A short list of facts doesn't tell the whole story. They are barren and lack deeper context. They can be understood academically, but sometimes that is shallow,

A short list of facts doesn't tell the whole story. They are barren and lack deeper context. They can be understood academically, but sometimes that is shallow, clinical, and doesn't reveal the true nature of something, just a simplistic, factoid level idea of it. A story is a series of facts, but can provide a richer understanding sometimes, as one can build a cohesive picture in their mind.