Lovers of YA discussion

Every year, I vow I'm going to read more classics, and every year I find myself recycling that resolution come New Year's Eve. Calling something a "classic" is an honor—an acknowledgement that it's managed to stand the test of time.

My question then is what is a classic? What makes something a classic
Is it an old book? Is it a thick book? Is it a popular book? Or is there some other thing that makes a classic?

Are classics defined by a book's ability to stand the test of time? Or is it less about time and more about the sheer number of readers?

What do you think determines if a book is a Classic?

Is it age? Awards? universality? the author? subject matter?

What's your take? I’d love to hear your opinions.

I usually think classics are old but that doesn't need to be so. There are modern classics, too, after all. I guess at least those books that have remained popular and relevant through years definitely deserve to be called classics. However, I think classics can also be books that stand out among other books of their era. Books that have something special or new about them or that for some reason appeal to people and you can tell that they will still appeal to people after many years. Take Harry Potter, for instance. It's not an old series but I guess it already is kind of a classic. then there are the different genres...like which books would call YA classics or fantasy classics etc. Those can be very different from Jane Austen or Dostoevsky and others who usually fall into the classics category.

That is a great question Jade!!

I've been trying to figure that out what makes a story classic.

I have read some "Classic" stories. Jane Austen, Little Women, ect. I don't understand why they are considered classic. The story line I think is simple. But I guess you have to think about the time the story was written. Then ask was the material controversy? It's definitely not today so its not getting the same reaction as it did back when it first came out.

There has to be something that made the classics, classics. But I haven't found one.

I'm not a huge fan of the classics, to me there just another story, and some to me are harder to read than others, so I ask myself this.... why struggle to read a "Classic", when there are so many good books out today and not enough time.

My question is Who determined the book a classic? Because I sure wouldn't pick the ones that are classified as "Classic" classic.