[CASL-L] Classics Criteria?

[Donna Norige]

*A Handbook to Literature*

"Classic is usually applied to a piece of literature that by common consent
has achieved a recognized superior status in literary history; also an
author with similar standing."

Thus books published recently should be off the list until such time that
it is deemed superior in some way. For me, this means that a work, while
not necessarily "old"  must have been around long enough to met this goal.
What are its enduring qualities?

On Wed, Feb 15, 2017 at 8:41 AM, Williams, Linda <Linda.Williams at ct.gov>
wrote:

> There is no hard and fast definition of "classic." I've looked at many
> lists of "classics" over my years as a librarian, and they are not always
> the same books. And if you look it up you’ll find so many different
> definitions… it’s really not something you can pin down!
>
>
>
> In an interview on *Talk of the Nation*, Sonny Mehta, Knopf editor says:
>
> "Well, there are probably as many definitions about what makes a classic I
> think as classics. Actually, I think it was Mark Twain who described it as
> a book, which people praise and don't read.
>
> But the one I feel closest to is Clifton Fadiman's. And he said when you
> read a classic you do not see more in the book than you did before, you see
> more in you than there was before.|
>
>
>
> Here's a link to that discussion that you can read or listen to:
>
>    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6519562
>
>
>
> There's another article at The Guardian:
>
>    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/20/enduring-love
>
> "So what makes a classic? It can't just be that it's old. A classic must
> have something else, something that has either caused it to endure or has,
> in the case of modern classics, inspired the faith that it will do so. And
> while parts of any book may date, there must be something about a true
> classic that remains relevant to children and adults alike across the
> generations..." (read the rest online!)
>
>
>
> And there's this article in The Atlantic, *Italo Calvino's 14 Definitions
> of What Makes a Classic* by Maria Popova (of Brain Pickings):
>
>    https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/07/
> italo-calvinos-14-definitions-of-what-makes-a-classic/259529/
>
>
>
> There’s lots more out there – so good luck settling on something you can
> hang on to!
>
>
>
> Linda
>
>
>
>
>
> [image: CT_State_Library_Logo-02.png]
>
>
>
> Linda Williams | Children's Services Consultant, Division of Library
> Development | Linda.Williams at ct.gov | *Office*: (860) 704-2207
>
> libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld/children | 786 S. Main St., Middletown,
> CT 06457 | Phone: (860) 704-2200 | Fax : (860) 704-2228
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CASL-L [mailto:casl-l-bounces+linda.williams=ct.gov at mylist.net] On
> Behalf Of Jarrad McGlamery
> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2017 6:58 PM
> To: casl-l at mylist.net
> Subject: [CASL-L] Classics Criteria?
>
>
>
> Hello!
>
>
>
> I am currently completing field work in a middle school library in which I
> am genrefying the fiction collection. I have a general understanding but I
> am curious if anyone has specific criteria on what makes a Classic? Does
> anybody know who, specifically, determines which books are considered
> classics? Also, are Classics only those that are previously labeled by the
> publisher as such, or do any of you decide a title is a classic on your
> own? And lastly, do you find that students are ever drawn to reading
> Classics on their own?
>
>
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jarrad
>
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