Classic book

A classic book is a work of literature considered exemplary or particularly noteworthy. These books usually possess some chronological age since their original publication. While many people associate the term with the Western canon, it applies to all traditions. This includes the Indian Vedas or the Chinese classics. Some newer works with high impact are called modern classics or upcoming classics.

Classics possess a unique ability to remain relevant through constant change. They can be reinterpreted, re-translated, or even abridged for new audiences. They are frequently the subjects of parody. This capacity to be renewed by succeeding generations is a core theme for literary critics. Such books are often organized into famous collections. Examples include the Great Books of the Western World, the Modern Library, or Penguin Classics. Some works are even debated as being the Great American Novel.

Defining a classic is a complex task that many authors have explored. In 1850, Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve wrote an essay titled "Qu'est-ce qu'un classique?" in the publication Le Constitutionnel. He argued that a classic implies continuance and consistence. He believed a classic produces unity and tradition. To Sainte-Beuve, a true classic is an author who enriches the human mind. Such an author reveals eternal passions or moral truths. They express thought in a style that is both new and old.

Different thinkers have offered varying perspectives on the nature of these works. The writer Goethe suggested that ancient works are classical because they are powerful and fresh. T. S. Eliot explored this in his work, The Sacred Wood. He noted that Dante is a classic due to his framework of mythology and theology. Eliot also identified Virgil as the classic of all Europe. He distinguished between the specific meaning of a classic and the broader meaning of a standard author.

Some views of the classic are more humorous or practical. Mark Twain joked in 1900 that a classic might be something everyone wants to read but nobody wants to read. Playwright Alan Bennett defined a classic as a book everyone is assumed to have read. Professor Mark Van Doren suggested that any book staying in print is a classic. In 2009, Chris Cox noted two types of classic novels. One type is the book we feel shame for not reading. The other is the book we have read many times and insist others read.

In 1920, Fannie M. Clark studied how children viewed these texts. She asked eighth-graders what they understood by the term. They described classics as books passed from fathers to children. They also saw them as literature worthy of high school or college study. Italo Calvino offered a more personal view in the 1980s. He stated a classic is a book that never finishes saying what it has to say. He believed choosing classics is a personal act of inventing one's own ideal library.

Classics play a major role in formal education and academic study. Many universities incorporate these readings into their curricula. St. John's College and Rutgers University use specific reading lists. Dharma Realm Buddhist University also includes classic texts. In 1909, the Harvard Classics were published under the imprimatur of Charles W. Eliot. In 1920, John Erskine taught the first "Great Books" course at Columbia University. These programs help students become familiar with revered authors. This study equips scholars with many resources for their future work.