News of the World Summary
Paulette Jiles

News of the World Overview

Paulette Jiles's historical novel, News of the World, chronicles the growing friendship between Johanna Leonberger, a young German-American girl taken from her family and cared for by Indian raiders, and Jefferson Kidd, a retired Army Captain who agrees to transport Johanna to her relatives' home in southern Texas. Over their three weeks' journey, the two engage in gunfights, meets cowboys and outlaws, and teach each other about their cultural values and upbringings. To earn money, the Captain also gives professional readings of the "news of the world," collected from national and international newspapers. News of the World explores themes of identity, language, family, aging, and questions of laws and lawlessness.