The Impact of A Book

Since the dawn of the mass media age in the mid 20th century the debate has raged on of the book readers vs the movie watchers. “Oh, I saw the movie I don’t need to read the book.” or “I’m just not interested in such a long book. I’ll listen to the directors tell me the background story.” “I don’t have time to read the book.” “I don’t know how I’d get my hands on it.” “I don’t like to read.” “I just have so much going on.”

STOP!

First off… I can cut these arguments down with simple, plausible answers.

1.”Oh, I saw the movie I don’t need to read the book.”

YES you DO. The BOOK provides so much more information that the movie can’t fit in. If you “Love” the movie, I guarantee you will L-O-V-E! the book. The movie may provide images, which can help if you are a visual person, but god forbid you NEVER touch the story you LOVE because you already SAW THE MOVIE. The movie’s job is to put into visuals, the words on the page. But it can never replace your interpretation of the characters and why YOU will fall in love with them on your own.

2. “I’m just not interested in such a long book. I’ll listen to the directors tell me the background story.”

*Buzzer sound* That’s nice, but have you considered that the directors are giving you their interpretation of the story? And that it has been manipulated by the media to make more MONEY? As for reading long or short books, just like seeing a movie, no one is forcing you to read it. You can choose whatever you want to read. Ask a librarian what they suggest based on some of your interests that you tell them about yourself. “Hi, I’m really into science and pop culture. Got anything interesting that you think I’d might enjoy on that type of thing?” It’s easy. Librarians are nice.

3. “I don’t have time to read the book.”

Of course you do. You have time for everything you love because you make time. And when you start reading, your brain will thank you and start craving the knowledge you are obtaining. Even if it’s 10 or 15 minutes before bed. During a meal, while you’re on the treadmill. Your brain will thank you, and you’ll find yourself asking yourself questions deeper than “Why am I up this early?” You will make time. If you are thinking this is ridiculous, I have one question…

4. “I don’t know how I’d get my hands on it.”

Well golly. That must be hard not having a public library or a school library around. I wonder how I ever got my Starbucks at Wright State.. hmm… oh yeah. I went to the LIBRARY. And honestly if you don’t want to get a library card, for free, and you “can’t find any good fiction books” in the school library then ask friends for their favorite books. Surrounded by friends that don’t read? Well we need a recommendations page don’t we? Half Price Books, Hastings, Amazon, Borders ( if there are any left), Walmart… but by all means if you don’t want to buy a book on impulse just go to the library for FREE  and borrow as many books as you like.

Here’s Hastings Books Section

Learn from Matilda. She read books since she was 4 and by the time she was 7 she was more intelligent than both of her parents and her brother, surpassing her class.

5. “I don’t like to read.”

Sigh* Poor sweet child that is because you have never been given the RIGHT book to read. You have probably only truly read the books assigned to you in grade school and hated every moment, never to attempt to read for pleasure, because how could something so dull and lifeless be fun? Well I am here to enlighten you about the power of books. In the words of Stephen King, one of the most famous authors of our time, “Books are uniquely portable magic.” he says this because it is true. Books can transport you to places that wouldn’t exist were it not for the authors that conjured them. So maybe, since college is a time of new beginnings and new chances, give books, those old fangled things, another chance, and go investigate a genre that might rouse your spirit of adventure. Give it another, open minded chance with your newfound genre and you’ll find yourself saying, Oh yes, I love to read. Here is MY favorite book, you should read it.”

And finally, “I just have so much going on.”

I get it. And I won’t cross this one out because sometimes it is a pretty legitimate excuse. We are all busy students. We have families, jobs, friends, homework, making time for fun and ourselves. We don’t want to fit anything else in there if we don’t have to. This post isn’t to try and force you to read. I’m not the book Nazi. I am just shooting down common excuses I have heard people say, and even I myself have used before, when someone suggests a book to me. I am here to tell you that reading will improve your life. It will improve your brain, how you think, how you solve problems, ask questions, relate to the world and many more things. Reading opens your eyes in a personal way that nothing else can. That is why books are so powerful. They have the ability to inspire people to move mountains, corral oceans, change the minds of an entire group of people. And they smell good. Haha!

That is my rant on the inexcusable excuses against reading. Got any genres you are interested in? Leave them in the comments and I’ll reply with some suggestions. 🙂