A classic book is recognized as excellent and a must-read by critics and the public. The definition includes books in all languages and genres, but it’s subjective. A book must stand the test of time to become a classic. Lists of classics exist, and different genres have their own classics. Examples of classic books include Heart of Darkness, MoDick, and Don Quixote, which have captivating themes and characters.
A classic book can simply be defined as a book that has been recognized by critics and the public as excellent and a must read. Traditionally, the term was used only to describe books originally written in Greek or Latin, but the definition has been broadened to include books written in all languages. The term “classic” is invariably subjective in the sense that a specific definition of a classic book would be exceptionally difficult to establish, as a classic to one person might be trash to another.
Classic books aren’t just fictional stories; they can also be factual works, such as Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species. Any novel or non-fiction book can become a classic, but the definition hinges on the opinions of the public and the critics who review the work. To become a classic, a book typically must have stood the test of time. For example, any book published today could not have the same status as George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four because it has not yet maintained its popularity for very long.
The idea that there is such a thing as a classic book has led to a plethora of lists of classics. Generally, book lists include around 100 books, but some lists are much longer and the number of classics in existence would be virtually impossible to determine. There’s also the idea that different book genres, like crime or science fiction, have their own classics. For example, do Andriods dream of electric sheep? by Philip K. Dick may be considered a classic science fiction book, but it would not be on a general list of classic books.
Some examples of works widely regarded as classics include Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Hermann Melville’s MoDick, and Miguel De Cervantes’ Don Quixote. These books are regarded as classics because each of them is beautifully written and contains captivating themes and characters. It’s important to note that classic books can have very different storylines; for example, Don Quixote is about a mad old man who goes on a daring and largely imagined journey with his naïve accomplice Sancho Panza, while MoDick is about a whaling voyage led by Ahab, a vengeful monomaniac.
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