From the acclaimed author of The Nightingale and the Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah's The Women, an intimate portrait of coming of age in a perilous time and an epic tale of a divided nation.
Women can be heroes. When Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a twenty-year-old nursing student, hears these words, it is a revelation. Growing up in the idyllic, sunny world of Southern California and protected by her conservative parents, she always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965 the world changes and suddenly she dares to imagine a different future.When her brother goes to Vietnam to serve, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and continues on her path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to fight in Vietnam, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Every day is a game of life and death, hope and betrayal; Friendships are deeply rooted and can fall apart in an instant. In war he meets (and becomes one of) the lucky, brave, broken and lost.
But the war is just the beginning for Frankie and his experienced friends.The real fight lies in returning home, to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
“The Women” is the story of a woman who went to war, but also shines a light on all the women who put themselves in danger and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country are all too often forgotten. A novel of deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will define an era.
