News of the World: a novel
By Paulette Jiles
News of the world, by Paulette Jiles, is a historical novel that recounts a story from the life of the fictional Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd. The year is 1870, and Captain Kidd makes his living by traveling throughout the state of Texas getting paid to read newspapers to folks hungry for “news of the world.” Kidd is 72 years old-a father, widower, war veteran and loner who enjoys his solitary, transient life.
On one of his reading stops, he is approached by a “freighter” (a person that transports cargo, supplies, or goods). The freighter has been paid $50 to return a 10 year old girl who had been kidnapped in a raid by a Kiowa Indian tribe four years earlier to her family near San Antonio. But problems arose with the girl whose English name is Johanna. She doesn’t remember how to speak English, doesn’t remember her past, and she wants to return to her Kiowa family. The freighter can no longer handle her and he asks the trustworthy Captain Kidd to take the $50 and the girl and travel the 400 mile distance to her home.
Their trip is treacherous—they meet up with hostile Indian tribes and desperados who want Johanna for their own devices, plus Johanna tries to escape at every opportunity and will not try in the least to act “civilized.” Yet, as the Captain and Johanna meet every challenge thrown at them, they learn to trust each other. This growing trust and the sense of responsibility Captain Kidd feels towards Joanna will be of the upmost importance once they arrive in Johanna’s hometown and face another act of deceit and betrayal.
If you are a fan of True Grit (one of my favorite novels and movies) , or the John Wayne movie, The searchers, then I highly recommend News of the world to you. A National Book Award Finalist, this simple, unpretentious novel has much to say in terms of kindness, loyalty and love. It is available at the Lafourche Parish Library in print and eBook format.