is there such a thing as a traditional book?

[cacian]

as oppose to a cult or a modern book?

[PeterL]

I don't think that term is used, and it would depend in part on which tradition, but I think that you might mean "mainstream" fiction.

[cacian]

Hi Peter I was thinking more of along the lines of traditional words /traditional ideas traditional /characters/traditional genre and so on that would make a book a traditional one. There is a classic book I am not so sure about modern book however.
'mainstream' fiction does not necessarily mean traditional right? because it means of the moment which means it is changeable or dependable.

[PeterL]

Hi Peter I was thinking more of along the lines of traditional words /traditional ideas traditional /characters/traditional genre and so on that would make a book a traditional one. There is a classic book I am not so sure about modern book however.
'mainstream' fiction does not necessarily mean traditional right? because it means of the moment which means it is changeable or dependable.

Traditional and Mainstream are not necessarily the same, but I think that what you mean by "traditional" is peculiar to you. The traditions in literature don't last alll that long, so what may have seemed traditional at one point may just seem peculiar and old-fashioned to others. I recently took a walk around the fiction floor of a university library. The floor is packed with novels and short story collections that were important in their day; although there is some "popular fiction" also. I was shocked at how many authors I had never heard of, and how many books by authors that I know I had never heard of. Among such forgotten works may be what you would consider "traditional". You should remeber that novels, per se, have only existed for about 300 and some odd years, So the traditions are not all that old. If you are in London, then you should be able to find a university or other library where you can search for something traditional. Tristam Shandy is old, but it is far from traditional. Robinson Crusoe was one of the earliest novels, but it is odd.

[Ecurb]

In standard English a "book" is a bound set of printed sheets of paper. More generally, a "book" can refer to a literary composition of some length. To me, "a traditional book" means a cloth, leather, or paper cover filled with printed paper pages. Novels, histories, biolgraphies, mathematical tomes, scientific treatises and dictionaries are all "books". As peter points out, novels are a modern art form; traditions are slow to develop.

[ennison]

Something not an e book but that can be handled, it's pages felt, torn, marked, can be used to keep a door open, smelled

[Indomitable]

In a way, yes. There are experimental novels. The amount of novels that later draw upon those novels' traits outnumber the innovative works themselves, and most of these novels usually fail to survive for multiple generations. As they contribute nothing that is truly revolutionary, these novels could be considered traditional; however, it should be noted that the definition of a 'traditional' novel is not necessarily static.

For example, Virginia Woolf created two traditional novels that drew inspiration from the established conventions of her day before she began her literary experiments.

[ennison]

Question said "book",not "novel"

[cacian]

In a way, yes. There are experimental novels. The amount of novels that later draw upon those novels' traits outnumber the innovative works themselves, and most of these novels usually fail to survive for multiple generations. As they contribute nothing that is truly revolutionary, these novels could be considered traditional; however, it should be noted that the definition of a 'traditional' novel is not necessarily static.

For example, Virginia Woolf created two traditional novels that drew inspiration from the established conventions of her day before she began her literary experiments.

conventions and traditions I would say are different.
conventional is what should be done traditional is what is. very different concept. :)