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... in general, a book that has stood or can stand the test of time and remains popular and pertinent.

However, there are a lot of other questions there, including... how much time, popular to who, and pertinent to who. Readers are the people who make books into classics, and sometimes that is the main factor... in Science Fiction, for instance. For many many years the Science Fiction genre was spurned by the literati, not taught in schools, and still remained popular. Classics in that genre are based on what the readers loved, and editors of certain Science Fiction magazines... what they chose. They were the main voices, and they are mostly what made anything popular, or into a Science Fiction classic. In this case, whether it is still in print probably comes in to play as well. :)

Factors with other books... some people think that a book is a classic just because it does something different, or because it "dares" to challenge social or moral boundaries. Professors make books into "classics" by requiring them to be read in class... that forces more books off the shelves, keeps a book in print, and makes it well-known if it is more than just one professor for one class. Because professors have rank, and in some ways rank themselves by where they teach, the most powerful and influential professors are going to be at some of the most powerful and prestigious schools, and those influence others. In turn, those professors influence teachers at elementary and secondary schools. Publishing companies and critics also take a place here, suggesting what should be read, and what other people are reading.

In general, someone just decides what he or she thinks is a classic, and starts writing about it. If other people believe, then it could make a list somewhere, and then it could make it to a reading list that you have to read. If you agree as well, then you will perpetuate that belief to others. ... It's like a book popularity contest. :)

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A classic book is one which has been popular for many years and is held up as a positive example of its genre. The term can be applied to works of fiction or fact books. There is always debate on some books which are called classic by their supporters and trash by their detractors, but like wine tasting, the prolific reader will develop a skill in identifying classic on his own.

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12y ago
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14y ago

Classic books are like cult movies. They shape new concepts in our society, have something special to offer in an educational way. It is more these aspects of a book that make it a classic.. not how long ago it was published.

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9y ago

The ability of a book to stand up over time is what makes it an American classic. They are read by generation after generation.

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14y ago

It stands the test of time. It remains popular or at least well knowledge through out the ages. The Iliad and The Odyssey are classics for this reason.

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14y ago

A "classic" is a book that is held in high regard by most readers, and is considered significant within a broad genre of literature.

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12y ago

No one knows how a classic becomes a classic. There is no who decides if a book is really a classic so in reality there are no such things as classics.

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Q: Who decides if a book is a classic or not?
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