Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is 21st Century Books I Think Will Become Classics and was submitted by Lisa of Hopewell. Which books (published no earlier than 1/1/01) do you think are so amazing and timeless that they will be taught in college classic lit courses and read and analyzed by elementary and high school kids someday in the future? The Sherlock Holmes, Pride & Prejudice, Time Machine, or The Great Gatsby of the future, if you will.
I thought this sounded like a really fun and interesting topic, which is why I put it on the schedule, but it’s also a really really hard one for me because I don’t like many of what would be considered today’s classics. lol. I’ve never read Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte. I read a lot of classics in school and absolutely hated them (Of Mice and Men, The Outsiders, Treasure Island, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Fahrenheit 451, etc.). My teachers would assign huge packets of essay questions that I had to answer. To me, “classic” has always meant boring. So of course the books I read would not fall into this category! I don’t read boring books. But would they classify as classics? I don’t think teachers and professors will want to pull a bunch of deep thoughts out of their students on my beloved romcoms and historical romances. I’d love a class like that, but there’s this stigma surrounding any books that are read for pure entertainment. Those are looked down on and as “fluff” or “guilty pleasures”. I would love to see a stuffy, bespectacled professor discussing the merits of Lisa Kleypas, Christina Lauren, or Tessa Dare someday!
For now, I will share a few books I’ve read that made an impression on my heart and have remained in my mind long after I finished them. These are books that either teach a lesson, prompt discussion, or are just really unique and beautiful. I can see them being studied and analyzed in the future.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Beautiful and powerful.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Someday when all of this is possible, people will get a kick out of what we though was sci-fi.
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
This is such a unique thriller, with some hidden messages and symbolism.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Stunning, unique, amazing. And mythology!
Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier
A beautiful romance with a sweet moral of the story and so many layers.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
A dystopia that’s very close to reality in some ways, and with a lot of things to talk about.
Which books do you think will become classics someday?
I considered The Book Thief and Project Hail Mary. I certainly hope become classics!
Yes to The Book Thief! That is a book that will definitely become a classic in years to come. Hunger Games made my list as well.
Happy TTT!
That was quite a difficult prompt and I had The Hunger Games on my list too over @ The Phantom Paragrapher
I quite agree with you that Classic to me also means boring, however I do love Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre and a few other Austen and Bronte novels 😂 I did have to force myself to read them, but once I did I got into them 😂. It is hard to predict what people will see as Classic in the future so I tried to pick books that had a universal, timeless feel to them.
I have been so much looking forward to this challenge. As usual, I couldn’t restrict myself but it still is a TTT (Top Twenty Tuesday) this week. We even share a book, “The Book Thief”, I am sure that will become such a classic, it’s just so fabulous.
Nice! I felt the same when it came to this topic. That my love for all things paranormal or fantasy would in no way become a classic by the standards of English classes today! So instead I ended up picking books that I consider “my classics!” Books I read years ago or just a few years ago. Ones that will forever have a place in my heart too!
Here’s my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
Project Hail Mary is a great pick! I totally agree there.
I feel like The Book Thief is a classic already! A newer one maybe, but definitely one that’s commonly ready in school and out. Great addition!
Snap, I put The Book Thief and The Hunger Games too! They’re both practically classics already, so I think I’ll be seeing them a lot today.
I went with The Book Thief too — I think it’ll be on a lot of lists today! I considered Project Hail Mary too, but ended up going with The Martian, since that’s what really launched Andy Weir as an author. Great list!
I’ve seen the Book Thief and the Hunger games on a lot of lists today! Nice choices!
Romcoms really should be studied in class, IMO. There’s a lot to be learned from them—really, you can learn a lot from studying what people read for pleasure and to escape.
Looking even more forward to reading The Sun Down Motel now!
I have not read The Book Thief but is one I WILL read this year. I took a scientific type approach to my list today ;) Following the same approach The Book Thief would fall into the category of *could* be a classic someday!
HG and THE BOOK THIEF are on my list today, too! THE SUNDOWN MOTEL is a great thriller. I bet kids would be super excited to see that one on their required reading lists for school :)
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I feel like The Hunger Games will probably be considered a classic because it’s the prime example of its genre.
The Book Thief is definitely one that will be on many lists!! And The Hunger Games as well