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Health & Fitness

"Banned Books Week" Highlights Opening of Byrd's Books in New Bethel Location

Story and Photography by Paula Antolini
See more photos here: picturesbypaula@aol.com

On Saturday, September 14, 2013, Byrd's Books held their informal store opening in their new location at 126 Greenwood Avenue in Bethel, CT (formerly at 213 Greenwood Avenue, above Moltan Java on the 2nd floor).  Owner Alice Hutchinson was beaming with pride. The store is beautifully arranged and has a wonderful selection of books including a large section of books about Connecticut.   

The fact that Hutchinson decided let the store flow through to the back, with an open view through large glass windows, makes the atmosphere feel airy and bright. Customers can park in the rear and enter the store that way too.

The store also has a beautiful vintage tin ceiling, which is an outstanding finishing touch to the perfect decor Hutchinson planned. She said she even made sure she secured the bookshelves to the walls with a special attachment, for safety.

The Byrd's Books informal store opening also prepared for the celebration of "Banned Books Week" which runs from September 22-28, 2013.  A display of banned books is in the front window. Visit Byrd's Books to see the titles!

Joseph Farris, a long time Bethel resident, walked into Byrd's Books with his wife Cynthia Farris, who gave Hutchinson a big hug. Farris is a famous internationally published cartoonist since 1957, and his work has appeared in the New Yorker and other major publications. Many of his New Yorker cartoons are in the permanent collection of the Morgan Library and Museum in New York. His work is also in the private collections of President Jimmy Carter and Paul Newman.

Farris is also the author of numerous books. His latest is a book published by National Geographic entitled, "A Soldier's Book, from the front lines of World War II,"  which chronicles his life as a young soldier over the course of 34 months, during the later years of World War II, with experiences that were taken from his personal letters, sketches, snapshots, paintings and mementos, as Army Staff Sgt. Joseph Farris. 

Farris opened the book to show an illustration of buildings in Danbury that he had drawn years ago. He left his home in Danbury, CT at age 18, in April 1943, and fought in the front lines of the war in Europe in October 1944.

Joseph Farris, age 89, is a 59 year resident of Bethel, and his wife, age 80, has been here 45 years. They have been married for 42 years. Cynthia Farris was an art teacher in Veteran's Park and Branchville schools from 1968 to 1992.

The beautiful hard cover book is on display at Byrd's Books and can be purchased there.

The formal Byrd's Books opening will be on Columbus Day weekend, October 11-12-13, 2013.

Alice Hutchinson said she wants to thank the community for their support of independent book selling.

Contact Alice Hutchinson at Byrd's Books here: 203-730-BYRD (2973) or visit byrdsbooks.com

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According to bannedbooks.org: "Banned Books Week is the national book community's annual celebration of the freedom to read. Hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events…Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982. According to the American Library Association, there were 464 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2012, and many more go unreported."









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