Karon, one of the Charlottesville area’s best-known and most popular writers, was one of the biggest draws of the 14th annual book festival. She spoke over lunch at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel before hundreds of elegantly attired women mostly of a certain age, with just a few husbands in tow.

The problem with all these newfangled TV journalists, veteran newsman Roger Mudd says, is their look-at-me mentality and their emphasis on soft news about subjects like health, dog training and lifestyles.