To me, books have always been a better way visualize something. Movies and pictures are limited by either what a camera can see or the technology for creating images. What you see in a book is only limited by your imagination.

Therein lies the problem I believe. To me, when I see a movie based on a book that I have read, the movie is always a visual letdown compared to what my mind has seen reading the book. For much of this generation, this is not the case. They’ve grown up watching TV and movies, and haven’t had the means or inclination to foster their imaginations.

A lot of bibliophiles want to do something about the lack of reading as a means to get information and for entertainment, but they seem to focus on the problem instead of the solution. I’m excited about things like e-readers that appeal to gadget lovers, but we also need to focus on imparting the joy of reading to children.