[wardnath]

Adding on to what you are saying, it depends on what one's objectives are. Books do a great job at exposing concepts but mastery is only gained by experience.

If I read a book on pottery, but I never apply those concepts, it doesn't do me much good. Furthermore, refining one's craft is almost always much more time consuming than reading alone. Reading is necessary but not sufficient to thrive and be at one's best.