As per description in the back of the book: In 1870, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, an elderly widower and Civil War veteran, drifts through northern Texas, performing live readings from newspapers to paying audiences. In Wichita Falls, he is offered a fifty-dollar gold piece to deliver a young orphan to her relatives near San Antonio. Four years earlier, a band of Kiowa raiders killed Johanna Leonberger's parents and sister, and took the little girl to raise as their own. Rescued by the U.S. Army, the ten-year-old has once again been torn away from the only home and family she knows. The four-hundred-mile odyssey through unsettled territory and unforgiving terrain proves dangerous. The Captain must watch for thieves, Comanche and Kiowa, and the federal army-- and corral the wild Johanna. Yet as the miles pass, the two lonely survivors begin to trust each other and forge a bond. But in San Antonio, Kidd is faced with a terrible choice: abandon Johanna to strangers who regard her as an unwanted burden, or become-- in the eyes of the law-- a kidnapper himself.

I picked this book up mainly because Tom Hanks was on the cover. I had no prior knowledge of this book-- which is fairly common with me when I go out and hunt for book finds. After reading the description, "True Grit" came to mind, the only Western movie and book that I enjoyed so much for me to purchase a copy of the book.

"New of the World" did not disappoint. Centered between the unlikely friendship between Capt. Kidd and Johanna, this novel masterfully exhibited the good and bad in humanity. Capt. Kidd was already 72 years old at that time, he has outlived his Spanish wife, raised his 2 daughters, lost his business due to the wars and was now an itinerant newscaster-- reading bits and pieces of multiple newspapers to eager listeners in small Texas towns. In hindsight, Jiles created the perfect background for Capt. Kidd to make his ability to care for a child realistic--an ex-military man who raised a family, lost everything and now had nothing to lose.

Johanna's ways were initially a challenge for Capt. Kidd. Raised by the Kiowa tribes since she was 6 years old, the 10 year old Johanna did not speak English and saw the world as a Kiowa tribe member. But with this entailed hunting, stealth and defense skills, which came in very handy, especially when Capt. Kidd was in terrible danger. She gradually learned to behave in "polite" society although as said in the author's notes, the kidnapped children, regardless of ethnic origin, typically never readjusted fully to their original families. Her quick thinking and battle smarts made her more endearing to Capt. Kidd.

In spite of the danger and serious undertones of the novel, there was a peppering of dry humor which I found witty and amusing. My favorite scene was Johanna, running with a butcher knife in one hand, and Capt. Kidd realizing that she was intent on scalping one of the bad guys. He had to stop her and explained, "No. Absolutely not. No. No scalping. It is considered impolite."

Aside from the humor, there was an underlying feeling of love and affection between the unlikely companions which made the novel compelling to read. One can not help but have emotional investment with the duo and their pursuit of happiness.

A top notch Western tale with the focus on relationships rather than war or action, "News of the World" deserve all the praise it received. Definitely worth reading and experiencing.

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