Diane Parfitt

One of the great things to do over the holidays is to go to the movies. And I mean actually go to a movie theater, eat popcorn and candy along with a big drink, and watch a newly released movie. I do not mean sitting at home! I do mean the ambiance of a real movie theater with a real big screen and all the yummy junk food.

Why do so many people love horror stories? One answer may be in a quote by Stephen King, one of the most prolific writers of horror stories and often called “King of Horror.”  “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones,”  King once said. Although I love scary movies and have seen some of King’s stories adapted as movies, I sometimes find his books too scary for me.

Fayetteville has a wonderful history that dates back to the Colonial era, more than 250 years ago. In those days and for many years that followed, our history was primarily based downtown when we were Cross Creek.

When Harry Potter first appeared on bookshelves, how many thousands of readers anxiously awaited the next installment from JK Rowling? Those of us who have a favorite author will, after finishing one …

If you are like most of us, you are already starting to buy gifts for family and friends for the holidays, or at least beginning to think about it. If you are that rare, very organized person who has already done most of your holiday shopping, good for you! Either way, you may want to consider books as the perfect gift for just about everyone on your list.

Banned Books Week is held annually in September to celebrate our freedom to read the books we choose. It is sponsored by numerous organizations, including the American Library Association, Association of University Presses and People for the American Way Foundation. The celebration this year is Sept. 18-24, and the theme is “Books Unite Us — Censorship Divides Us.” As our nation struggles with so much divisiveness, this may be a good time to look at the history of book banning in our country.