Tar Heels hit the books

As the people who put out this publication are only too aware, reading gets a lot of competition these days. Inundated with a constant tidal wave of distractions from TV, the Internet and the frantic pace of modern life, many people let sitting down with a good book or periodical slip into that category of “I’d really like to get to it if I had more time.”

But this weekend, many of the facilities at UNC will be taken over by an event that’s out to change that mindset. Today through Sunday, the fifth biennial N.C. Literary Festival will hit campus, bringing an array of authors, storytellers and performers out to show the community just how rewarding reading and writing can be.

“The one thing about the festival is it’s free and open to the public, and it’s for the community,” said Amy Baldwin, director of the festival, speaking to how the sponsors of the event have tried to pack it with a variety of activities for a large spectrum of people to enjoy. “Our community is comprised of people that like all kinds of different things relating to reading and writing.”

Packing such high-profile speakers as famed legal thriller author John Grisham and Elizabeth Edwards in addition to other performers and a jam-packed children’s program, it’s pretty much certain that the event will garner a high level of interest.

“It was important for us to try to have different components that appeal to different parts of our community,” Baldwin said, noting such off-beat presentations as a lecture on graphic novels and a food writing presentation with free samples from local chefs as examples of how the festival has expanded its palette from years past.

“We felt that it was very important to try to provide something for people in the community.”

One aspect of the festival that has been beefed up this year is the children’s area. Sporting keynote speakers such as Goosebumps author R.L. Stine in addition to a bevy of other activities including storytellers and theatrical performances, the new and improved program is designed to make literature entertaining for the young ones.

“The festival has always had a component of children’s literature or some activities, but what we’ve done is that we’ve grown that area,” Baldwin said, adding that one of the biggest additions to the children’s section is an activity tent. “We’ll have about six to eight activity stations where kids can make their own character puppet, their own character mask. There will be a station where they are given an illustration and they have to write a short story based on it.”

In addition to the activities, the children’s area will also be taking children’s books to be donated to the pediatric oncology department at UNC Hospitals.

And though the kids will be well taken care of this year, the event is also full of serious fare for those more interested in taking on weighty issues in literature.

Edwards will be at the festival talking about her new book “Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life’s Adversities,” which turns her fight with breast cancer and adversity in the face of her husband’s adultery scandal into an inspirational tale for readers. And Edwards is adamant that students should take advantage of not just her presentation but all the other great things the festival has to offer, too.

“There is not a single cultural thing that I did, not a single opportunity I had at this University that I regret going to,” she said in a press conference for the event.

“But almost everything I didn’t go to I regret. In real lives when you start getting busy, and you have kids, and you start having other responsibilities, it’s really hard to fit in these incredible opportunities that you have at UNC.”

The weekend will also feature contributions from some of the University’s professors. Paul Cuadros, whose “A Home on the Field” was selected as this year’s summer reading book for incoming freshmen, said he’s excited to be part of a literary festival that’s highlighting the literary arts in a community that could really benefit from them.

“I think any community that can embrace the written word helps itself to advance and get new ideas and get experience about a lot of different things,” he said.

“For the Chapel Hill community, this is an opportunity for the community to celebrate these authors and to get a chance to meet them. I think that’s really exciting.”

And with a lineup that’s packed for the entire weekend, Baldwin said it would be impossible to pick out one session for which she’s most excited.

“Having planned this, I’ve gotten to know a lot of the authors and to know their writing more. I just can’t say I have a favorite,” she said. “I’m looking forward to all of them.

“I think one of the challenges for people attending is going to be deciding on which sessions to go to.”


Senior writer Katy Doll contributed reporting.
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.