What makes a book a good book?

We discussed this theme this past week in a love2learn list, and I came up with a paragraph that I developed a bit further for this post.

We just read Tom Sawyer in Literature this past semester, and again I marveled at his last exchange with Huck. Mark Twain gave Tom Sawyer, who was largely a cultural portrait, a heart of gold and selflessness when it really mattered. There are many books with characters that are mostly cultural portraits—and yet, Tom Sawyer transcends that, and remains as an icon in universal literature.

The same is the case, I believe, with most types of literature. There are many prairie girl books in the library. Why does Laura Ingalls shine so distinctively, having been translated in every major language? Because she too transcends the pioneer and prairie girl world, although those elements provide a wonderful historical and educational background. Laura Ingalls inspires because of her goodness, her hard work, her honesty and love, and her observations of a world developing around her in the later books. She was not afraid, in her books, to criticize empty and superfluous church social gatherings, stupid sermons, and unfair or dishonest behavior. Her books have the power to inspire readers towards great Virtue!

Our road towards Virtue, and ultimately heaven, is not an easy one. A good book needs to portray that as a worthwhile fight! Throughout the stories sin may happen, but a good book should take readers beyond that: it should always help us in the great objective of this life. Our heart rests in God. For Him we yearn, many times unknowingly. A book that brings us closer to Him by great writing, imaginative plot and virtuous examples, as does a great work of art, causes a deep, inner satisfaction that is God-given.

Pride & Prejudice, told through Elizabeth’s heart, is another superb school of virtue. If we reflect on what books we have loved through the years, and which characters have remained with us as inspiring examples, we may come up with a very nice list of good books. Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Dickens and many other authors have given us characters capable of exemplifying and inspiring self sacrifice, hard work, loyalty and integrity in younger readers. Rumer Godden, Sigrid Undset and Evelyn Waugh are authors who have created characters also able to inspire and exemplify virtue in a more grown up world.

Summing up: a good book needs to contain not only a good story or an imaginative plot, but a portrayal of what is True in this life, a portrayal capable of inspiring and helping readers towards that same noble Goal.

So, if I pick a book from the library to preview for family reading, and upon reading the first pages I suspect that the characters will not be able to be admired for their virtue, the book goes into the return-to-the-library bag!

There are so many good books, thank God!