It feels as though I spent a
good part of this holiday weekend in another century. First, I read News of the World by
Paulette Jiles which is set in 1870 Texas and I was absolutely immersed in the
travels of Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd and Johanna Leonberger. Captain Kidd, a veteran of three wars and an
honorable and trustworthy man who took pride in entertaining and educating others, was asked to transport a young Kiowa captive back to her family. News of the World tells the story of their 400 mile sometimes harrowing
adventure and of the growing affection between the Kep-dun and his 10 year-old
charge. A former printer, Kidd supports himself as an itinerant reader of the
news – a fascinating thought and profession in itself. Author Jiles clearly
conveys the times through small details; referring briefly, for example, to the
first professional baseball team (Cincinnati Red Stockings), the first female law
college graduate and the construction of a new bridge between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
She excels, however, in deftly describing life and characters on the trail. Add
this title to your reading list: News of the World received
starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus and was nominated for the
National Book Award for Fiction. 
Turning to non-fiction and
the 1899 kidnapping of two brothers, I began Truevine by Beth Macy, a
true story of the Jim Crow South. Truevine
tells of the exploitation of two African American albinos, George and
Willie Muse, in the “freak” show at Ringling Brothers Circus, offering a look at
segregation and at circus life in the 1920’s. Similarly to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Truevine also describes
the author’s search for facts about the brothers and their mother’s attempts to
find them. A non-fiction narrative, Truevine received starred reviews from
Booklist and Kirkus, is appearing on several “best books” lists and may have
appeal across the curriculum. Macy’s first full-length investigative work, Factory Man (2014), was a New York Times bestseller.
Moving forward through the 20th
century was a key theme in Fannie Flagg’s new feel good novel, The
Whole Town’s Talking. This story
recounts the life of Elmwood Springs, Missouri from 1889 to present day through
the many happenings involving several generations of its inhabitants. First, there is Lordor Nordstrom who finds a
mail order bride, Katrina. Later, his grandson, Gene, goes off to fight in WWII;
there’s even a murder or two to investigate.
Award-winning author Fannie Flagg refers to numerous events and popular
culture from 20th century America as she chronicles the ways in which many colorful
characters impact the Sweet Clover Dairy, the town, and the cemetery called
Still Meadows. Here’s a favorite quote: “a
cute, red-haired boy who looked just like someone had picked up a large bucket
of freckles and thrown them at him.” The
Whole Town’s Talking, filled with Flagg’s vivid, homespun descriptions,
will certainly make you smile. Enjoy!
