Greatness = truth + light

What makes a great book?

You have to have all the key elements for a book to succeed: plot, character, dialogue, action. But what makes an ordinary book into an extraordinary one is a writer who understands life so well that their words mirror it in a way that reveals truth and light.

My favorite books are often simple, but the writing is so clear and evocative, even in simplicity, that it strikes some part of who I am. The Alchemist, The Little Prince, The Graveyard Book. These books become great, and not just good, because of the way that truth is expressed. There will be many who disagree, saying that books don't necessarily need to reveal truth, or even asking what is truth, but you know it when you find it, especially within the pages of a book.

Think back to all the stories that touched your life, that really made an impact on you. There was something a character said or did that resonated with who you are or who you want to become. So maybe the answer to the question is that a great book comes from a combination of truth flowing from the pen of a writer who has command of the language to the point where language is no longer important except that it conveys the world in a new and incredible light.