What's a "proper book", eh?

I'm currently reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The two main characters, Ifemelu and Obinze, meet as teenagers and the first chat they have includes a thought-provoking conversation about books that I had to just expand on it and throw in my two cents.

Obinze: I saw you holding a James Hadley Chase, near the lab. And I said, Ah, correct, there is hope. She reads.
Ifemelu: I think I've read them all.
O: Me too. What's your favourite?
I: Miss Shumway Waves a Wand.
O:Mine is Want to Stay Alive? I stayed up one night to finish it.
I: Yes, I like that too.
O: What about other books? Which of the classics do you like?
I: Classics, kwa? I just like crime and thrillers. Sheldon, Ludlum, Archer.
O: But you also have to read proper books.
She looked at him, amused by his earnestness. "Aje-butter! University boy! That must be what your professor mother taught you."
"No, seriously." He paused. "I'll give you some to try. I love the American ones."
"You have to read proper books," she mimicked.
"What about poetry?"

Ifemelu changes the topic here but oh, man this made me all so annoyed and not necessarily at Obinze but at this idea of a proper book. When I read this, I had a feeling he was only referring to American classics and what is thought of as a classic in this day and age. This has been debated forever. It's interesting that he asks about poetry because classics tend to be considered such because of rich, beautiful, poetic language that stand the test of time. I think the word classic and what is considered a great book has become interchangeable in our language. 

I did some quick research and found these thoughts about what a classic is (my thoughts in brackets):

• Novels that have deep, complex characters that grow and change and make the reader think because of the commentary on human nature/the human condition. (Hmm, sure.)
• A classic novel should say something of value. (Value is subjective though. What does that even mean?!) 
• We don't have to agree with the author's thoughts. (Of course, there is no one novel where everyone who reads it will agree with its contents. With time and new readers, problematic themes tend to arise that might have not been as discussed at the time of release.)
• We understand that the authors use a matter of techniques to communicate basic truths about humanity. Moreover, a good novel, story, or drama should give us the feeling that what happened to the characters was inevitable; that, given their temperaments and the situation in which they were placed, the outcome could not have been otherwise. ( I really liked this point but to me, this doesn't have to refer to a classic. This is just a good book.)
•  Regardless of when it was written, the work should hold meaning still in the western world, and should still hold that meaning in the future. Huckleberry Finn, for example, although it has been called the first truly American novel, deals with a universal theme, the loss of innocence. (This is the first point I came across that touched on how American classics are considered classics in other countries and why that is.) 

Expanding on that last point, I think that the sincerity, integrity and immortality of these stories could be discussed and argued about forever. The comments an author makes about people and the stress and rewards of life will always be relevant in some way or another. So while the plot and characters used to do so will change, that's what will always be. I don't know if the word classic itself is the issue because the issue becomes when the words high quality, value and outstanding are attached to it. The theme of a work being applicable at all times also tends to be a discussion. 

I could ramble on forever but to circle back to the phrase "proper book." I think the main reason it bothered me is because it just sounds so entitled. Who decided what is suitable or correct or appropriate to read?  I have to challenge my own thoughts on this all the time because it's easy to even pigeonhole yourself in regards to your thoughts about what you read. To me, the way a reader connects with what they're reading is one of the most honest, beautiful acts. It should not matter what genre, how long or what format is used. 

I like that Ifemelu challenges everything that is posed to her and it's a quality that I see in myself. I want to continue to just be vocal and have different discussions in order to keep learning and growing as a person.

Let me know your thoughts on any of my thoughts. ;]

P.S. Have you read Americanah? I already have a running list of topics I want to discuss further and I'm only 180 pages in. 

So YES, let's chat.