Thoughtful Thursday: What Is a Classic Book?

Hosted by Reading Is Fun Again

I created Thoughtful Thursday, because bookish thoughts kept popping up in my mind while reading, and I wanted to explore these questions and get your opinions too!

Each week, I will post a new bookish thought that I will discuss. Everyone is welcome to join. You can do this in two different ways. (1) You can discuss your thoughts in the comment section of the Thoughtful Thursday post. OR (2) You can post your thoughts on your site. If you do option two, please link back to the Thoughtful Thursday post, use the Thoughtful Thursday graphic, and add your name/post to the Linky widget. If the Linky is closed, feel free to add to add the link in the comment section.

This Week's Topic/Question

What is a classic book in your eyes? Does it need to be printed before a certain year? Is the definition of a classic a moving target in today' age?

My Answer:

I don't really give much consideration to "classic" books because honestly, of the few traditional classics that I've read I've kind of  ...  hated. Old Man and the Sea - hated it! A Tale of Two Cities - hated it! A Separate Peace - despised it. The Great Gatsby - loathed it!

I know, I know. Most of these are classics because of there use of themes, or the writing style, and so on. But for me, this has oft equaled boring! The only classic that I'd really liked was Brave New World. Go figure, considering how much of a Dystopian fan I am now.

I suppose, if I really think about it, a classic is a book that stands the test of time. I'm not sure what would make any book these days a classic. I'm not even really that sure that it's something that can be answered now... ask me again when I'm 80 ;)