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News of the World

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"News of the World" by Paulette Jiles follows the journey of Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, an aging war veteran who travels through post-Civil War Texas reading newspapers to small town residents. When he is entrusted with returning a 10-year-old girl, Johanna, who was captured by the Kiowa tribe, to her living relatives, their 400-mile trek becomes a tale of survival, friendship, and cultural clash. The book explores the bond that forms between the Captain and Johanna as they face various perils, showcasing the vivid descriptions of the Texas landscape and the challenges of a changing society.

Characters:

The characters are richly developed, with Kidd representing wisdom and adaptability, while Johanna embodies resilience and the challenge of reconciling two worlds.

Writing/Prose:

Jiles's writing style is characterized by its poetic language and minimal punctuation, enhancing the emotional depth of the story.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot reflects the challenges Captain Kidd faces as he transports Johanna through dangerous territory while navigating their cultural differences.

Setting:

The historical setting of post-Civil War Texas enhances the novel's themes and character experiences.

Pacing:

The pacing effectively balances action with character development, creating a grounded feel to the journey.
CAPTAIN KIDD LAID out the Boston Morning Journal on the lectern and began to read from the article on the Fifteenth Amendment. He had been born in 1798 and the third war of his lifetime had ended five...

Notes:

Captain Kidd earns his living by reading newspapers to audiences in Texas towns.
Johanna was captured by Kiowa Indians at the age of six and spent four years with them.
The journey to return Johanna to her relatives spans 400 miles through dangerous territory.
The novel explores themes of cultural identity and belonging, especially for Johanna.
The relationship between Kidd and Johanna develops from mutual distrust to deep affection.
Paulette Jiles does not use quotation marks for dialogue, adding a unique stylistic choice to the prose.
The story is set in the historical context of the Reconstruction era in Texas.
The book was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2016.
The narrative includes commentary on post-Civil War political and social issues, including race relations.
Captain Kidd's profession as a newsreader reflects the importance of information in a time before mass media.

From The Publisher:

LibraryReads #1 Pick

Soon to be a Major Motion Picture

National Book Award Finalist-Fiction

It is 1870 and Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels through northern Texas, giving live readings to paying audiences hungry for news of the world. An elderly widower who has lived through three wars and fought in two of them, the captain enjoys his rootless, solitary existence.

In Wichita Falls, he is offered a $50 gold piece to deliver a young orphan to her relatives in San Antonio. Four years earlier, a band of Kiowa raiders killed Johanna's parents and sister; sparing the little girl, they raised her as one of their own. Recently rescued by the U.S. army, the ten-year-old has once again been torn away from the only home she knows.

Their 400-mile journey south through unsettled territory and unforgiving terrain proves difficult and at times dangerous. Johanna has forgotten the English language, tries to escape at every opportunity, throws away her shoes, and refuses to act "civilized." Yet as the miles pass, the two lonely survivors tentatively begin to trust each other, forging a bond that marks the difference between life and death in this treacherous land.

Arriving in San Antonio, the reunion is neither happy nor welcome. The captain must hand Johanna over to an aunt and uncle she does not remember-strangers who regard her as an unwanted burden. A respectable man, Captain Kidd is faced with a terrible choice: abandon the girl to her fate or become-in the eyes of the law-a kidnapper himself. Exquisitely rendered and morally complex, News of the World is a brilliant work of historical fiction that explores the boundaries of family, responsibility, honor, and trust.

Ratings (15)

Incredible (7)
Loved It (2)
Liked It (3)
It Was OK (2)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (43):

Read It (16)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (20)
Not Interested (6)

3 comment(s)

Incredible
1 week

Oh the feels, the feels! Been a long time since I was so deeply invested in characters like I was with this book. I was so attached to them and their remarkable bond they shared. I loved that the connection wasn't given by the start and they had to slowly build up trust and understanding for each other. And the growth Johanna did throughout the book was so captivating. I love this book with a passion and I debate wether or not I should get the physical book which I never consider due to the easyness of reading either ebook or audiobook.

 
Incredible
3 months

After getting a good review from some goodreads group buddies, I decided to read this short novel. And thus I was introduced to a gem!

"Maybe life is just carrying news. Surviving to carry the news. Maybe we have just one message, and it is delivered to us when we are born and we are never sure what it says; it may have nothing to do with us personally but it must be carried by hand through a life, all the way, and at the end handed over, sealed."

Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, who survived three wars, a widower and a person who makes his living by reading newspapers from around the world for ten cents in the isolated towns of north Texas has taken up a task of returning a german girl to her family. Johanna Leonberger, who was a captive at Kiowas, is the girl and has lost her parents on that raid. She doesn't want to go to her own family and still thinks her foster family as her own. Captain Kidd, takes her responsibility and they journey together towards her relatives. This journey has its own ups and downs. They struggle among themselves as well as the others. Until the last chapter, you won't know that how close you have become to the two main characters. They become so dear to you, and you laugh and cry with them.

Very quiet novel, and Paulette Jiles is an amazing writer. I am happy to be introduced to her books.

 
Incredible
11 months

easy to read writing style; fascinating characters with a touch of history. One of my favorite authors

 
 
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