Diane Causey|Leader-News
Utopia resident Paulette Jiles, who wrote a novel entitled “News of the World,” which Tom Hanks made into a movie with Universal Pictures, stands alongside the poster for the film, which she watched in San Antonio. The novel and movie are set five years after the end of the Civil War.
Paulette Jiles, Utopia’s national award-winning author, and a large entourage of friends attended the showing of the movie “News of the World” in San Antonio last Wednesday.
Hollywood director/actor Tom Hanks purchased the movie rights from Jiles after her novel by the same title received national acclaim.
Utopians are proud of this resident author, and it was very special to watch the movie based on her work of historical fiction.
As is almost always the case when Hollywood takes over, the plot was altered in a few places but Captain Kidd remained the hero and everyone who had not already read the book is now anxious to get a copy.
Jiles does meticulous research for her books and the view of Texas in the 1870s was a lesson in hard times and survival.
“Poignant and unforgettable stories of hardship, sacrifice, and strength in tragic times” is a statement often used to describe Jiles’ writings.
Her love of history, meticulous research and unimaginable creativity have created New York Times best-sellers such as “Enemy Women,” set during the Civil War near Jiles’ homeland in Missouri and “Stormy Weather,” a heart-wrenching story of the Great Depression and the struggles of a family of daughters.
Jiles, also an expert horsewoman, name-dropped some early racing bloodlines that many old-timers in Uvalde County would recall as the “Stormy Weather” father character often slipped away to spend time and money at the brush tracks in South Texas.
Although her writings are fiction, many are based on actual events or real characters from early Texas. Some Utopia friends had an ancestor who traveled to the frontier towns reading the newspapers for a few extra pennies and dimes.
Jiles used this character to create “News of the World,” named one of the top five best books in the National Book Award for fiction in 2018.
“Simon the Fiddler,” Jiles’ newest release, is set in Texas at the end of the Civil War. Simon and his musician friends creatively find ways to play their music and survive the post-war turmoil and yellow fever epidemic.
This is the second book written by a Sabinal Canyon citizen to make the big screen. About 10 years ago Utopians were awaiting the release of “Seven Days in Utopia” written by David Cook.
Booster Club event
It won’t be long till Utopia boys and girls will be competing in the Uvalde County Junior Livestock Show. The 4-H and FFA Booster club will host the annual Taste of the Canyon on Saturday, Jan. 9, at the Utopia River Retreat barn. Several local cooks will have interesting dishes for tasting and then guests will vote for the favorites. An auction of various items donated by local businesses and individuals will follow the meal.
All proceeds from this fun event will help purchase stock show projects shown by our local youth at the stock show, traditionally held at the end of January. If anyone would like to cook or donate auction items, see Ernie or Valerie Moore soon.
Cemetery meeting
The Waresville Cemetery Association will hold its annual meeting on Monday, Jan. 11, at the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. This meeting is open to all friends and family members of those buried in the historic cemetery.
The Wreaths Across America project was a huge success in our community with Jeralyn Hathorn, Meagen Wiekamp and Sandra Payne organizing the event for all our cemeteries. After an impressive ceremony on the Town Square volunteers distributed the wreaths to every veteran grave. Although I missed our local event, I was able to witness the laying of the wreaths at the Fayetteville National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and it was a memorable moment.
Around Town
Although our community had mostly missed the COVID-19 virus, it raised its ugly head just in time to cancel the school Christmas program a few hours before curtain time.
This was disappointing for the participants and the spectators. The community cantata, under the direction of Connie Lanphier, did happen at the Baptist and Methodist churches. Lanphier and the choir members did an outstanding job of presenting the Christmas message in song and blessed everyone who heard them.
Happy Jan. 8 birthday wishes to my mother, Alice Lemond, on the 96th anniversary of her birth in the white house on Main Street, where the Utopia Water Supply is now located.
She has commented that her brothers were not very happy as they had to stay outside in the cold shed all day waiting for her arrival. Mom is still directing all the activities at our hundred-year-old ranch home and is a happy camper as long as she has plenty of firewood for her fireplace and someone to take her to get her hair done every Friday.
Happy birthday and God bless you, Alice.
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January 03, 2021 at 05:06PM
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Jiles' book turned movie now showing in theaters - Uvalde Leader-News
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