What Makes a Book a Classic? (Plus 3 more bucket list additions)

It is amazing that the more I seek new books and genres to include in the bucket list, the more I look to books identified as 'classics that I haven't yet read. And I find I am very much interested in reading them now. Why? Maturity perhaps? Or is it more that my curiosity is getting the better of me and I want to find out for myself whether I consider these 'classic' books truly worthy of the term.

Just what is a classic? I googled the term online and found several different interpretations including the following:

• "A book accepted as being exemplary or noteworthy, either through an imprimatur such as being listed in any of the Western canons or through a reader's own personal opinion."  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_book)
• A book that expresses some artistic quality, stands the test of time, and makes connections. (http://classiclit.about.com/od/forbeginners/a/aa_whatisclass.htm)
• A book that is well known and passed down through the generations. (http://classicbooks.sblc.wikispaces.net/Definition+of+a+Classic+Book)
• A book that "focuses on matters of great importance, identifying fundamental human problems and providing some sort of guidance for dealing with them, addresses these fundamental issues in ‘beautiful, moving, and memorable ways,’ with ‘stimulating and inviting images', is complex, nuanced, comprehensive, and profound, requiring careful and repeated study in order to yield its deepest secrets and greatest wisdom, and has great staying power across both time and space." (http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/06/13/what-makes-a-classic-i-ching/)
• A book that meets the 14 points Italo Calvino defines in his 1991 book Why Read the Classics? (http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/06/italo-calvinos-14-definitions-of-a-classic/)

This is only a fraction of the results that popped up, but I think Italo Calvino's 14 points best identify just what make a book a classic. I've included the links above so you can read the articles for yourself. That and I don't want to violate any copyright laws, which is a valid concern in our online world.

That said, 3 more books are added to the bucket list. These are listed below. Two of the books are considered classics. The third is a non-fiction addition. I think this books  (recommended to me by a friend) is a great follow-up to a book I recently read, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.

The Island of Dr. Moreau, by H. G. Wells
The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde
The Creative Brain, by Shelley Carson

By adding these 3 books, the bucket list is just shy of 200 books. I am wondering if that is too much to add to a book bucket list. I know my fellow book-o-philes will reply with a hearty 'NO'. And I can easily add many more books to the ever growing stack. But for many of us normal folks that is a lot of books to read. Yet, we do have more than ample time to casually pursue the books on this list. I mean, what is 87 years plus or minus a few? What makes it easier is it is all on the honor system. No one is breathing over my shoulder (except myself, if I were to look). to ensure I read each of the unread books If you know me at all, you know I will be reading each and every one of these books. For me, it's my challenge to myself. That and bragging rights.