News of the World

A Novel

De: Paulette Jiles

Narrado por: Grover Gardner

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.

©2016, 2017, 2019 Paulette Jiles (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

A gorgeous, perfect book

I’ve never written a review before. But this was such a wonderful, gorgeous, perfect book and the narrator was so exactly right, I had to say. I was swept away

Excellent story and perfect performance.

This story was excellent, and Grover Gardner was the perfect narrator! Thank you!

As an aside, Hollywood should be ashamed to have made such a disgraceful, lazy, dishonest movie purely to exploit an exceptional author’s work.

Appalling!

Amazing

I loved this story from the first word to the last! I highly recommend listening. Narrator is great and the story comes to life.

I wanted to read this before seeing the upcoming movie with Tom Hanks. I could see him perfectly in this role and am very much looking forward to the movie.

Please do read this book it is wicked good.

Captured My Heart

Fabulous story with great narration.
As a people, we continue to become better to all our citizens.
The work must continue

Excellent, Unique Story

Loved it, listened straight thru, wished it didnt have to end! Great story and narration, historical, educational, interesting, captivating!

news of the world

this was one of the best books I've listened to. what a great story with a great ending.I really enjoyed it. can't wait to see the movie.

Excellent all around

Enjoyed this story very much! The characters were alive The travel thru Texas took you back to anther time, placing you in the dusty trail. I can usually put a ‘book’ down for awhile but this one I wanted to finish.

Held my attention start to finish

I listen while doing needlework and was fully absorbed in the story. The narrator’s voice drew me in and I felt is if he was in fact the protagonist, Captain Kidd.

news of the world

I enjoyed listening to this book and recommend it as a wonderful book to hear

Great story

Great plot and performance, I highly recommend. Really enjoyed the story and the ending