Literature is the art of writing and it is a term used to describe written or spoken material. Literature may also be defined as the composition of written works produced by specialized scholars and researchers. On a broader view, literature can be described as anything from creative writing to technical or scientific works, but the term generally refers to works of creativity, which includes poetry, drama, fiction and nonfiction. Among them, the two most basic written literary forms are fiction and nonfiction.

Literature reminds us of stories, epics, scriptures, history and classical works of the ancient and modern times.Prose,poetry,plays,criticism,essays,fiction,nonfiction,literary works based on philosophy,literary journalism, art, history, religion, people, language, culture and also scientific and legal writings as well fall under the category of literature. Sometimes, certain extremely technical writings such as those on logistics and mathematics are also taken as a part of literature. Literature is also known by various other names such as classics, learning, erudition, belles-lettres, lit, literary works, written work, writings and books.

Literature can represent a language or culture and tradition. But, it is more important than just a historical or cultural artifact. Literature introduces us to a new world of experience. We learn a lot about books and enjoy as well as feel the comedies and the tragedies of stories and plays. Literature makes us grow and evolve through our literary journey with books. Literature not only describes reality but also adds value to it. Literary works portrays the living patterns and the rules followed in society. They portray the different facets of common man's life. Classical literary works serve as a food for thought, imagination and creativity. There is always the artistic quality, which is an expression of life, truth, and beauty. Exposure to good literary works provides the richest educational opportunities and knowledge. Whereas, the lack of exposure to classic literary works deprives the growth of an individual in terms of knowledge and intellect.

Literature and books go hand in hand. They are inseparable. Ancient and famous poetry by poets like Homer, Plato, Horace and Virgil,Shakespeare's sonnets and poetry by John Keats, Wordsworth, Tennyson, W.B. Yeats, P.B. Shelley and Byron are timeless. The Bible,which is one of the greatest literary works, provides society the guiding principles of life. Anna Karenina, The Lord of the Rings, Little Women, The Godfather, A Tale of Two Cities are some of thebest-selling books of all times. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, The Wizard of Oz are some of the greatest books for children. The recent Harry Potter series hit record sales all over the world.J.K. Rowling created a sensation on the worldwide readers with her work.

Great literary works have a universal appeal. One is able to understand life on reading such great literary works. These works also help a person take a closer look at the various facets of life and can change one's perspective towards life in quite a number of ways. Biographies sketch the lives of famous achievers who have made a valuable contribution to the society. They give an insight into the lives of these great people. Literature also serves as a huge information base. Scientific and technological developments are documented for the world to gain knowledge from them. Literature, thus, stands to serve as a genuine source of information across the globe.