Especially since the people who think so have hardly ever read a classic. I find classics very interesting and most modern books very boring, but almost everyone else has the opposite opinion.
2007-04-16 10:36:06 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
It's probably because modern day people can't interpret great literature. They probably can't comprehend the profundity of Tolstoy or Steinbeck, and would rather read modern books like Harry Potter instead.
Though modern books are entertaining, I find them too repettitive and cliche.
2007-04-16 10:42:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The main reason is the issue of language. While Huck Finn is a terrific American novel, it is also tough to read in places, especially when Huck or Jim goes into a dialect. The same is true of Shakespeare. One thing I have noticed is how many non-English speakers love Shakespeare ... that's because they are not reading his works and plays in old English but rather in a modern version of their own language. That makes it a whole lot easier.
Most people want to read as entertainment, not as work, and when it takes time and a struggle to figure it out, they quit.
By the way, most modern readers do not care much for GOOD modern literature, what they enjoy more than anything else is the romance novel, the genre of literature that in 2007 out-sells all out genre, combined.
2007-04-16 10:42:19 · answer #2 · answered by John B 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that the MAIN reason is language,although I'm sure that plays a big part. I think that people want something that is relevant to the here and now in regards to a Starbucks triple espresso and an iPod. If something isn't set in the present, its descriptions and historical influences I find are watered down and related to what we do know. Themes, however, I dont' believe change. Human struggles have been and always will be interpreted in the language of the day--whether it be War and Peace or Confessions of a Shopaholic. I prefer to use a little more brain power and tackle the former.
2007-04-16 10:58:59 · answer #3 · answered by Solorya 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're generalizing and not stating sources. That aside, you need to figure out what sort of books you like and then go across centuries to find ones that fit into that category. So, for example, if you know someone who likes "modern" romance novels, give them a copy of Gone with the Wind and Jane Eyre. If someone likes humor, hand them James Thurber and Shakespeare.
Also, there are many modern classics. Just check out books by Philip Roth, Saul Bellow, James Thurber, Joan Didion, Ernest Hemingway, etc.
2007-04-16 13:04:21 · answer #4 · answered by dp 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just because a book is a "classic" doesn't mean that people can't write a better book.
2007-04-18 01:45:34 · answer #5 · answered by Dan A 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋