A #1 bestseller: The Women by Kristin Hannah
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Categories: Women/ Family Life – General
As seen in The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times!
From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah’s The Women—an intimate coming-of-age portrait set against the backdrop of a nation divided.
When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears the words “women can be heroes,” her life changes forever. Raised in the idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, Frankie has always adhered to doing the right thing. But in 1965, amid a rapidly changing world, she envisions a new path for herself. Following her brother’s deployment to Vietnam, Frankie joins the Army Nurse Corps and heads to the war zone.
In Vietnam, Frankie faces the chaos and destruction of war, learning quickly that each day is a gamble of life and death. Friendships forged in the crucible of combat are deep but fragile. Among the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost, Frankie finds her place.
However, the true battle begins upon her return to a changed America. Confronted by angry protesters and a country eager to forget Vietnam, Frankie and her fellow veterans face the challenges of reintegration.
The Women illuminates the often-overlooked sacrifices and heroism of women who served in Vietnam. It is a novel of deep friendships, bold patriotism, and the resilience of a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire come to define an era. Kristin Hannah’s richly drawn story honors the women who put themselves in harm’s way, shining a light on their forgotten contributions and commitment to their country.
About the Author
KRISTIN HANNAH is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including The Four Winds, The Nightingale and The Great Alone. A former lawyer turned writer, she lives with her husband in the Pacific Northwest.
Reviews
“Hannah again shines her light on overlooked women in history” -People Magazine (Book of the Week)
“Hannah is in top form here… Hannah’s real superpower is her ability to hook you along from catastrophe to catastrophe, sometimes peering between your fingers, because you simply cannot give up on her characters. She gathers women into the (Vietnam) experience with moving conviction.” –The New York Times
“The Women is historical fiction at its very best. So moving, so wrenching, and yet, in the end, uplifting. Brava! I loved The Nightingale and The Four Winds, but The Women is my favorite.” –Nicholas D. Kristof, Pulitzer Prize-winning coauthor of Half the Sky
“One of the greatest storytellers of our time, Kristin Hannah, tackles one of the most cruel and despicable wars of the last century, the Vietnam War. The Women reveals the powerful contributions and horrific sacrifices of the American military nurses who served in a war whose agencies refused to acknowledge that they were even there. Perhaps no words can bring closure to a nation still ashamed of booing our returning heroes, but the heroine, Frances McGrath, stirs a deep, overdue compassion and tears for every single soldier–and especially the forgotten women who sacrificed so much. Never has a novel of war metamorphosed so profoundly into a story of the human heart.” -Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing
“Stuns with sacrifice; uplifts with heroism . . . an important, long overdue tribute to the brave women nurses who served in Vietnam.” -Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry
“Hannah’s emotionally charged page-turner (after The Four Winds) centers on a young nurse whose life is changed by the Vietnam War. Before Frankie McGrath begins basic training for the Army in 1966, her older brother Finley is killed in action. Frankie excels as a surgical nurse in Vietnam and becomes close with fellow nurses Ethel and Barb. After Ethel’s tour ends, Frankie and Barb gets assigned to the base at Pleiku, near the Cambodian border, where some of the heaviest fighting occurs. There, she reunites with Navy officer Rye Walsh, Finley’s best friend, and they become lovers. When Frankie returns to the U.S., she’s met with indifference for her service from her parents, who are still grieving her brother’s death, and disdain from people who oppose the war. She leans on alcohol and drugs while struggling to acclimate to civilian life. Though the situations and dialogue can feel contrived (Rye, after announcing he’s re-upping, says to Frankie at the close of a chapter, “I’m not leaving my girl”), Hannah’s depictions of Frankie tending to wounded soldiers are urgent and eye-opening, and a reunion of the three nurses for Frankie’s benefit is poignantly told. Fans of women’s historicals will enjoy this magnetic wartime story.” –Publishers Weekly
“Many would say that the nurses who helped fight the Vietnam War were forgotten. Believe me, for those of us who were there, these women were never forgotten–and never will be. Kristin Hannah honors them with this novel.” -Karl Marlantes, author of Matterhorn
“Hannah enjoys the authorial reach to educate legions of readers about the significant subjects she dramatizes. In doing so she demonstrates that, just like the women she writes about, she deserves to be recognized.” -Minneapolis Star Tribune
“a moving, gripping tale that pays tribute to the under-appreciated skill and courage of combat nurses.” -Booklist, starred review
“Hannah tells the story of real but unsung heroes” -Washington Post
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