out of your list, and found them both disappointing.

On the other hand I loved The Corrections .
Remains of the day is a wonderful book, imo.

The Observations and The Secret History are terrific, though I think SH has a bit of a lull mid way through. I'm very ambivalent about Never Let Me Go and Shadow of the Wind (well not that ambivalent actually, but I'm being polite ).

I loved The Corrections and I loved Prayer for Owen Meaney if that helps at all!

Remains of the Day is wonderful, I read it years ago and then received it again in my Mumsnet Book Swap circle, couldn't put it down. .

I haven't read the Gore Vidal one.
As for the others, it depends what sort of mood you're in.

Never let Me Go is sad and thought-provoking.
The Secret History is gripping and mysterious.
The Observations is quirky, mysterious and amusing.
The Shadow of the Wind is over-rated IMO - can'r recall much about it.

I must add Remains of the Day to my list of things to read.

I also loved A Prayer for Owen Meany. I must read it again sometimes.

I loved Never Let Me Go - very thought provoking.

The Shadow of the WInd is awful! The only book I've ever not finished.