News of the World by Paulette Jiles is a historical fiction novel based on the time between the Civil War and Texas joining the Union, a time of lawlessness in Texas. At heart it is a journey through a rugged landscape unforgiving with weather, outlaws and native tribes. The Captain goes from town to town and gives live readings of the newspapers to people. He tries to choose stories that will not spark controversy but stories that are outside what people in this rural area may have heard.
Captain Jefferson Kidd has agreed to bring a young recently freed captive back to what’s left of her family. Johanna is 10 and does not speak English and only some German. She understands the Kiowa way of life and language, so everything is new and frightening. The journey of 400 miles causes both Johanna and Captain to find ways to communicate, help each other and protect each other. I love the resilience of Johanna. I love the respect the Captain pays her trying to understand her needs and provide for her.
The moral dilemma comes when it is time to leave Johanna with her relatives and it is clear she will not be taken care of, but used as a worker. For at heart, the Captain is a moral man and fears for what Johanna’s life will be like after how hard it has been to date.
The book is not a book that captures you on the edge of your seat. It is a slow rolling of the landscape and the people that pull you in and you want to succeed. It is a quiet story shared.
I did not know a lot about this time in Texas, so much of the information shared was new to me, but that did not take away from the strength of the story. I was heartbroken over the rigidity of people and their choices. I wondered if that was because of the difficulty starting in a new place with lawlessness and wildness. News of the World by Paulette Jiles is a good read.
