Who doesn’t love October? The blazing fall foliage, the brisk weather, the brief, bright interlude between summer and winter - for many, October is the high point of the year. Of course, October culminates with Halloween, notable for pranks, clanging door bells, costumes and too much candy. The holiday actually has ancient origins, dating back more than 2000 years to a Celtic observation called Samhain, when the ancients believed the shifting seasons opened a portal between the dead and the living. Later, in the eighth century, according to the Library of Congress website, “Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor saints. Soon after, All Saints Day came to incorporate some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before All Saints Day was known as All Hallow’s Eve, and later, Halloween.” Click here to learn more about the holiday’s iconic traditions and click here to learn more about the holiday’s precedents. Given the mysterious, other-worldly overtones of Halloween, why not get into the mood by checking out some of the excellent new thrillers and chillers listed below? Click on the book jacket to be taken to the link in our catalog.
“You are about to enter another dimension. A dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop: The Twilight Zone.” Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone
“Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere.” Charles M. Schultz, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
"Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows' Eve." Ray Bradbury
Last Modified October 25, 2024