When does a book transcend from contemporary literature to a classic? Does someone have to confirm its classic status? And can all Booker Prize novels be considered classics just by being part of the Booker canon? This, and more, is what Jo and James are trying to get to the heart of in this week's episode. Listen in as they discuss what makes a classic novel and chat about which Booker books should be known as classics.

In this episode Jo and James:

Consider what makes a classic
Each pick three novels from the Booker Library that are – or should be – considered classics
Discuss the plots of their chosen novels and why they are deserving of classic status

Reading list:

Something to Answer For by P.H. Newby: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/something-to-answer-for
A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/a-month-in-the-country
How Late It Was, How Late by James Kelman: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/how-late-it-was-how-late
St. Urbain's Horseman by Mordecai Richler: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/st-urbains-horseman
Atonement by Ian McEwan: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/atonement
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-remains-of-the-day
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-handmaids-tale
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/shuggie-bain
Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/schindlers-ark
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-english-patient
Autobiography by Morrisey
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/midnights-children
The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-siege-of-krishnapur
The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-conservationist
Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/oscar-and-lucinda
The Ghost Road by Pat Barker: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-ghost-road
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/disgrace
Staying On by Paul Scott: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/staying-on
The Famished Road by Ben Okri: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-famished-road
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/cloud-atlas
The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-line-of-beauty
Autumn by Ali Smith: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/autumn
Crudo by Olivia Laing
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/no-one-is-talking-about-this
Waterland by Graham Swift: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/waterland
G. by John Berger: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/g

Read Alex Clark's piece, “Which novels in the Booker Prize archives should be considered classics?”: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/which-booker-prize-novels-should-be-considered-classics

A full transcript of the episode is available at our website: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/the-booker-prize-podcast-episode-33-what-makes-a-classic-novel

Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices