Top Ten Tuesdays 1/31/12

This week for Top Ten Tuesday's, book club picks populate the list.  This will be hard for me.  I've never participated in a book club before the Huffington Post started theirs, and I'm not sure that I have the hang of it yet.  Since I'm basically clueless, here is my list of books that I have found myself reading and REALLY wishing I had someone to talk to about them.

1. Lolita - Vladimir Nabakov I'm just going to admit it.  This is one of my all-time favorite novels.  I struggle with telling people this because those who haven't read it, or haven't paid attention while reading, assume I'm some sicko who sympathizes with a pedophile like Humbert.  The truth is, there I times during the novel  that I do sympathize with him, which is a true testament to the genius of Nabokov's writing.  It would be nice to find a group of people to have an intelligent conversation about it. 
2. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski The chapters spoken from a dog's perspective are some of the most interesting and beautifully written that I've ever experienced.
3. Black Girl/White Girl - Joyce Carol Oates This is only the second list I've done, but this is already the second time this book has appeared.  This is one that has stayed with me since I read it nearly 2 years ago.  You spend the entire novel knowing something awful is going to happen and feeling like you know exactly what that awful thing is, and then you are knocked off your feet when you actually get there.  Great writing, and a good opportunity to explore how our individual feelings and ideas shape our expectations of a story line.
4. Siddartha - Hermann Hesse I don't practice any particular religion, and I consider myself non-secular but spiritual. I love Siddartha and with my little knowledge of different religions and ideas throughout the world, found it comforting to think that almost anyone could find a tie into the book.  It would have been great to hear some of these from other people.  
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -Tom Sawyer One of my favorite classroom experiences in college was a three week long discussion of this book. 
6. Naked - David Sedaris I have read everything I can find of David Sedaris' and I have laughed nonstop through every piece.  Laughter is better when shared.  I can imagine a book club sitting around trading David Sedaris stories like old college friends would.  As hilarious as they are, I've also always wondered if anyone else felt the pain hiding behind the comedy. 
7.  Mans Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl Novels born out of time in concentration camps are obviously heavy.  This one unusually so.  I was assigned this book in a college psychology class and was so hyped to explore it through that lens.  Unfortunately, it was a summer class and everybody couldn't have cared less, so I was sorely disappointed with the discussion.  It would be an amazing one to re explore with a group.
8. 8.     The Lace Reader - Brunonia Barry Sometimes a novel calls for so much speculation that it's maddening to try to get through it without someone else's ideas or predictions.  This was one of them .  I found completely missed with mark with this one, which is fine, but it would have been fun to see who could get the closest.
9. My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult So this one is way off base of what I would usually read, but the underlying legal story drew me in.  I am a guardian ad litem; meaning I regularly represent children in Court proceedings involving other family members.  It would have been amazing to read this with a group of GALs to contrast the ethics of the representation.  To decide where you draw the line between doing what your child-client wants and what is best.  Ok, enough legal talk for the day. 
10. Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury I remember reading this in the 8th grades, on my own volition I might add, and making a million notes in the margin and realizing at the end that I was way above the ridiculousness I was set to endure through highschool (don't we all go through that faze?).  All weirdness aside, I think reading this book was one of the first times I longed for a book club.  The imagery of books burning branded in me the need to keep reading and the need to talk about it.  

It's only my second list, but it's the first one I got through completely!  I'd love to hear thoughts and opinions.

Peace