Some really interesting ideas here! I have been thinking and writing about my taste in books and this provides another important perspective. Would I pick a book merely if it is known to be a 'classic' (by some definition or another)? Something to reflect on. Also thanks for introducing me to Rosalynn Tyo's Substack.
Can we start a thread about novels written in the 21st century which will be filed under classics in, say, 50 years time? Three names each? I'll kick off with the Brits: Atonement, Wolf Hall, Small Island...
Very thoughtful exploration! I hesitate to subscribe to any definition that relies on others - either popular opinions, or a book’s appearance on a classroom syllabus - because these tend to be filtered through historical biases (and like you said we end up with mostly books by dead white men). I like the place you ended up in your essay - provides a much more nuanced perspective.
I wrote about this a few months ago because I find the question so fascinating - would love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks, Shruti! I have just read your essay and it throws up some really interesting points, particularly about reading more widely in a cultural sense. I think some education boards and universities are starting to take this on board, but it often seems a slow process.
This is such an interesting discussion. I also think of authors like Dickens and Austen when I think of classic literature - but I would consider The Bell Jar and Rebecca classics too, even though they're more "modern" reads. It's a difficult thing to describe. I like Mark Twain's idea - I think there's sometimes a bit of snobbery surrounding the "proper" classics everyone should read, whereas in actual fact different people - and social groups - will see different pieces of writing as "great". Everyone's got their own ideas about what constitutes a classic!
Thank you for this thoughtful response! 💜 I agree; I think snobbery and academics have had a lot of influence. Another reader made a good point as well about the importance of classics respresenting a wider cultural heritage.
I wonder how much the decision is made by publishers? I have Oxford “World Classics” (Trollope), Penguin “Classics” (Dickens, Austen etc) and Vintage Classics (Angela Carter) on my shelves!
Great piece this. Morrissey was a classic music artist (IMO) but because you are considered a classic in one area does it really transfer over in all cases?
So honoured to be included in this brilliant post! Something I thought of, while reading it, is that some of the old books we study now and consider to be classics, were not considered “classics in the making” when they were written but were either dismissed entirely or else were wildly popular but not critically acclaimed at the time. One of my all-time favourite classes in university was devoted to classic “tales of adventure,” which included Treasure Island - a ripping good yarn back then and now. So who knows? Maybe future generations will be shelving our little used bookstore’s biggest sellers, James Patterson and Nora Roberts, in the classics section.
Also...I'm so sorry to have missed an 'n' off your name in my essay...I have just realised and now corrected this on the web version...what a drip!! I'll blame the unusually hot weather in the UK today ; 0
Thanks, Rosalynn! So glad to have had your input on this one :) Such a good thought...one of the books I most enjoyed studying was 'The Awakening' by Kate Chopin, for example, which was basically shunned, banned, and subsequently fell into obscurity short after publication. It was only when it was relatively recently 'rediscovered' and adopted by feminist critics as an 'important' novel that it became a studied text, elevating its status.
Some really interesting ideas here! I have been thinking and writing about my taste in books and this provides another important perspective. Would I pick a book merely if it is known to be a 'classic' (by some definition or another)? Something to reflect on. Also thanks for introducing me to Rosalynn Tyo's Substack.
Thanks, Nidhi! Rosalynn's writing is great 😀
Can we start a thread about novels written in the 21st century which will be filed under classics in, say, 50 years time? Three names each? I'll kick off with the Brits: Atonement, Wolf Hall, Small Island...
You must be a mind reader, Sarah…I have some thoughts for a thread to follow… 😉
😁
I'll keep thinking
Very thoughtful exploration! I hesitate to subscribe to any definition that relies on others - either popular opinions, or a book’s appearance on a classroom syllabus - because these tend to be filtered through historical biases (and like you said we end up with mostly books by dead white men). I like the place you ended up in your essay - provides a much more nuanced perspective.
I wrote about this a few months ago because I find the question so fascinating - would love to hear your thoughts!
https://thenovelteapod.substack.com/p/what-makes-a-book-a-classic
Thanks, Shruti! I have just read your essay and it throws up some really interesting points, particularly about reading more widely in a cultural sense. I think some education boards and universities are starting to take this on board, but it often seems a slow process.
This is such an interesting discussion. I also think of authors like Dickens and Austen when I think of classic literature - but I would consider The Bell Jar and Rebecca classics too, even though they're more "modern" reads. It's a difficult thing to describe. I like Mark Twain's idea - I think there's sometimes a bit of snobbery surrounding the "proper" classics everyone should read, whereas in actual fact different people - and social groups - will see different pieces of writing as "great". Everyone's got their own ideas about what constitutes a classic!
Thank you for this thoughtful response! 💜 I agree; I think snobbery and academics have had a lot of influence. Another reader made a good point as well about the importance of classics respresenting a wider cultural heritage.
I wonder how much the decision is made by publishers? I have Oxford “World Classics” (Trollope), Penguin “Classics” (Dickens, Austen etc) and Vintage Classics (Angela Carter) on my shelves!
That's a good point, Sue! "Vintage Classics" is one I've seen before but didn't think of.
Great piece this. Morrissey was a classic music artist (IMO) but because you are considered a classic in one area does it really transfer over in all cases?
Interesting thought…
Now I have to read Morrissey’s novel :)
😄
So honoured to be included in this brilliant post! Something I thought of, while reading it, is that some of the old books we study now and consider to be classics, were not considered “classics in the making” when they were written but were either dismissed entirely or else were wildly popular but not critically acclaimed at the time. One of my all-time favourite classes in university was devoted to classic “tales of adventure,” which included Treasure Island - a ripping good yarn back then and now. So who knows? Maybe future generations will be shelving our little used bookstore’s biggest sellers, James Patterson and Nora Roberts, in the classics section.
Also...I'm so sorry to have missed an 'n' off your name in my essay...I have just realised and now corrected this on the web version...what a drip!! I'll blame the unusually hot weather in the UK today ; 0
No worries! But thanks :)
Thanks, Rosalynn! So glad to have had your input on this one :) Such a good thought...one of the books I most enjoyed studying was 'The Awakening' by Kate Chopin, for example, which was basically shunned, banned, and subsequently fell into obscurity short after publication. It was only when it was relatively recently 'rediscovered' and adopted by feminist critics as an 'important' novel that it became a studied text, elevating its status.