Contemporary..

[bookaddict]

I was wondering what books classify as contemporary. Obviously recent books are contemporary, but where is the line drawn? Some books that are older are in a grey area. What do you consider modern?

Like Fahrenheit 451 was written in 1953, we consider it a classic but to me it's in a grey area. Is there specific details to consider a book contemporary?

[Isa]

Good question... According to my Glossary of Literary Terms (great book, BTW), contemporary (or modern) is a term "frequently applied specifically to the literature written since the beginning of World War I in 1914". Others say it applies to books written in the 1960s to this day. I think I would consider F451 as a modern classic rather than just a classic.

[bookaddict]

Oh, I never knew the definition. That makes sense.
What book is this?
I was never explained the definition, and was wondering how to define a classic.

[Isa]

It's called A Glossary of Literary Terms and it's by M.H. Abrams. Quite useful! I think they're up to the 7th edition now.

[Dominique]

I've thought about this before too, I suppose a classic is also something that has had lasting acclaim or popularity for a few decades in the way most people use it to describe books like Fahrenheit 451 and other things from that period. They were more than just fads, they're usually meaty and are often different, originally, ingenious or striking in some way. That's how I think of classics anyway. But I agree a lot of them are in grey areas, I think Jefie's idea of calling some of them modern classics is good. I guess you could categorise them by all different types of classics, just like people often call some novels victorian classics.

[Lu]

Good question! I've been considering the problem since the woman who works in the library told me that she has noticed I always read classics, I was borrowing a book written in 1950s...it wasn't a classic for me! She made me confused!
Thanks for the defintion!

[czarval]

It is a good definition. But I have to wonder if you compared two books, one written in 1952, and one written in 2002, would they really be contemporary?

[Bina]

I have this book out of the uni library because it´s very helpful for my lit class. I think it´s a good idea to use the term modern classic because the gap between classics and modern is too big.

[czarval]

I think that makes more sense.

[bookworm148]

I will have to pick up a copy of that book.

I agree with czarval.

[bookishgirl]

Sarah Dessen. she is one of the best contemporary writers, i think.