"The book was better,"

Books are one of the oldest forms of entertainment. Taken more generally, as a narrative, they are the oldest form of entertainment. And yet, despite all of our advances, in other mediums, the book still reigns supreme. Go to your local theater and sit back for two hours of modern film complete with CG effects generated by super computers, multi-million dollar budgets, and the best actors in the world. On the way out, there’s a good chance you’ll hear someone remark “Yeah, it was pretty good… but the book was better.”

I know I have said it many times myself. Even a film like the Shawshank Redemption, which has long been one of my favorite movies, was put to shame when I read the book. But what makes books so much better? I believe it’s the luxury of time. In a book, the author has all the time in the world to express their vision. Authors aren’t constrained by a 2 hour time frame, a special effects budget, or the numerous other intricacies of movie making. And books can achieve things which are practically impossible in movies. The subtleties of a character, their inner thoughts, everything they’re feeling can be poured out onto the page. In a movie, you’d be left with just an expression on an actor’s face.

It seems that might never change. I can’t even begin to imagine what could replace the book as the ultimate medium for storytelling. The format might change to e-books, e-paper, or audio books, but it’s still a book at the end of the day. It’s a funny thought. We’ve come so far with our technology, but one of the simplest forms of expression is still our most powerful.