News of the World

In this National Book Award Finalist, set in the aftermath of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, an aging itinerant news reader, embarks on a treacherous 400-mile journey through northern Texas to return Johanna, a young captive raised by the Kiowa, to her relatives. As they traverse unforgiving terrain, the unlikely pair confronts physical dangers and emotional challenges, gradually forming a bond amidst their shared solitude and trauma. The narrative explores themes of family, responsibility, and moral dilemmas, culminating in a reunion that poses profound questions of belonging and identity.