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Wikipedia: Classic books
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The word classic is often applied to literature and other art that is widely prized and studied. Some examples of authors who have produced classics, in this sense, are Shakespeare, Chaucer?, Don Quixote, [Lao Tzu]?, and Confucius. As a body of work, classics in this sense make up what has come to be called the canon; the canon of Western literature and art has been a matter of considerable dispute (see Western canon).
Most works considered "classics" were written in generations before the present ones--i.e., by now dead people--but sometimes the word is pressed into use as a term of high praise for newly-created works.
Most classic books are in the public domain due to their age, and are freely available online from Project Gutenberg at http://promo.net/pg