Book connoisseurs argue that sitting down with a book containing words on top of words, taking days to plow through, is the ideal way of understanding and experiencing an author’s story. This, however, is not true. In such a fast paced world no one has days or weeks to read a book, especially when the alternative takes mere hours.

The movie industry is a billion dollar business, and rightfully so. The tough process of crafting a story from nothing is extremely impressive, but then proceeding to put it into real life for everyone to watch and enjoy is truly a work of art. 

A 100 student survey shows that 52% of North students prefer movies over books.

Though books might allow the reader to create their own mental image of the story, movies let the author show what they imagined while crafting the story. Allowing viewers to have that visual of the story playing out in front of them creates an intimate experience that is more personal to the writer. 

Stories about love and loss such as “The Notebook”, cannot be fully absorbed and understood through something as simple and concise as words. Having the opportunity to see the human emotion on a screen devastatingly portrayed by veteran actors provides a more empathetic experience for the audience. 

A book like “IT” by Stephen King takes 44 hours and 55 minutes to listen to as an  audiobook while the movie is only two hours 15 minutes with the added addition of visuals instead of the hassle of reading. 

Admittedly, society has become lazy. With Netflix being two clicks away, and TikTok 30 second videos shortening attention spans, very few people are willing to sit down and read a book.

According to Jacob R. Drucker, a writer for the Harvard Crimson, “Even online written content, with the possibility of reaching billions of viewers, fails to influence public perception as words once could.”

Author and screenwriter Nick Hornby is known for accurately displaying novels such as “Fever Pitch”, his autobiography and his bestselling novel, “About A Boy” and “High Fidelity.” Authors like Hornby make the transition from paper to screen smooth. 

“All I know is that you can get very little from a book that is making you weep with the effort of reading it,” Hornby said. “You won’t remember it, and you’ll learn nothing from it, and you’ll be less likely to choose a book over ‘Big Brother’ next time you have a choice.” 

Films bring the words on paper to life. Being able to hear and see a story unfold is unmatched. Save your time and eyes, and go watch a movie.