By the way, no one back then voted for Agatha Christie, who is now probably the most frequently read of the British writers from that era.

Interesting results of a poll 80 years ago regarding what authors people thought would still be read in 2029. With 20 years to go, it appears our powers of prognostication are as accurate (i.e., not very) as ever.

Truth is, one never knows what will survive, and it's usually not anything recognized as such in its time. Kind of makes you leery of those alleged "classic rock" stations, doesn't it?

The only thing I know for sure about a work becoming a "classic" is that it must first survive the generation that spawned it. If younger people don't pick it up, it's not going anywhere no matter how many old farts continue to proclaim its greatness.