TOWN INFORMATION

News of the World by Paulette Jiles is This Year’s Pick

DAVIDSON, N.C. – The 2018 ReadDavidson selection is News of the World by Paulette Jiles.  ReadDavidson, an annual town-wide reading initiative that started in 2007, is a partnership between the Town of Davidson, the Davidson Public Library, Main Street Books, and several local avid readers. The ReadDavidson committee encourages people to read a selected book and attend fun and educational book-related events that make the book come to life.  This year’s events are scheduled for April in conjunction with the town’s annual “April is for Arts” initiative.  All members of the community are invited to read News of the World and attend these free-of-charge events.

Book Synopsis:

In 1870, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels through the Texas frontier reading from the latest newspapers and bringing the news of the world to isolated towns.  In Wichita Falls, he is asked to return a captive girl to her relatives near San Antonio, 400 miles away. The old man and the girl start out on a hazardous journey, made riskier because she considers herself a Kiowa and does not want to return to her home.  In the end, Captain Kidd finds he must return her to relatives who don’t want her, even though he and the girl have become friends. A story of courage and honor and the truth that these two things are often the possession of even the unlikeliest people.

Programs:

Tuesday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the Davidson Public Library

Join retired Charlotte Observer newspaper writer and Davidson resident Mark Washburn for a discussion of News of The World as he shares his perspective on news transmission then and now.

Saturday, April 28 at 4:00 p.m. at Main Street Books, located at 126 S. Main St. 

Join Dr. Carol Higham, professor of history at UNC-Charlotte and a Davidson resident, as she leads a book discussion of News of the World.  She’ll provide a historical perspective of what activity was transpiring in that part of the country with Native Americans and the German immigrant population, post-Civil War.

“ReadDavidson aligns perfectly with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s mission to ‘improve lives and build a stronger community,’ said Davidson Branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library manager Ellen Giduz. “We’re proud to be a partner in this initiative that does so much to enrich our community.”

The ReadDavidson initiative would not be possible without the support of the following sponsors:

• Main Street Books
• The Davidson Branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
• DavidsonLearns
• The Town of Davidson

For more information on ReadDavidson, please visit www.townofdavidson.org/ReadDavidson, sign up for the ReadDavidson eCrier at www.townofdavidson.org/eCrier, and follow “ReadDavidson” on Facebook.