I almost skipped participating in TTT today because I didn't think I'd be able to come up with much for today's prompt: Top Ten Books I Was Assigned to Read in School. I'm sure I was required to read plenty, but I just can't remember specifics, especially before college. At Brigham Young University, I studied English, and those years are a little bit clearer. Still, it was a bit of a struggle to come up with ten.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. 

Top Ten Books I Was Assigned to Read in School (and how I felt/feel about them)

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee—TKAM is my favorite novel of all time. I believe I first encountered it in college. I've read it many times since and I love it more each time I read it. It's a classic that's timeless, approachable, and always inspiring.

2. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis—I'm thinking this children's classic was probably something one of my elementary school teachers read aloud to us rather than assigned us to read ourselves. I remember being enraptured by the story. Some of the magical images it conjured in my young head still linger there quite vividly.

3. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather—All I remember about this book is that I was bored to tears by it when I was assigned to read it in high school. 

4. Watership Down by Richard Adams—I vaguely recall being assigned to read this in one of my college lit classes. Although I know I enjoyed it, I have no recollection of what it's about except that it involves rabbits...

5. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck—This is another one of those books that put vivid images into my head. I believe I first read it in high school.

6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald—I disliked this classic when I first read it in high school (possibly college) and I despised it even more when I reread it a few years ago with my son, who was studying it in a high school English course. He was likewise flummoxed by it and kept asking, "What is this book even about?" Seriously!

7. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson—This hilarious holiday book wasn't assigned reading, but I remember so well the day my stern, never-cracked-a-smile 3rd grade teacher was reading it aloud to our class and started laughing so hard that she had to hand the book off to a student to read for her. We were all so terrified of her that it was absolutely shocking to watch her lose control like that!

8. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger—I was assigned to read this book in college and absolutely hated it.

9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle—This is another children's classic that was either assigned reading or a teacher read aloud from elementary school. Again, the vivid images it conjured up in my mind back then are still there. I've reread the novel a few times in the ensuing years and, while it's not a big favorite of mine, it's always a nostalgic read.

10. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury—I believe I read this novel in high school. Other than the book burnings, I don't remember much about the story except that I liked it.

There you go, ten books that I read or that a teacher read aloud to me in school. Have you read any of them? What did you think when you first encountered them? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also reply to comments left here, although I am a week or so behind at the moment.

Everyone can use a good laugh sometimes and the last year or so has definitely been some time.  Where have you turned for humor lately?  Movies?  Television?  Internet memes?  YouTube?  The comics?  The place I have not been turning to, apparently, is books because I had a tough time coming up with titles to fit today's Top Ten Tuesday topic:  Top Ten Books That Made Me Laugh Out Loud.  If you spend any time at all here at BBB, you've probably realized by now that I'm not a big reader of light, frothy, funny books.  I tend to prefer darker, moodier reads.  Which isn't to say I don't appreciate a comical character or a humorous line or a scene that makes me snort-laugh.  I definitely do.  When I searched my memory (which is, admittedly, deficient in its old age), though, not a whole lot came up.  Apparently, I need more humor in my life, so lay it on me—what are some funny reads I need to check out?

If you want to join in the TTT fun (and you definitely do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the deets.

Top Ten Books That Made Me Laugh Out Loud  

1.  The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion—This is the only book I can think of offhand that really fits the prompt.  Here's what I said in my review:  "This is one of those books that's embarrassing to read in public.  Not because of risqué cover art or a suggestive title, but because I couldn't stop laughing—out loud—at the antics of its main character.  This hilarious rom-com is so delightful that I could hardly restrain myself from smiling, chuckling, and sharing the best bits with the room at large."

2.  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery—The titular character is an irrepressible redhead with a vivid imagination and a fiery temper, both of which lead her into hysterical scrapes. 

3.  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott—This is one of my favorite books, so I use it over and over for TTT prompts.  It has some hilarious scenes, especially those involving Jo March.  Meg's disaster with the jelly, though, is probably the one that makes me laugh the most.

4.  Little Men by Louisa May Alcott—As much as I love Little Women, I've never read its sequel for some reason.  I'm currently listening to it on audio and it also has some funny scenes, not too surprising since it's about the boys' boarding school Jo runs with her husband.

5.  The Tempe Brennan series by Kathy Reichs—This is a series of murder mysteries featuring a forensic anthropologist.  The books can be gruesome and disturbing, but Tempe's witty banter—both her internal dialogue and her verbal jousts with other characters—keep humor in the novels.

6.  The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz—It's been a long time since I read this series opener, but in my review I called it "engrossing fluff that ma[de] me laugh out loud," so I guess it's a funny book!

7.  The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson—What I remember most about this holiday novel is my taciturn third-grade teacher reading it out loud and laughing so hard she cried.  All of us terrified little kids were shocked!  It really is a hilarious book that was made into an equally hilarious tv movie.

8.  Anything by Ally Carter—Carter's books are engaging and fun.  I especially like her Gallagher Girls series.

9.  The Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn—I love me a funny heroine and Veronica Speedwell, who is a lepidopterist, feminist, and amateur detective in Victorian England, is just that.

10.  Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey—Although I'm the resident McConaughey fan, I actually haven't read this memoir yet.  My husband did, however, and laughed uproariously through the whole thing.  He keeps urging me to read the book since it's an easy, entertaining read.  I'll get to it one of these days!    

Phew!  I made it to ten.  What do you think of my picks?  What are your favorite funny books?  Which should I pick up?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.