Saturday, December 31, 2011

Story vs. Words

There's a lot to be said about the feel of a book. The texture of the cover, the smell of the pages, etc, etc. When people find out I'm a writer and they catch me reading my Kindle, it often surprises them.
"Don't you love books?"
"Don't you just love words?"
Honestly, I've never been "in love" with either. Some books I've picked up have been rather disappointing or boring or forced on me. Everyone's favorite combination of "beautiful words"-- poetry -- has more often made me roll my eyes than wowed me.

Conclusion: I love stories.

To start off the new year, here are some stories I've enjoyed that are not in book form:


Granted, it's no longer running, but Lost is one of the best TV series I've ever seen. The mystery builds on itself through the seasons like a giant novel. Excellent cast and music!




The characters make this show work. Not only do you have a mystery to solve, you've got to put up with an OCD detective to get to the answer.





There's a lot going on with this series right now. While both incarnations deviate from the original (as TV and movies really have to do), they're so entertaining that the punching/explosions (movies ) and the modern era (BBC ) don't detract from the enjoyment of the story.



Want to share your favorites? I'm always looking for a good recommendation!

2 comments:

  1. i went to film school (screenwriting), and i always had the same experience when people would ask me if i loved the most recent blockbuster hit with state of the art special effects. didn't i just love what they did with the CGI? can i even believe how good HD looks?

    well, no. because what i'm always drawn to with a movie is the story. it could be a movie composed of stop-motion shots on polaroid filmed with a VHS-c camera, and if the story is good, i'm sold. all the special effects in the world can't fix a bad story.

    congrats on the book, by the way!

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  2. Exactly! Sometimes with movies, I'd get recommendations like, "It's just so pretty, you'll love it," and it wasn't about anything. After having worked at Blockbuster for *mumble* years, I got a lot of those. Now something beautiful WITH a good story (Lord of the Rings, perhaps?) is like the jackpot!

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