Question

arguments for/again the idea of "great books"

Answer 1

The books are an integral part of human life, any literate person would try to seek knowledge and guidance from the books. Considering a book as a great book depends upon how one perceives it. The book that touches the soul of the person would be good for him.

Writers have written on all subjects like literature, science, history, fiction, poems, etc. In the olden days when the paper and pen were not invented people used to write on leaves, leather, rocks, or whatever sources available to them. These writings have become a great source of knowledge and information for today. These can be called a good book because the concept of writing was present only the way and sources were different.

Scriptures are considered good books, for Christians, the Bible is the best book, for Muslims the Holy Quran is the best book and for other religions, their religious books are the best.

The person decides a book to be the best that gives him knowledge, positive changes (that he wants), and provides him what he was searching for.

A truth-seeker would search the truth in religious books; a scientist would search his theory in scientific books and in the writings of the other scientist, and the list is more.

Now-a days there are panels that suggest from billions of writings which is the best book, they compare the writings and give the tag of best/great book among many books and give them Noble prize or other prizes.

The selection and understanding make a person decide which book is the best and which is the worst book. For example, take the case of Sweden, what happened in that country, a group of fanatics burned and destroyed the religious books of one particular community and targeted their prophet. That had brought unrest and huge protest throughout the world.

Why this had happened because for the other group of people it was not a book that is to be followed, for them it was a discriminative book and they believed that it is the book that is based on a false claim. The reason for this was stereotype hate and the way they interpreted it and considered it as the worst book and in contrast to the other community, it is their Holy Book and believes it as a revealed book from God.

The book that is considered as best by A may not be considered as the best book by B. The book that shows the right path, and provide a person what he wanted would be a good book for him. A robber would search for new techniques to become an expert in it. While the other would look at it as the worst book that increases crime and make one follow the wrong path.

The difference of opinion makes a book the great book or not the great book.