News of the World by Paulette Jiles is an exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction that follows an aging itinerant news reader who agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her remaining family in Texas in the aftermath of the Civil War.
We are such huge fans of this book in-house, and it's garnered wonderful support from the library community as well. Here's just a sampling of the great praise for News of the World:
“Stupendous writing, characters that get under your skin and burrow deep into your heart, great pacing, and an ending that makes you cry with joy and relief. I feel sorry for the book I read next. News of the World is a hard act to follow.” —Janet Lockhart, Wake County Public Libraries, Raleigh, NC
“My respect for Paulette Jiles grows with every novel she writes, and News of the World is her best work yet… She writes with great clarity, understanding, and a forgiving heart.” ― Nancy Pearl, librarian, bestselling author, literary critic
"Jiles’ lyrical style and minimal punctuation allow the reader to become immersed in the dusty Texan landscape, witnessing the anguish, fear, compassion, and joy in the unlikely pair’s journey." ― Booklist starred review
"Jiles makes the narrative so compelling… Lyrical and affecting, the novel succeeds in skirting clichés through its empathy and through the depth of its major characters." ― Kirkus starred review
Now hear from the author herself. Our wonderful video studio visited Paulette at her home in Texas, and she wanted to share a message to librarians:
Thanks, Paulette! If you haven't yet experienced this beautiful novel for yourself, there's still time to download the egalley from Edelweiss. If you love it as much as we do, please let us know what you think! LibraryReads nominations are due by August 20.