What makes a book a CLASSIC?

What makes a book a Classic? While there can be no definitive answer , it doesn't stop the question being asked again and again.
In this in depth video I add my two-pennies worth. What elements do all great classic books share?
Here are 6 criteria which I have personally observed from reading of classic literature.
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0:00 Intro
2:04 Overview
12:30 Criteria #1
13:40 Criteria #2
17:09 Criteria #3
19:54 Criteria #4
26:15 Criteria #5
33:00 Criteria #6

[@jillwhitney-birk5876]

Keep up the great work. This was so great that I am going back to take some notes. I am a lover of classic literature. I am also a mixed media artist and putting these same concepts into art is always on my mind. How to visually represent being the front most part of the thread of time you mentioned has me thinking.❤️ I keep liking all your posts as I feel you are too good and fun to watch to have as few followers as you do!! Keep making videos! I will watch and like. ❤️

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

I say Jill, Thank you so much! I hope that somebody buys you a new car or something equally splendid, because you deserve it. What a lovely comment. It's always good to meet a fellow classics lover but an artist too, that is just great. My wife is an artist too. Do you have an Instagram account? I will love to take a look at your work. Once again, thank you so much for your support, it means a lot.

[@vincentandlolav5183]

You're my favorite KZbin channel, Tristan. Your passion for classic literature is so infectious and it is wonderful to see someone make all this effort not for money but for sheer love of books. Cheers, sir!

[@Linda-bq7eq]

You are freakin’ brilliant, Tristan! I watch this channel because I love books and for the way you tell us the stories of books. You have a fine balance of obsession and erudition. Your words and the sentences you make of them are nearly poetry. OMG. Really good. I’m glad you’ve posted so many videos - it will take me months to go thru them all. Keep on, Tristan. All respect.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you, Linda, that was such a lovely comment to receive. I hope you win the lottery 😀 If you like this particular video, Linda, you may like my playlist called Free Literature Course, or words to that effect. 😀❤️

[@darrengagliardi1540]

This channel truly motivates me to read all the classics. Tristan, you’re very inspiring.

[@ChrisHunt4497]

Loved my daily Tristan. Listened over three sessions and will listen again. Thank you. You are the best teacher I have ever known. ❤

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you Chris, you are extremely kind.

[@franbell3594]

Two books I haven't heard mentioned as classics that are (in my mind, at least) - A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. They're not old and they're probably not the first of their type, but I read them at least once a year and I always see something different in them. They will change you.

[@AmandaJHMorton]

I want to focus more reading energy on the "Great" classics! Last year I read the Sonnets and Shorter Poems by Francesco Petrarca. His poems of unrequited love and longing spoke so deeply to the nature of human desire. I loved it so much.

[@tokyochemist]

Excellent, excellent. My only qualm is always putting classic lit on a pedestal. At the end of the day, when the authors were writing these books during their time, they weren't thinking "oh let me write a classic now". They were just creating something that expressed what they wanted to say and that they wanted their audience to hear. However, by overly venerating classics as something "that requires maturity to read", it creates a sense of intimidation, trepidation, and sometimes fear for new readers. It's unfortunate as classics really just are a good story after all and are accessible to all, even now.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

100% with you on this. Classics are not unapproachable heights which only the seasoned adventurer can scale. They were written for the ordinary person and they speak to the same. They were written from the heart and hit home so true, that they became timeless and unbounded by geography. I do think that they are slightly elevated in the sense that they have, by merit, come to be esteemed as a little above the ordinary. Yet they are first and foremost good stories, which is what they authors were trying to write. I hope that you don't mind but I quoted you in my latest video on Jane Austen (gave you a shout out too because you are amazing.) It is a shame that the classics can rightly be held up as examples of fine literature but then they are commandeered by some who wish to make them elitist. They are anything but elite. Normally written against the elite of their day. My wish is that more would feel free to engage with the classics without any trepidation, as you say. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I shall endeavour not to make the Classics sound beyond reach. If I can read and enjoy them, then absolutely anyone can😂👍

[@tokyochemist]

@@tristanandtheclassics6538 I look forward to hearing the shoutout in the Jane Eyre video. I'm still currently working through your gothics video: a genre I just love!

[@Vesnicie]

Thank you very much, Tristan! I've watched your video hot on the heels of reading several articles about colleges and universities in the United States slashing liberal arts degrees. English, history and philosophy seem to be the three disciplines perpetually on the chopping block. I wish these people would consider the incalculable risks of eliminating the sublime and the universal from education. What you call the tsunami of experience from the past must fill in for the paucity of the present. All of us who care to have become archivists, cataloging and maintaining what really matters for both ourselves and an increasingly indistinct future. Your work is especially important because it reinforces and reassures people like me, who are lonely little fish in a huge hostile sea.

[@nicholasblakiston6297]

Such causes, like all others, should be funded through voluntary contributions. Governments of the world should free their economies so that humanity might prosper and increase their ability to donate to such causes.

[@darkpinkgirl6684]

this video is super underrated

[@IamAlwaysRight100]

Enjoyed this Immensely!!!! 👏👏Thank you so much, Tristan. I finally understand why Classics are Classics 👏👏👏👏

[@coolpiraterapstar]

I only discovered your videos last week, but I have been binging these. Please keep up the good work!

[@tommonk7651]

Great video and explanation. I would be interested in a video from you identifying what you think could be classics from the last 50-60 years.

[@darlenemessenger618]

Took notes for my reading journal. That is so very much for the insights.

[@nicholasblakiston6297]

This was an amazing and wonderful summary, thank you for putting it together and I am so glad to discover your channel.

[@cinnamonsugar1941]

Enjoyed this video while driving long -distance. Great insights! You asks what makes a book a classic for us? On a personal level, I am drawn to books that for the criteria you’ve mentioned; they also have the added perk of being as dear and familiar as old friends. I can pick up “Jane Eyre” and start anywhere in the book and it’s like coming home. Or any of Austen’s works Another point would be the universality of the writing. I don’t know if you’ve read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House “ series… I realize it’s for children but Ms Wilder fulfills many of your criteria for a classic. To verify this, you only have to visit the museum at her home in southern Missouri and see all the languages in which she’s been published! She truly tells a universal story in a distinctly American voice. I always come away after reading her- especially “The Long Winter”- *very* grateful for my life now, with heat, running water, etc! Thanks again for so much food for thought!

[@jmsl910]

love the calvino quote!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

It's good isn't it 😀

[@jadepark333]

Profoundly and thoughtfully communicated. Thank you for this, I adore classic literature ever since I was young and seeing someone as passionate about it, makes me happy indeed. I am also of the same mind as you about classics. Especially the part where it touches your inner most thoughts and being. And it is an amazing feeling when you read a classic and you see something of yourself in it.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Glad you enjoyed it Jade and thanks for sharing your thoughts. It is spine tingling when ones own reflection comes back from the pages of a book, isn't it?! Or when we say "I've always felt like that but now I understand why I feel that way." Wonderful moments.😀👍❤

[@patriciatolliver4057]

Patty- I discovered your channel last night while watching the Febregency reading sprints. I am totally enjoying your perception and perspective on literature. I love your sense of humor. I look forward to more of your videos. Are you a professor? If not, you should be. Thank you for sharing.

[@mbaker0824]

I'd like to mention a novel that rarely makes it onto anyone's list of books to read, which is kind of surprising, in a sense, considering that it won the Pulitzer Prize for literature in 1952. It was also number one on the New York Times best seller list for a total of 48 weeks in 1951-52. I'm talking about The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk. Do I think this is a timeless classic in the way of Pride & Prejudice, 1984, Sherlock Holmes, et al? No, I don't; however, I do consider it a minor classic, one that I've been re-reading every summer for years. Actually, I believe I understand why this book doesn't get the respect I think it deserves. It's focused on World War II, and more specifically the US Navy in World War II. Because of that, I think many people might find it boring - or at least assume so and never read it. That said, I'm going to recommend it, as one of my favorite books of all time. Dig beneath the WWII storyline and you'll find an exploration of deeper themes; the nature of duty and courage (or lack of it), societal class divisions and their impact, the nature of friendship, and more. At its core, this is a coming of age story, albeit one told from multiple interesting perspectives. Wouk shows us a very convincing viewpoint, held by the majority of the main characters, then jars us out of our complacency with a completely different, yet equally convincing, point of view. The story is somewhat US Navy - centric, which might be off-putting to some, but stick with it and I think you'll be rewarded with a great read. I'm well aware that many disagree with me on this. For anyone who has read it, what are your thoughts?

[@christbianchi]

Absolutely splendid!! I agree with what your saying with regards to the classics criteria. I definitely feel it has to linger in my mind for some time after. One book that is one of my favorites is The Tartar Steppe, Dino Buzzati is checks the list especially with universal themes on existence, time and death. Thank for very much for the wonderful video!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thanks Chris, pleased we are on the same wavelength😀 Also, a special thank you for the Tartar Steppe recommendation. I have just put it in my shopping cart. Like you I think that a classic must have enduring appeal and depth beyond simply being just an old book👍❤

[@charmainesaliba5546]

This is really brilliant. Thanks so much for this video. I agree with you when you say that classic touch a cord. It comes in my mind Olive by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik. A Victorian classic about a girl born with disability. I was touched by this novel, I could relate to Olive being a disabled myself. A shocking thing was that even though this novel was written more than hundred years ago is still relevant nowadays. It is not the best classic ever been written but for me is an important one, for the main theme. Thanks Tristan for your hard work. Thanks to you I am learning so much. 😊

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you Charmaine. I will have to look out for Olive. It is amazing how a century, two centuries even millennia can separate us from an author but their experiences and insights still hit home in our hearts. Thanks so much for sharing.😀❤👍

[@rebeccabsomanybooks3558]

Wonderful and thought provoking video. Thank you. Middlemarch comes to mind for me on number 6 criteria.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thanks Rebecca. Middlemarch is the perfect choice. So many consider it the greatest novel of all times for that very reason.😀👍❤

[@kansaskachina]

Thank you Tristan! Been waiting on this video.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

My pleasure! Sorry it took so long😅

[@graciecrossing3169]

Wonderfully said! Thank you so much for this brilliant video.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

You are so welcome Gracie! Thank you for being so kind as to comment and so complimentary as well. I hope that you find £1000 down the back of your sofa😀👍

[@glastonburye]

I love your lectures.

[@Leebearify]

Really excellent. Thank you so much!!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Pleased you enjoyed it Lee.

[@yuanjiang4808]

Wonderfull!

[@stephencharlton2024]

Just brilliant

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thanks Stephen, that's really kind of you. Would you add any criteria yourself for what makes a classic?😀👍

[@susprime7018]

Thank you. Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie were popular and commercial writers. Who are the commercial writers today that you believe will become classics?

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Ooooo this is a great question. I shall have to give this some thought. As has been mentioned in another comment, guessing which books will become classics can be a bit of a fools errand, however it doesn't stop us trying. In fact its really good fun. 😀❤👍

[@jmsl910]

@@tristanandtheclassics6538 margaret atwood & toni morrison

[@user-pt3bv3jl3v]

Terry Pratchett, Brandon Sanderson.

[@user-pt3bv3jl3v]

Stephen King

[@JohnSanders-hc8zv]

John le Carre and Stephen King

[@davidrixon3549]

I just read wuthering heights.one of my favourites.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

It's staggering isn't it! Such raw force.

[@taylormckinnon8922]

Personally, I would venture to say that the best way to provide a WORKING definition of what makes a classic a classic is TO, at the very least, attempt to answer 2 of the following questions. First, is the author the type of person and you would think of when you visualize a classic author i.e. is he or she in the pantheon of Shakespeare, Kipling, Mark Twain, Homer, Agatha Christie, Jane Austen…? (I digress here, the list goes on and on of course.) My second criterion would probably take a longer and more holistic view of the question. One way to think about classic literature would be to consider that the classics have stood the test of time partly because they can be said to TRANSCEND time, again taking Shakespeare as an example perhaps. In other words, what enables a piece of classic literature to stay true to its own era, while simultaneously remaining relevant for multitudes of subsequent generations? Not an easy question to answer, but certainly a debate worth revitalizing and revisiting now and again. Fascinating work as always Tristan

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Hi Taylor, sorry for the delay. Your comment is awesome. Transcending time is a definite requirement for a great classic. There are some which I think are still lesser classics because of the potent affect that they had in their own society or in bringing about significant change. But I think that when most of us speak of the classics we are speaking of the Greats. Thanks for such a thoughtful comment.😀👍

[@duffypratt]

So much of what you are saying has to do with what makes a book great. While it’s likely that great books will become classics, there are surely great books which never did. And there are also books that are less than great books. I think it’s very difficult, and basically foolish, to predict what will become classics or what will remain classics. Fifty years ago, I think most would have agreed that Kipling wrote some classics, but he is in the process of being cancelled, and the cancelation may work. Basically, I would define a classic as a book that is old enough to have been forgotten, and yet it is not forgotten. Thus, a classic has more to do with reputation than it does with worth. A good book is less likely to become forgotten. Being taught in schools is a better predictor. Being a lesser work by an author who is considered great helps.

[@susprime7018]

To paraphrase, "you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people, all of the time," Lincoln. Kipling wrote of his time, it happened, it can't be pretended away. All books will be abhorrent to some people, who decides? Read Fahreheit 451, a classic. Read It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, a timely classic.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Aha! Duffy this is excellent. Here is the perennial discussion once more. In almost everything you say I am in agreement with you but maybe am looking from a slightly different angle.😀 Much of this comes down to how one defines Classic, I suppose. A rather large omission in my video😂 If the classics are defined as books which have lasted or not been forgotten, be it because of reputation or otherwise, then the criteria is legitimately a solitary one. It does pose serious problems for me though. In a world where we can store all books digitally for posterity, does that mean that all books today are classics if they can be retrieved from a hard drive in 100 years time? Or are there other criteria? If those books need to have a reputation later on to mark them out as more valuable than their contemporaries, what is it that gives them that merit? It's here that I feel that longevity and reputation get held at gunpoint, so to speak. These books have something that causes them to last and to be esteemed over time and by multitudes. And I think that it is in these criteria that we truly discover what makes something a Classic. I totally agree that not all great books have become classics. Many works must have been lost to us. However, while not all meritorious books have become classics, I feel that all classics have to be meritorious books to a greater or lesser degree. Hence why Lady Audley's Secret is a classic of lesser merit. It has lasted because of being well written and enjoyable and at the leading edge of its genre. The same with Agatha Christie. Had it been written today, I think it would be forgotten soon enough. Crime and Punishment, on the other hand, or Anna Karenina, Shakespeare, Great Expectations etc have longevity due to being greater than the ordinary. And it is here where I personally (though recognizing flaws and weaknesses) feel that the Classics are books which have earned their place as exceptional works of art or insight or ingenuity. For me, the definition of a Classic is a book which has earned its place as a book of significant worth to the human experience. It is of necessity 'great' literature. Its proof of greatness is borne out by its universal appeal over the course of time. Some of those books are being written right now, but will be found, in years to come, still speaking to the hearts of many. Only Time can achieve this test. As for guessing what will become a classic, I agree 100%. It is a fool's errand. But it's such a fun game to play😀 And Cancel Culture. What a nuisance. It is an evidence of artistic illiteracy, in my opinion. Today's Culture is headed for another Dark Age at the rate that it is going. However, it would not be surprising in the least, if Rudyard was discovered in the future and once again appreciated. Thank you Duffy for your comment, it really got my going over things again. Like I say, I actually agree with almost every one of your points. Really love hearing your comments. I hope that you have a wonderful week.

[@ElaineDarlingtonBrown]

Wonderefully inspiring, again. Could you identify where the quote at 10:00 is from, please?

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you. 😊 As to the quotation, I believe it is of my own brewing. The reason I say, "I believe it is," is because it was something scribbled into my notes as i thought how to explain my own feelings on this topic. However, it may have some impresses of other thoughts I have come across on my reading. "Nothing new under the sun," for instance, is a quote from Scripture. Typing parts of the quote into Google has not revealed it as a direct quote by anyone. If it is, I shall seek to find it out and let you know.

[@captainnolan5062]

Does Carr's A Month in the Country have anything to do with Turgenev's A Month in the Country?

[@theccpisaparasite8813]

If one was to really start with the "classic", start with the Iliad. You will see it's themes echo down through the centuries. Its all there. There is a reason this poem is still here after 5 millennia

[@testcardII]

💙💙💙

[@auroraarien970]

❤📖📚📓🙏

[@Amy-vr5yt]

Fantastic video but Legally Blonde is absolutely a Classic 😆

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

🤣🤣🤣

[@xaviercrain7336]

Despite your claim otherwise, u r reading classics through a Kantian universalist perspective