Is a Book Coming to Life the Death of the Book?

By Tom

Paul Constant over at the Slog just posted a mesmerizing pro-book ad from the New Zealand Book Council, and noted, "I have to say, I can't stop looking at the pretty pictures long enough to listen to the words." Indeed--I can hardly make out the words at times, and I don't think it's just the Kiwi accent. I honestly can't sort out whether this thing makes books more or less appealing. Are they beautiful, mysterious objects, thick with the flesh of trees and the promise of words? Or are they flat and forgettable, dwarfed by the sensory wonders of animation and voices?

I think my provisional verdict is that the video does make me love books even more (like I needed any help!). I'm such a paper book fetishist that all that crackling and storytelling makes me want to pick one up right now and start reading. What's your reaction? Do you want to go read Fantastic Mr. Fox, or go watch Wes Anderson's new (and, to be honest, fantastically delicious) animated version? ("Both" is an okay answer.) --Tom

P.S. By the way, the book brought to life (or, rather, whose inner life is revealed) in the video is a real one: Maurice Gee's Going West.