Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Reasons I Would Rather Read a Book Than Watch TV or Go to the Movies

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  

Welcome to the last Tuesday in March. This month sure flew by. This week, I am not writing to prompt (Movies/TV Shows That Would Have Made Amazing Books ). I simply don't watch enough TV or see enough movies for it to work. Today, I will share the...

Top Ten Reasons I Would Rather Read a Book

 Than Watch TV or Go to the Movies

1. Low or no cost: At this point, I have so many books here that I could read for years and not run out of material, so it's more cost-effective than going to the movies. The cost of cable and streaming services adds up. If the family didn't want them, I wouldn't have them. 
2. More content I enjoy: Since I control the content and genre that comes into the house or is downloaded to my device, I'm not stuck with watching what I don't enjoy.
3. Series conclusions more satisfying: I've lost track of how many shows I've loved that end up canceled with a cliffhanger. When they attempt to wrap things up, there are always loose ends. With books, the conclusions are more satisfying. An epilogue comes in handy, too. 
4. Less food: I tend not to eat as much while I am reading, probably because it requires more focus for me. If I'm watching TV, I snack more often. If we go to the movies, there is popcorn with butter and salt. Who can resist that?
5. Less distraction: The TV is in the family room, so people and animals are constantly walking in and out. I can read in more secluded spots.  
6. Better sensory experience: There is something about the feel of a book and the smell of its pages that you can't get from watching TV. Of course, the smell of popcorn at the movies is awesome.
7. Books are better than the movies/shows they are based on: With rare exception, I find that books are better than the movies or shows they are based on. 
8. Books are fun to take places: Whether I'm reading/listening on the road, at the beach, or in between appointments, books are fun to have with me. 
9. Books are a time investment: Books aren't done in 30 minutes or an hour. They require a time investment from the reader, which is why they are more satisfying to me. Yes, I could binge-watch shows, but there are only three I've ever wanted to invest the time into doing that. 
10. Historical research made fun: There are books I own simply for research purposes because I know I will refer back to them time and again. Old newspapers are fun to browse in library collections. Yes, there are some amazing documentaries, but I love browsing through books and periodicals for research. 

Thanks for visiting today. Hope you enjoy your week!