The Old West

 Paulette Jiles's book,  News of the World, is a western in that it take place in the west after the Civil War. The story, about an old man delivering a rescued ten year old girl, is based on true stories of children captured by Native Americans during this period. Sometimes these captives did not want to go home to their original families. Some did but never adjusted well. A fascinating but little known piece of history. In the story the young girl does not want to go home. The old man is having second thoughts about this as they travel across a dangerous and lawless land. Exciting, tender and well written, this is a lovely book. ML