Talking is great, but often constrained to the limits we set ourselves (our town, our experiences, our acquaintences) but reading is not bound by our imagination, only by the authors. Helps us step out of our comfort zone.

For sure. On the flip side, talking can be more interactive (which is probably good but maybe it's not), and stretching our own imaginations is worth doing - most people can probably come up with stories with enough creativity to entertain a four-year-old, particularly if the adult has been doing some reading.

But then, of course, building positive associations around books is doubtless valuable in our current society.

Lots of great arguments on both sides. I'm certainly not going to forego reading to my children. I'm just floating a perspective I found interesting.