In Post Civil War, 70 year old Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, an aging widower travels around Texas reading various newspapers to audiences to earn money. In Wichita Falls he is offered money to deliver a 10 year old orphan, Joanna to her Aunt and Uncle in San Antonio. He accepts only because he feels he has the best chance of keeping her safe and not arousing a scandal. Since he is elderly, it is unlikely that he would be accused of impropriety like a younger man could.
Joanna’s farm was raided by a band of Kiowa. They kill both of her parents and sister and kidnapped her four years prior. She no longer know English nor basic manners of Texas society like how to eat with a fork.
In ‘News of the World’ we follow Captain Kidd and Joanna in their struggle to work their way to San Antonio. In just about every city they stop, Kidd reads the news to audiences eager to hear what is going on in faraway places. He also helps Joanna learn English again and proper manners for a young lady. They face a lot of danger along the way including threat of a Kiowa attack and men who would love a 10 year old girl for their brothels.
As they get closer to their final destination Captain Kidd begins to wonder if Joanna’s aunt and uncle will adopt her as one of their own or set her up for the rest of her childhood to work for them. Will she be well treated or become their property?
Though this book was a bit uneven for me, I ultimately enjoyed it. It is full of adventure and I loved the relationship that grew between Captain Kidd and Joanna. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy historical fiction and westerns.
I received the eBook via Edelweiss for my honest review.
4/5
About Paulette Jiles
Paulette Jiles is an American poet and novelist. Born in Salem, Missouri, she was educated at the University of Missouri with a degree in Romance Languages. Jiles lives in the Texas Hill Country on a small ranch.
In the mid sixteenth century, Henry VIII sits on the throne, and Bianca Goddard tends to the sick and suffering in London’s slums, where disease can take a life as quickly as murder…
For years, alchemist Ferris Stannum has devoted himself to developing the Elixir of Life, the reputed serum of immortality. Having tested his remedy successfully on an animal, Stannum intends to send his alchemy journal to a colleague in Cairo for confirmation. But the next day his body is found and the journal is gone.
Bianca, the daughter of an alchemist, is well acquainted with the mystical healing arts. When her husband John falls ill with the sweating sickness, she dares to hope Stannum’s journal could contain the secret to his recovery. But first she must solve the alchemist’s murder. As she ventures into a world of treachery and deceit, Stannum’s death is only the first in a series of murders—and Bianca’s quest becomes a matter of life and death, not only for her husband, but for herself…
“A realistic evocation of 16th century London’s underside. The various strands of the plot are so skillfully plaited together.” —Fiona Buckley
“Mystery and Tudor fans alike will raise a glass to this new series.” —Karen Harper
Thanks to Chemical Heritage Foundation for permission to post!
Guest Post by Mary Lawrence, Author of Death of an Alchemist
The Life of an Alchemist in the 16th Century
The Noble Art, or Alchemy, is as much a philosophical belief system as it is a rudimentary science. Evolving over several centuries and across three continents, it encompassed the studies of chemistry, religion, mathematics, and mysticism. In the Bianca Goddard mysteries, I focus on alchemy in the 16th century during the time of Henry VIII. So how were alchemists viewed and what hardships did they endure in the pursuit of the elusive philosopher’s stone?
Paintings from the 17th century give clues to the men and their science. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of reference material to plumb from the 1500s, but it is safe to assume the science did not radically change from 1500-1600.
Alchemy’s most basic tenet is the creation of a philosopher’s stone which could transform base or imperfect metals into silver or gold. Alchemists also believed an elixir of life could be developed which would grant immortality.
But alchemists accomplished more than just search for the secret of transmutation. Paracelsus, a well-known alchemist and physician (1493-1541), encouraged using “chymistry” to create medicines. As a result of his work, a controversy erupted between his followers and those who believed chemically prepared medicines were poisonous.
Public attitudes toward alchemists ranged from adulation to skepticism. There were men who approached their science rationally, and there were those who hoped to stumble upon the secret in a haphazard and often dangerous manner. Most all alchemists spent their resources in the futile pursuit, and as a result, their families often suffered in poverty.
A successful alchemist would promote himself as a powerful manipulator of nature–one whose pursuit would benefit mankind. Plenty of charlatans employed their knowledge of solvents and simple chemical reactions to perform tricks that awed. Plenty of patrons parted with their money believing the alchemist was on the brink of discovering the secret to transmutation. Indeed, Ben Jonson’s play in 1610, The Alchemist, was about how one alchemist succeeded in procuring more gold from wealthy patrons than he ever did extracting it from base metals.
For a time, alchemists in London were required to have licenses to practice and were expected to report any progress to the King. Henry VIII employed several alchemists to work in the mint, but Henry was more interested in alchemy for the purpose of making medicines and the number of licenses went down under his reign.
In a time when being accused of heresy could quickly end one’s life, it was important that alchemists assumed a pious attitude. Reverence for God and their art was part of the ‘science’ and being accused of sorcery could end badly. Alchemists believed one must have the right destiny to succeed and failure was a fault of personal character. They were forever trying to prove to themselves and to God, that they were worthy of the great discovery. The impossibility of success creating the philosopher’s stone was assured, and in my mind, this certain disappointment makes for a provocative group of men forced to confront constant failure, poverty, and denial.
About Mary Lawrence
Mary Lawrence studied biology and chemistry, graduating from Indiana University with a degree in Cytotechnology. Along with writing and farming, Lawrence works as a cytologist near Boston. She lives in Maine. The Alchemist’s Daughter is the first book in the Bianca Goddard Mystery series.
Giveaway of Death of an Alchemist by Mary Lawrence
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Mockingbird Next Door: Life With Harper Lee by Marja Mills
I have grown to like audio books again. I stopped listening to them when I stopped having to commute to work. However, I now find they are also great when I am spending a lot of time in the kitchen or soaking in the bathtub. So, when I ran across an electronic copy of ‘Mockingbird Next Door’ through my local library’s website, I couldn’t resist.
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee was published in 1960, 3 years before I was born. If you were born and raised in the United States, chances are that it was required reading in your high school. It certainly was in mine. However, my family had a healthy book collection in the large built in bookcase in our basement. Books added up between my parents and three much older siblings. I never seemed to be able to get enough to read as a child and was often browsing books to find something to read next.
The cover had a girl on it so I mistook it for a kids book and started reading it. I was in 5th grade. My parents never restricted my reading to “age appropriate” books. I devoured ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’!
In high school, I was so excited to get the opportunity to discuss it with my teacher and classmates. However, because I confessed that I already read it, my teacher gave me a different book to read as well This happened a lot, all through high school. I was in honors classes but still found that I had already read many of the books assigned.
My point is, I loved ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’! I’ve read it three times and plan to read it a fourth before I read ‘Go Set a Watchman’ that was recently published.
It is well know that Harper Lee stopped talking to the press and making appearance in 1965. So when I ran across this biography, I figured it was unauthorized. So, of course, I Googled it. The author, Marja Mills claims that she had Harper Lee’s permission to write and publish it but Lee was quoted as denying that. No matter, she did give Marja Mills permission to move into the house next door to hers in Mobile, Alabama and did become friends with her. So much so, that she was invited into Harper and her sister, Alice’s, close circle of friends. Harper Lee also knew that she was writing a book about her. I can’t say that was giving permission or not but I certainly don’t feel guilty for listening to the audio book.
I really liked ‘Mockingbird Next Door’. It was the perfect audio book to unwind with in the bath. It wasn’t too serious, instead it sounded more like friends getting together for dinner or coffee, which happened a lot in the book. It certainly wasn’t ground breaking. Ms. Mills talked about the Lee’s childhood including Harper, actually known as Nelle Lee, her sisters Alice and Louise. She also talked about what Nelle did before she wrote the book and her part in the making of the movie.
Nelle became friends with Gregory Peck and they kept in touch even after the filming. There were a bunch of little tidbits in the book but mostly common knowledge. Yet I found comfort in it. As Mills often quoted Nelle as saying about certain things, “it’s delicious.”
Would I have liked more nuts and bolts/new information? Yes, it would have been nice. However, I didn’t really criticise it for that. It kept me engaged, was well written, and to my mind, respectful. To me, respectful is the most important element in a biography like this. I also really enjoyed the smooth voice of the narrator, Amy Lynn Stewart.
If you are interested in Harper Lee, I do recommend that you read or listen to this book. If you do, come back and let me know your thoughts.
Have you read ‘Mockingbird Next Door’? If so, what do you think of it?
4/5
About Marja Mills
Marja Mills is a former reporter and feature writer for the Chicago Tribune, where she was a member of the staff that won a Pulitzer Prize for a 2001 series about O’Hare Airport entitled “Gateway to Gridlock.” The Mockingbird Next Door is her first book.
Mills was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. She is a 1985 graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service; a lifelong interest in other cultures led to studies in Paraguay, Spain and Sweden. Mills lives in downtown Chicago and often spends time in Madison and her father’s hometown of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, pop. 3,500.
News Of the World by Paulette Jiles
News Of the World by Paulette Jiles
rudimentary science. Evolving over several centuries and across three continents, it encompassed the studies of chemistry, religion, mathematics, and mysticism. In the Bianca Goddard mysteries, I focus on alchemy in the 16th century during the time of Henry VIII. So how were alchemists viewed and what hardships did they endure in the pursuit of the elusive philosopher’s stone?
But alchemists accomplished more than just search for the secret of transmutation. Paracelsus, a well-known alchemist and physician (1493-1541), encouraged using “chymistry” to create medicines. As a result of his work, a controversy erupted between his followers and those who believed chemically prepared medicines were poisonous.
one whose pursuit would benefit mankind. Plenty of charlatans employed their knowledge of solvents and simple chemical reactions to perform tricks that awed. Plenty of patrons parted with their money believing the alchemist was on the brink of discovering the secret to transmutation. Indeed, Ben Jonson’s play in 1610, The Alchemist, was about how one alchemist succeeded in procuring more gold from wealthy patrons than he ever did extracting it from base metals.
Mockingbird Next Door: Life With Harper Lee by Marja Mills