I think there are books that are classics in the minds of other people that I will not choose to include in my own library of classics.
My definition of a classic so far is:
1. Something that will help me teach the morals and characteristics that I want myself and our children to possess
2. Something that will help us appreciate the blessings that we have been given and the incumbent responsibilities that we have.
3. These will usually have stood the test of time, but I won't eliminate things based on their lack of age if they fit the other two criteria.
That is what I have come up with so far. What are your thoughts? Would you define a classic differently?
1 comment:
Here are some insights into the "classical" definition of the category of literature called "The Classics".
A classic, according to the usual definition, is an old author canonised by admiration, and an authority in his particular style.
- http://www.bartleby.com/32/202.html
What does it mean to call something "classic"? At once, the term implies age or antiquity, but the word also implies the material is somehow valuable. It somehow shapes what comes in later time periods. When traditional literary scholars refer to classical literature, they usually mean that this literature is widely acknowledged as having outstanding or enduring qualities....When scholars are speaking more specifically, however, the term classic is usually applied to the literature of the ancient world (Greek and Rome), especially between 1000 BCE and 410 CE. Literature written during this same interval in other cultures might be referred to as "Classical Hebrew" or "Classical Chinese" literature as well.
-http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/resource_lit.classics.html
cheers,
Dad
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