What is good literature?

What is good literature??
1st answer: Good literature is when it makes you think, and feel. It opens your eyes to something new, or brings vivid images of another time and place to mind. Mostly, however, I’d say good literature is something that endures through time, which is why it is so difficult to classify modern novels as good literature. When something was written a hundred years ago, and is still read and enjoyed, that is good literature. The book of the moment at the top of the charts that everyone raves about may not. Entertaining does not necessarily mean good literature.

On the other hand, “What care I if it be ‘wild and improbable’ and ‘lacking in literary art’? I refuse to be any longer hampered by such canons of criticism. The one essential thing I demand of a book is that it should interest me. If it does, I forgive it any every other fault.” This was written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, my favourite author, who wrote, among other books, the classic Anne of Green Gables.

2nd answer:

Good literature is literature that moves the reader. To either repulsion, curiosity or some other emotion….

Good reading effects you, it reaches down and takes a part of you along with it where it goes. Like Alice in the looking glass.

It is a children’s book so creatively written, even at almost 40, I can enjoy it every time I read it and as I age, I uncover the satire in it that was meant for and written to adults.

Good literature, when it fails to effect you. You can still appreciate the author because of it. Someone asked me that the other day. If Nietzsche is good or not?

He is Nietzsche! His writing was good (For all its faults) because he had a conviction in composing those words that ran down into the page as if it were written in blood with a sure hand and a completely convinced conscience…

and when you read him, agree wit it, or not, he effects you, he gets inside of you and you find yourself doubting and questioning everything you believe even if only for glimmers and glints. That… to me, is good literature.

Mostly though, it is entertaining.

But even like Joyce said of art ( in the classic sense) It never overwhelms.

3rd answer:

• Good literature is anything you enjoy reading, some have favourite writers, when you read a book and you can’t put it down then you know this is good literature.

lots of russian writers are good so are french authors. i mostly read classics so doestoevsky, Ayn Rand, Nabakov, chekov are some of my favorites. also Albert Camus is good. philosophical readings include Descartes and Nietzsche. there are also many classic american novels such as To kill a mockingbird by Harper lee and Catcher in the rye by JD Salinger. Anything from this list would be very good read

good luck
Good literature is evocative writing that sheds light on the issues of the society and time in which it was created in such a way that it appears timeless and relatable even hundreds or thousands of years after it was crafted!

4th answer:

the world is so full of literature and good literature is one that you like and that you learn from.
As an avid reader I can tell you there are supposed ‘masterpieces’ which I have not enjoyed, and then I find some obscure book which I thoroughly enjoy and learn lots from.

good literature is that writing that pleases the reader, and which pleased the writer thinking of the pleasure of the reader and his own writing…

I believe a story that people can relate to makes good literature. The story brings to the foreground of it’s purpose human struggles, passions, ideals, and beliefs. Of course it has to be well written and interesting on top of this, but basically it should question, or support humanities myriad of issues. I think stories sometimes are much like one side of a philosophical argument.