What Is A Classic?

by by Kyle Zook

Not all books noted as classics are simply aesthetically written, of course. Some books have historical or scientific value, or are held as paradigms by the works which have followed. Much as the Ancient Greeks tapped into their collective knowledge of mythology to infuse their works, the literary canon as it exists today forms a basis that infuses the great works of contemporary society, and knowledge of them can increase our appreciation of the works that follow by giving them different levels of understanding.It is the laudable goal of the Barnes & Noble Classics program to bring these classic works to a wide audience. By offering these classic works at affordable prices, they have striven to make these highest expressions of the human drama accessible on a large scale. Each edition includes scholarly introductions from dedicated academics, as well as contextual background information like timelines and even contemporary reviews. Also fascinating is the “Inspired by” section, which demonstrates how the book has affected society and in turn produced other works of art or music.

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(Thanks to The Link)