I wonder how many of us actually sit down regularly to read a book or is the reality just to sit in front of the television and watch the stories being acted out?

“I watched the film but the book was better”. Is something that one hears quite a lot but some films actually compliment the written counterparts but this is an opinion.

A good writer will create the scenes, characters and actions in a way that will ignite an imagination and bring the story to life. One can interpret those descriptions as they feel fit and the animation can glide from scene to scene as quickly or slowly as the reader wants it to.

A  film, however, is the interpretation of the director, actors and special effects crew and is very much subject to their abilities to turn words into actions and those can be very different to the images conjured up by the reader through the writer and they also dictate the speed of the story.

That said which medium is the better? Can they be equal contenders? Does it depend on the subject matter?

My guess is all of these can ring true.

For some, though, it is (in my opinion) very sad that the books will remain unread and the camera view will be the only perspective that will be experienced and this would be my same view if the roles were reversed.

I love reading ( I love real books but sadly they take up room which is at a premium in my one bed house so the Kindle is the logical option) and can immerse myself into anything from a high-octane guns and violence novel to a twisting tale of deceit and conspiracy of the historic nature. Books aimed at kids can be a fascinating journey of entertainment such as Harry Potter.

I also love films and TV dramas. There is something quite magical about watching class A actors doing their job to the full. Schindler’s List is a fine example. A brilliant read but (again in my humble opinion) a far more powerful screen adaptation only because of the quality of the director and actors. The TV adaptation of Father Brown is  far easier to follow and is more humorous  to watch than the novels written by P G Wodehouse which need much more scholarly learning than I have.

I know quite a few people who have never read a book in their life but it by no means makes them dull or stupid. I cannot recall, on the other hand, anyone who has never seen a film or watched a TV show. Are these folk any better? No, not in my mind. They are just different and have an alternative way of thinking.

I look at it like this. Travelling by car one can either drive or  be driven. The destination is the same its just the interpretation of the journey is different and up to whether one wants to drive or not.

I find reading and writing to help with dark moods as my limited mind can only concentrate on one job or task at once ,whereas, watching the Television is easy to get distracted from.

So; conclusions? Well it depends who you are and how you think. Books are great and wonderful form of entertainment but if reading is a weak point or dislikable  then the moving picture is the choice for you but you can enjoy both, honestly you can.

Merry Christmas everyone and This will be my last Blog for 2016 but I shall return for 2017 to add more to your boredom and wasted time.

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