Helpful Score: 2
A spellbinding story about an itinerant old man in Texas after the Civil War who agrees to deliver a young girl who has been captive with the Kiowa for four years to her relatives near San Antonio. There was so much to appreciate in this story. Besides the touching relationship that develops between Captain Kidd and Johanna, there's the political background and abundant detail about nature and society in that era. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Helpful Score: 2
Such a good book! I loved every minute of it! It's written without quotation marks but so well done that it flows smoothly and doesn't confuse the reader. I wanted to read it before seeing the movie and I am so glad to have read it first. Although having seen previews it is hard not to picture Tom Hanks as the protagonist. A unique and wonderful story!
Editing as I have now watched the movie. Wow! The book is so much better than the movie. I was quite disappointed in the movie version
Editing as I have now watched the movie. Wow! The book is so much better than the movie. I was quite disappointed in the movie version
Helpful Score: 1
Fabulous story. So sad that I put it off so long before I finally got around to reading it. Even though the reviews were really good, the thought of reading a civil war/western type story just wasn't something that spoke to me. Shortly after I opened up this book though, I became immersed. It was so well written that the words just took me away. The characters stood out so well that I felt I knew every one of them. Such a joy to read from beginning to the end.
Helpful Score: 1
I watched the movie version of this book which starred Tom Hanks a few months ago and really enjoyed it. Since then, I have wanted to read the book and finally got to it after finding a copy at a thrift store.
Well, I enjoyed the book even more that the movie. It tells the story of Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a veteran of three wars including the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War, who travels the far reaches of Northern Texas in 1870 to read the news to people on the frontier. He obtains copies of newspapers from as far away as London and scours them for stories of interest. He charges a dime to attend his readings that are well-received by people who don't have access to the news or are illiterate. Then a young 10-year-old girl comes into the Captain's life named Johanna who has been a captive of the Kiowa Indians for four years. Her parents and younger sister were killed by them but she has made the tribe her home and remembers none of he former life and speaks no English. Tired of being harassed by the cavalry, the Kiowa decides to sell her back to an Indian agent who then needs some one to deliver her to her Aunt and Uncle near San Antonio, 400 miles to the south. Kidd agrees to do this for a $50 gold piece that was offered by her family. It's a treacherous journey with possible attack by both Indians and white marauders. Along the way, Kidd comes to love Johanna who considers him her grandpa. So what will happen if they make it to Johanna's family?
This was a very compelling story and a quick read that I enjoyed a lot. The interactions between Kidd and Johanna are heart warming, the stories told by Kidd from his newspapers are interesting, and the experience of Johanna being taken from both her original family and then her Kiowa family is very emotional. The book also tells of some of the history of Texas after the Civil War and the fighting between the political factions at the time which reminded me a lot of our country today and the infighting between parties. Guess things don't change! Overall, I would highly recommend this one.
Well, I enjoyed the book even more that the movie. It tells the story of Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a veteran of three wars including the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War, who travels the far reaches of Northern Texas in 1870 to read the news to people on the frontier. He obtains copies of newspapers from as far away as London and scours them for stories of interest. He charges a dime to attend his readings that are well-received by people who don't have access to the news or are illiterate. Then a young 10-year-old girl comes into the Captain's life named Johanna who has been a captive of the Kiowa Indians for four years. Her parents and younger sister were killed by them but she has made the tribe her home and remembers none of he former life and speaks no English. Tired of being harassed by the cavalry, the Kiowa decides to sell her back to an Indian agent who then needs some one to deliver her to her Aunt and Uncle near San Antonio, 400 miles to the south. Kidd agrees to do this for a $50 gold piece that was offered by her family. It's a treacherous journey with possible attack by both Indians and white marauders. Along the way, Kidd comes to love Johanna who considers him her grandpa. So what will happen if they make it to Johanna's family?
This was a very compelling story and a quick read that I enjoyed a lot. The interactions between Kidd and Johanna are heart warming, the stories told by Kidd from his newspapers are interesting, and the experience of Johanna being taken from both her original family and then her Kiowa family is very emotional. The book also tells of some of the history of Texas after the Civil War and the fighting between the political factions at the time which reminded me a lot of our country today and the infighting between parties. Guess things don't change! Overall, I would highly recommend this one.
Helpful Score: 1
I really enjoyed the story that this book told. It was moving, possible and straight-forward. The growing connection that the main character had with the little girl was lovingly told. It has challenging topics, handled very nicely and I especially loved the final words.
Excellent. Among the best novels I have read.
Highly enjoyable book. I got this book after watching the movie. Now I want to read other Paulette Jiles books. One has been ordered.
An excellent novel..it is set in Texas in 1870..Caprain Kidd travels the state reading articles from several newspapers to the people in various towns...it's a very interesting story....
Wonderfully written story about the old west.
News of the World by Paulette Giles is a small novel (200 pages) that tells a big story.
In 1870s south Texas, 70-year-old Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels from town to town, reading newspaper articles from around the world to all who pay his 10-cent admission fee. In Wichita Falls, he accepts an unusual task: return a 10-year-old girl to her aunt and uncle in San Antonio after she's lived as a captive with the Kiowa for 4 years.
Their journey is both an epic adventure and a beautiful character study filled with moments of fear and frustration, understanding and tenderness. The ending feels rushed, but it's comforting to know the outcomes for the main characters.
Note: This novel contains no quotation marks for dialogue. I didn't notice until I was nearly done reading but it bothered some readers in my book club.
In 1870s south Texas, 70-year-old Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels from town to town, reading newspaper articles from around the world to all who pay his 10-cent admission fee. In Wichita Falls, he accepts an unusual task: return a 10-year-old girl to her aunt and uncle in San Antonio after she's lived as a captive with the Kiowa for 4 years.
Their journey is both an epic adventure and a beautiful character study filled with moments of fear and frustration, understanding and tenderness. The ending feels rushed, but it's comforting to know the outcomes for the main characters.
Note: This novel contains no quotation marks for dialogue. I didn't notice until I was nearly done reading but it bothered some readers in my book club.
I remember the weekly Newsreel when attending the Saturday movie matinee. News of the World tells how those who could not read after the Civil War would pay to hear a news editor read the news from newspapers and how they learned what was happening elsewhere in the world. I also enjoyed reading how a young girl that had been captured by the Indians reintegrated into the white world.
A different kind of a Western, but a good read, although I felt the ending was a bit abrupt. And I never knew you could kill someone by diming them to death.
