Books and TV have been facing off since the first black and white set made it’s appearance.
The appeal of stories playing out in front of you in color, black and white, or 3D have the ability to pull you in creating an experience you don’t get with a book.
Or do you? Books themselves are 3D. The covers are full of color unless you are reading on a Kindle Paperwhite, then they are black and white.
Books have story lines that can run through several books just like the TV show you must catch every week.
Do you need those commercial breaks to make popcorn? No problem, books have chapters where you can stop and run to the kitchen or even *gasp* take the book with you and read while the popcorn pops.
Both have value if used correctly. There are great shows on TV if you can find them. Recently, we watched a documentary about how brick making impacted St. Louis in the 1800s. I like Elementry even though there is violence, the characters are intriguing and there is a mystery to be solved, watching for clues is a good mental exercise. And what about all those awesome HGTV shows? My husband would prefer I not watch that channel!
Still do I need to watch all of them? Probably not, that’s why I’m choosing to read more at night. I’ve become jaded when it comes to TV. I’m tired of  violence that doesn’t have a reason or the good guy doesn’t stand out as a grand example. I’m over TV shows that try to shock with nudity, language and gender issues.
That leaves little to watch. Blackish, Â Last Man Standing , old movies and reruns of TV shows from earlier days. This summer we watched a lot of baseball, now hockey will fill the screen several times a week.
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I asked friends of mine would they rather read or watch TV in the evening. All of them said they read, but often the TV is on in the background because family members are watching and they want to be with them. That happens at my house too. When commercials come on I stop reading and talk to my husband.Â
Tell me in the comments are you a reader, watcher or both?
other news:
I’m over the moon with excitement that Mind of Her Own made the CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) Bestseller List for November.
Vickie, it is great that we are recognizing we can turn off the TV and still have adventures through reading.
There are a few shows my husband and I watch but I would much rather read.
Great post! I Think I’m both a reader and a watcher, but I lean more toward reader. 😉 My husband and I DVR a couple of shows that we watch during the week together. And we pause for popcorn and bathroom breaks.
Ah the DVR! I do like having that ability.
Would much rather read. There is very little to watch on TV