two books that could potentially be Classics someday

Sunday, February 8, 2015

I first saw this prompt over on Melissa's wonderful book blog and I couldn't stop thinking about it even after a while. The said question, or the task, was given originally by The Classics Club for their February meme, and it was all about modern classics. 

They instructed, "Pick a book published since 2000 and say why you think it will be considered as a "classic" in the future." 

I find this such an interesting prompt, because I often think about our modern world now and how people generations later would think of our time today. What would our 'time' be called? How will they describe our fashion? Our music? Technology? What things from today will still be widely accepted, and which ones would be considered just a simple thing from the past? Of course, I also think of what books readers in the future would consider as classics. 

To me, a Classic is anything that can surpass time. In terms of literary works, a classic is one that has a story so beautifully told, and one that can be read and appreciated by anybody, no matter the gender, age, and taste of the reader. It is one that can be well loved through generations, and can still be relevant even when times have changed. 

To pick one book is tough, so I will cheat and name two books that could be considered as potential classics:

  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (published 2007)
    This is such a popular answer, and I can see why. Simply put, it is such a transcendent novel. It's written beautifully, featuring distinct and memorable characters, and is set during an unforgettable time in history. It also doesn't hurt that it is quite unique in terms of narration, as the story is told by 'Death.'
  • Atonement by Ian McEwan (published in 2001)
    It's funny that I thought of this book because even though I loved it, it's not a favorite. However, looking at it from this angle alone, I can definitely see it being considered a classic someday. I think having it set in three different time periods makes it interesting for anyone, as it can show the drastic differences between these eras.
    Ultimately, it's the dramatic love and familial story told from a unique point of view that does it for me. I believe it has the ability to completely stop a reader in his or her tracks.
I'm sure there are many more books that could potentially be a classic someday, but these are the only ones that came to mind right away. I do encourage you to write a post of your own and answer this meme as I think it truly is an interesting prompt, encouraging great answers. 

10 comments:

  1. I think you are right on both of these. I loved The Book Thief but haven't read Atonement yet.
    I have no idea what I would pick, that's why I've been avoiding this meme!

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    1. It's a tough question, something to think about!

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  2. Thanks for visiting my blog. I agree that The Book Thief is one of those timeless books that seems to have a story that is till going on even after the last page. It has been a while since I read it so I think I should go back for a reread.

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    1. Good point that it's one of those books that has a continuous story even after the pages are over.

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  3. I agree with The Book Thief. That is one of my all time favorite books and I have read it twice. I think that it really does have the potential to be a classic.

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    1. It's so good too every single time you re-read it. There's something new every time.

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  4. Love your choices! Obviously I think The Book Thief is amazing, but I hadn't thought of Atonement. It's odd, like you, I think it's a great book but it's not a favorite. It blew me away when I read it and I'm still impressed by the story. Did you ever see the movie? It was fantastic, one of the best adaptations I can think of.

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    1. I was very impressed with Atonement, it was unexpected storytelling for me! At that time, I have not read anything like that before. And yes, the movie is fantastic. So heart wrenching!

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  5. Those are definitely good choices! And I enjoyed reading Atonement very much. The film was great too!

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    1. Yes, the film was great!! The actors cast were fantastic. So memorable.

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