Book Review: “News of the World” by Paulette Jiles

News of the World by Paulette Jiles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“News of the World,” by Paulette Jiles, was published in 2016. This is a lovely book with a compelling story arc. The tale unfolds along a four-hundred mile swath of Post-Civil War Texas. Regular readers of my reviews might care to take note: This is not a dark, grim story, nor is it a difficult read. My eighty-five year old mother loves this novel. This is not to say that everything in “News of the World” is yellow posies and sunshine. There is a wide streak of American Gothic woven through this novel. And, at two hundred and nine pages, “News of the World” is not a long literary commitment.

“News of the World” is a deceptively simple novel; the story is clear and concise. Despite the brevity of the novel, or perhaps because of it, the tale is compelling. Ms. Jiles has crafted a story that makes one want to read slowly, and, at the same time, quickly. The basic underpinnings are those of a Buddy Story: an unlikely pair of travelers are thrown together on a dangerous path. It is an archetypal tale, one that our prehistoric ancestors told around the firelight in snug, warm caves. The story revolves around two main characters: our pair of unlikely buddies.

Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd roams northern Texas with a satchel full of newspapers from around the world. He reads the news aloud to eager small town audiences. Admission to a reading is a dime a pop. Capt. Kidd (wink-wink) is an aging veteran of two wars, set in his ways and happy with them.

As a very small girl, Johanna was orphaned by the Kiowa raiders who killed her family. She was taken by the Kiowa and raised by them. A hard life amongst the plains Indians is all the ten-year old girl knows. Recaptured by the US Cavalry, Johanna is tended to by well-meaning townsfolk who want to be rid of her. They offer Capt. Kidd fifty dollars in gold to return the young girl to her distant (and unknown) relatives San Antonio.

Therein we have the elements of the story. There is an aging man who enjoys his quiet life, a half-savage girl who upsets Capt. Kidd’s life on an hourly basis, and a four hundred mile stretch of bad road. Throw in a fifty-dollar gold piece and there is enough bait to attract predators. In the hands of a less adept writer, this could be the makings of a pulp fiction. Fortunately, under Ms. Jiles deft touch, the tale is compelling, heart-warming, and rewarding.

Recommended reading, and yes, I used the words “Heart-warming” in a review. It is a red-letter day, to be sure.

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