Originally posted by Don Fante:
I finished reading the book about 2 months ago and I feel like it was more in depth with characters like Johnny Fontane and Albert Neal.
The movies (1 and 2) are great.But not as good as the novel. 
About your post title...I always found books to be one hundred percent better than their movie versions. Problem is that books take time to get interested in. Education and reading experience, too, play a role.
I chose to read more because a relative of mine said, "Books raise IQ points."
Well, I read a lot and I still feel stupid all the time.
Try reading books with hard language. Those tend to boost your vocab. For example, Dante has taught me to understand shakespearean english a lot more, by Dante, I mean The Divine Comedy. He was the first to write in a language other than greek or latin in Europe.
I hope you ingested all that. Take care, and have a peace of mind.
