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Mitch Albom can confirm this firsthand: Even if you’re an internationally renowned writer who authored one of the most beloved and bestselling memoirs of all time , you can still harbor nagging feelings of regret. “There are many things that I would love to do over in my life if I was given a magical ability,” he says. He channeled those thoughts into his whimsical and tender new novel, Twice . The story chronicles the life of Alfie Logan, who, as a boy, discovers that he can relive any moment and alter its outcome for better … or worse. Using his gift, Alfie fixes mistakes, takes risks and gets a second shot. But after falling for a budding nature photographer named Gianna, he learns the hard way that he can’t rekindle love. “It’s a story about whether the grass is really greener on the other side. I think this is a theme that a lot of people besides me think about as they get older,” says Albom, whose 20-plus books include The Five People You Meet in Heaven (2003 ), Finding Chika ...

It’s the kind of call every parent dreads. Last year, my phone rang at midnight with a police officer on the other end informing me that my second son was in a terrifying car accident —the car rolled, crossed a highway, hit a pole and was totaled. (I hope he knows he’ll be hearing about this article for the rest of his life. Hi, sweetie!) Then the officer put my son on the phone, and I don’t know who was crying harder: him out of fear or me out of relief that he was alive to cry at all. When I arrived at the scene and saw the crumpled metal that used to be a functioning vehicle, I couldn’t understand how anyone walked away. Several people were taken to the hospital for treatment, but miraculously, my son was completely unharmed. The police officer told me something that has stuck with me ever since: It was probably because of where he was sitting. He’d randomly chosen the safest seat in a car . Most of us have wondered at some point whether our favorite seat is putting us at extra r...

You have to admit, seeing the first pumpkins arrive at your local grocery store is kind of exciting. When you come across those orange gourds in the produce section, it’s impossible not to get pumped for the fall season. Because the truth is, Starbucks may keep trotting out its Pumpkin Spice Lattes earlier and earlier each year, but that doesn’t mean fall is actually here. Sorry, Starbucks—autumn vibes aren’t really happening until pumpkins are available for carving. At least that’s my humble opinion. But who do we have to thank for all of those pumpkins? They can’t all be supplied by your nearest pumpkin patch , can they? Nope! In fact, the majority of pumpkins sold in the U.S. come from one state, in particular. And while it might come as a surprise, it will actually make sense once you connect a few dots. Read on to find which state produces the most pumpkins—and why it more than earns its title as the pumpkin capital of the world. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up news...

The Exorcist . Poltergeist . The Shining . You probably get goosebumps just thinking about these movies, and for good reason! The best horror movies stay with you long after those final credits roll, making you break into a cold sweat when you’re home alone or something goes bump in the night. But whether you love scaring yourself silly all year long or just around Halloween, we’re here to remind you that these movies are just that—movies! Of course, even the ones based on true tales rely on a whole lot of movie magic and Hollywood dollars to bring the scares. And we have some of that frightfully fun, behind-the-scenes info right here. From the on-set secrets you never knew to the spine-chilling performances you can’t forget to the reigning champs at the box office, these tidbits will make you see your favorite scary movies in a whole new light. Read on to find out all the details … if you dare. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more entertainment, fun fact...

This is embarrassing, but scary movies freak me out so much, I watch with my hands covering my eyes. More embarrassing still? I keep going back for more. We all know that feeling of being terrified by horror flicks yet strangely drawn to them, like a vampire to a bare neck. Fear isn’t a very pleasant feeling. In real life, it keeps us safe by alerting us to danger, but it comes with unpleasant side effects, like a racing heart and churning gut. So why put ourselves through all that? To find out what’s behind our fascination with scary books , movies and podcasts, I talked to Coltan Scrivner, PhD, a behavioral scientist affiliated with the psychology department at Arizona State University and the author of the new book Morbidly Curious: A Scientist Explains Why We Can’t Look Away . Are we psychopaths for loving a psychopath flick? Are we sadists intent on ruining our own night? Here are the surprising, research-backed reasons we crave thrills, chills and gore. Get  Reader’s Dig...