From the Publisher
The Women A Novel
$17.60 + Kargo
Other
| ASIN : | B0C1X97LW7 |
|---|---|
| Publisher : | St. Martin's Press (February 6, 2024) |
| Publication date : | February 6, 2024 |
| Language : | English |
| File size : | 4366 KB |
| Text-to-Speech : | Enabled |
| Screen Reader : | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting : | Enabled |
| X-Ray : | Enabled |
| Word Wise : | Enabled |
| Sticky notes : | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length : | 472 pages |
| Best Sellers Rank: | #2 in Women's Fiction (Kindle Store) |
| Customer Reviews: | 122,269 ratings |
General Enquiries
There are no enquiries yet.
Mike&Jeannette –
This book came highly recommended and it just happened to be one of my book club friends pick for this month. I laughed, I cried and I reflected. In history women are often over looked or their achievements are diminished, this book highlights the women veterans that “were there”. I find it so odd that a nurse in the military at this time was not put at a higher regard, they saved lives in the worst conditions.Frankie’s story took me from her being a young lady to a grown woman who has come through a great deal and all she really wanted was to be seen and remembered. This novel is an amazing telling of a group of veterans that no one wants to acknowledge and war everyone wanted to end. Not having grown up in this era, is it interesting to see where our country was and where we are today, surprisingly progress is some areas is very limited.There is so much to unpack in this book, so I will just touch on the main points for me. Women in the war were a real and important thing and the fact that our country told a lie that “there are no women in Vietnam” is heartbreaking. While I understand this is a time when a women’s “biggest” accomplishment was getting married and have children (in that order), women were capable of so much more and to treat them like second class citizens and deny them their existence as true Veterans is shameful. There was a point in the book when Frankie reaches out to the VA to seek help/support because of her nightmares, and the doctor first said there were no women in Vietnam (yuck) and then had the nerve to ask her if she was menstruating (double yuck). I literally almost threw the book, after his ignorant comment. Lastly, Frankie’s journey to find love in a time of so much chaos and uncertainty was like an emotional roller coaster and my heart ached for her but at times I did really want to shake her. This was a different genre for me but it was a pleasant awakening into the life of a woman veteran, who really just wanted to be seen, because she was there.
David & Pam –
Review of “The Women”By Kristen HannahSuddenly, a beautiful woman walks by you see her, you’ll never forget her, and you can still smell her perfume years later. It’s the smell of her perfume that brings her back time and time again.I thought long and hard about reading this book and after I read it, how do I review it? It’s one of those Kindle suggested books. The title of the book didn’t get my attention, but it was the picture of the palm trees and the UH-1 Huey helicopter that made me look closer.Vietnam nurses were a gift from God, and they sadly suffered trauma every single day. I still get emotional when I think of them and their care for the wounded and dying warriors.I know this book is fictional, but it sent me back to a place long ago. I’m a Vietnam Vet. When Kristen Hannah wrote of Franke and Barb being transferred to the 71st Evac Hospital in Pleiku and the wounded coming in from Dak’to in November of 1967, she was writing about my unit, the 173rd Airborne Brigade.I was there at the time of the “Battle of the Slopes” June 20-23, 1967. I left Vietnam and went home to the “world” in September of 1967. The battle of Dak’to and the battle for Hill 875 happened in November of 1967. On Hill 875 there were 115 KIA, 253 wounded, 7 MIA, and 6 UH-1 Huey helicopters shot down. PFC Carlos Lozada was KIA and received the Medal of Honor. Chaplain Major Charles J. Watters was KIA and received the Medal of Honor also. I flew many times with Chaplain Watters, he was always with his men.You can find their names on “The Wall” in Washington DC. Chaplain Watters is on Panel 30E row 036. PFC Carlos Lozada is on Panel 30E, Row 045. There are 510 names on Panel 30E.You can also find Jack Lee Croxdale II on Panel 30E, Row 23. Jack was a first day KIA. He got to Dak’to with 173rd Airborne on November 19, 1967 and he was killed on November 19, 1967, the day he arrived in Vietnam. His 19th birthday was November 20, 1967. Jack is also one of the seven MIAs. He has a lonely head stone at Fort Rosecrans National Cometary in San Diego, CA that I visit when I can.I have found that most Vietnam nurses are shy around vets. It’s possible because we vets get emotional around them or we bring back too many memories.My wife and I visited a church a while ago with my cousin on Veterans Day and Memorial Day several times before a woman we had seen often at church finally told us that she was a nurse in Vietnam. I felt blessed that she trusted me enough to finally tell me. I have found that Vietnam nurses are very private people.I do agree, at times the Veterans Administration can be a nightmare for both women and men veterans.Finally, I know this is a book of fiction, but there are parts that are taken from real life. Most POWs came home and blended back into society. One in particular did not, and he came back to a wife far different from the one he left behind. He had multiple affairs and ultimately divorced her. Franke’s story is not too far off the mark.My daughter is a registered nurse. She just received her master’s degree in nursing, so she is now able to teach nursing students, just like Franke did with every “New Be”. I told my daughter about this book, and she had already heard about the book, and she also knows several nurses who have read it. She’s excited to read it, along with my wife.One last thing, two months before I DEROS and I went back to the “world” I was assigned my replacement, Fred. Fred and I spent the next two months together (24-7) as I taught him my army duties with the 173rd. I was then relocated to the 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, NC. As men from my unit returned from “Nam” and assigned to Fort Bragg, I’d ask how Fred was doing and no one wanted to talk about him. Finally, a guy we called “Papa San” (because he had a lot of kids), told me that Fred had been killed on Hill 875.Two years later, and after I got out of the service, I was working at a car wash. To my amazement, one day while working, Fred came walking through waiting for his car to be washed. Needless to say, we celebrated Fred’s coming back from the dead!After catching up with Fred, he told me that approximately twenty minutes after he had been wounded on Hill 875 and treated by the medics, he was on a helicopter headed for Pleiku and the 71st Evac Hospital.We all remember the smell of perfume.
Becca Piermor –
Wow! All I can say is this historical fiction book was chilling, heartbreaking, and filled with emotion. In 1967, a young 20-year-old woman, Francis “Frankie” McGrath, enlists in the U.S. Army to become a nurse in Vietnam during the war that ripped America apart. Initially, she wanted to join the war to be closer to her brother, Finlay, who was a pilot with the U.S. Navy.During her two tours, She became a thick-skinned woman and saw things that no one should have been exposed to at her age. She helped many men return home and also spent many hours comforting those that wouldn’t make it home during her time in the make-shift hospitals. Her fellow nurses became her life-line and family during her time over there. It was because of them that she made it through and signed up for a second tour. She not only made unlikely friends, but fell in love.When she finally received word that she was going home, she was excited to start her new life back in Southern California. She couldn’t wait to be welcomed back by her family. Unfortunately, not everyone was happy to see a soldier come back from war. The fight she came back to was almost worse than what she saw in the battle-torn country of Vietnam. She had to find her place in this new world and deal with ugly ghosts from her past. Luckily, she had the support from her friends from Vietnam to help her along the way. But, what there are many things that still hide in the dark. I was in tears at the end of this story and plan to read some of the recommended books.In this book, you find out the stress and uncertainty that came with the return from an unwanted war. The chilling descriptions and PTSD that haunt our veterans are something that need to be addressed and can stay with a soldier long after war has ended. I know this firsthand. My father enlisted in March of 1969, the week after marrying my mother. He was worried he would be drafted since his college grades were less than great and he was uncertain of what he wanted to do in life. Technically, he would have never been sent over to Vietnam because his birthday was #348 of the draft in December 1969.I highly suggest reading this book if you are interested in knowing more about the Vietnam war. Trigger warning, it is very graphic and heartbreaking 💔 .
Shari M –
As I finished this book, I realized that in coming years there will be fewer and fewer Americans left alive who will remember the Vietnam war years, just as now, in 2024, there are very few Americans who can remember the hell that was World War II. But at least the veterans who returned from WWII were honored as heroes. I remember too well how horribly the ‘Nam survivors were treated by Americans, even though they served their country as honorably as did previous soldiers, and in spite of the fact that it wasn’t their fault that their service was to a spurious war.Once again Kristin Hannah has given us a well-researched and poignant story about family, war, honor, respect and humanity, a story that all Americans should hear, especially those who are too young to remember this vital era of American history. Hannah’s characters are well-drawn and throughly relatable, no matter the age or background of the reader. This is not a history book, but it does provide a glimpse into a history we should learn and remember. This is not only a story about male soldiers, but also the women nurses who made it possible for those soldiers to come home, albeit to a country whose citizens and government took decades to show the honor and respect they both earned and deserved. Prepare to cry during the last few pages; they will be tears well earned by this tremendous story.
Avonna –
THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah is an absolute tour de force women’s fiction story that gives the reader an immersive look into the lives of military nurses during the Vietnam War and their various struggles on the front and on their return stateside. While the story features three women, the focus is on the coming-of-age story of one young nurse from Southern California.Frances “Frankie” McGrath has led an idyllic middle class conservative life growing up and running free with her older brother on Coronado Island. Her brother goes to Vietnam after graduating from the Naval Academy, while Frankie is graduated from nursing school, but she wants more. She enlists in the Army Nurse Corps to be overseas with her brother.Completely unprepared for the chaos, she is trained and helped by both her roommates. Every day brings new horror and terror, but also moments of hope and friendships that will last well past the war. Frankie soon becomes a vital member of the surgical trauma team.When she returns home, she finds an America in upheaval and a family and unable to help her cope or even understand her trauma. Her friends always come to help when called, but Frankie has psychological wounds that must be faced on her own before she can really find peace.This story elicits every emotion, and I was immersed in every scene from the horrors of war to emotional breakdowns and PTSD to redemption. The research is evident with the major conflicts of the times being as present in the story as the personal reactions of the main characters. Being from a family with many males who have served in every war, it pained me deeply when Frankie had so much trouble being recognized by the VA and other male combat soldiers, unless they had received care from the nurses overseas. I watched this war every night on the news while in junior high and high school and while my family wanted peace, I never hated the soldiers for serving, but I know now that many did, and it only added to their trauma returning home. Ms. Hannah brought these characters to life on the page as well as every location and time period.I highly recommend this gripping and memorable women’s fiction!
CeleneCelene –
Kristin Hannah is back, baby!!! In a world where The Nightingale is numero uno I am here to tell you The Women gives it a run for its money!What an emotional rollercoaster ride! In true Hannah fashion, she rips your heart apart and mends it back together but with this one she did it to me several times. In a span of two pages, mine was pieced together just to be shattered again. But the ending. Oh my goodness. That ending. 🥺❤️Historical fiction has always been a favorite of mine, but the last year or so I haven’t really focused on it. I knew when I saw this book releasing I was going to read it and with the high praise I saw right off the bat even before its release, I had a feeling I, too, was going to love it. But I also was hesitant, because Historical Fiction hasn’t been my go to lately. It can seem daunting to me at times. They are usually based on true stories and real people, so you know it is going to be an emotional ride. You just don’t know if you are ready to embark on that journey or not. If you know what I am talking about or have felt similar, I am here to tell you, do not let that hold you back on reading this book! This book has the emotions of a romance novel, the edge of your seat tension like a thriller, and it is an absolutely must read for everyone! Please don’t let this one pass you by. Even if historical fiction is not your normal go to genre, I promise this one is worth it!Hannah’s writing is something magical. You are immediately hooked and transported to this world she has created on page one. In our world of reading books, there are good writers, there are bad writers, and then there are phenomenal writers. And Kristin Hannah, my friends, is a phenomenal writer!! When you read her books, you are seeing the words play out inside your head so easily, you feel like you are watching a movie. She is cinematic and that is how I know this book is going to translate so well to screen. How can it not with the foundation she has provided them?? (Yes, Warner Bros. has picked this up for a film! 🙌)So many HF novels focus on WWII. I love those books just as much as the next person, but it is so refreshing to get a different time period, especially from a queen like Hannah. I know nothing of the Vietnam War. I do remember seeing footage of how some people reacted and their opinions of the war, but not to the depths this book takes you on. Or how women were treated that were veterans in this war. That was eye-opening and heart wrenching, but sadly not surprising.Yes, this felt personally for me. As a nurse and a former ICU nurse, I love when we get a protagonist that is also in my field. But this book gutted me and made it feel like Hannah personally dug deep into my soul and stirred up feelings I had buried down deep with this one. I was wrecked. Like sitting in a Mexican restaurant with people all around with tears streaming down my face wrecked while reading this book. I can’t tell you the last time a book emotionally wrecked me like this one did. Now I am not saying everyone will have that visceral reaction. In fact most probably won’t, but I am just telling you that is the response this book got from me. 😅 As usual, I went in blind not knowing what this book was about. I saw high praise and great feedback so I was excited, but like I said earlier I wasn’t expecting this response from reading it.If you’d like to know a short synopsis of the book, it centers around a combat nurse, Frankie, who as recently graduated from nursing school, and despite her parents’ protests and disappointment she has joined the Army to assist as a combat nurse in the Vietnam War. You watch Frankie transform from a naive, young girl who is in way over her head into a straight rockstar and that is something I think everyone in our field can relate to despite all of us not being in a similar predicament she is in.It is divided into two parts. Frankie’s experience during the war and when she comes home. That was another unique take that I appreciated from the author. So many books stay in the combat part of war. Rarely have I read one where you go with the protagonist when they come back home and deal with the “After” part. There are some triggers, so if you want to know more about those feel free to reach out!I’ve never read a book centered around the Vietnam War, so I am extremely grateful Hannah chose this time period to write this amazing novel. And if you haven’t gathered it already, I highly recommend this book for everyone. You are simply doing yourself a disservice if you skip over it. Period.**Also fun fact and as if i couldn’t love this book anymore, my name made an appearance in the book. Granted it was spelled different (Celine), but it was still a pleasant surprise. ☺️
GagaNeal –
Im 79 and lived through the Viet Nam era….and all the changes, challenges and the way our lives were side lined by the war. We had just been married a year and my husband was drafted after the Tet offensive. Needless to say it was a time of sacrifice, confusion, challenges and all the grief and sorrow for us having to enter such an unknown world. The history was so right on, I spent my time on the bases in San Diego and El Toro while my husband was deployed. I saw the huge transport planes, the troops, listened to the music as we shopped…yes the same music in the book. So many personal memories and the experiences of the time were recalled. Enough about me…..To the combat nurses who served and were not recognized….wow. I hope this story helps to continue to right that wrong. This book made me cry….laugh and appreciate what was lost and hope for the continued healing for all our troops and survivors of war. This needs to be a movie!
ConsolaConsola –
I lived during the Vietnam days but I was totally unaware of the the nurses experienced while there. This ‘historical fiction’ book is mind-blowing. I loved the character, Frankie, & all she went through as both a nurse and then a vet returning home to disdain. This was full of hope, sadness, joy, love,This was my first time reading a Hannah Kristin book & I look forward to more of hers.A wonderful book that kept me on the edge of my seat!(I waited for this to come out in paper back… because a paperback is nice, soft, light. But I was very disappointed at the construction of this book. the pages were thick & rough and did not lay flat. Not a nice soft page or smooth. It twisted as I read. A minor complaint, I know, but there’s nothing like a comfortable book to hold & this was not one of them..) Pictures.
Eileen Vernor –
This is by far the best book I’ve read in a long time, so compelling, so hard to put down. The authors’s descriptions of war were so detailed, so well researched. I came away with a much better appreciation for what veterans experience when returning home, truly strangers in a strange land. I also now know more about the women who served as nurses who saved so many lives, held hands as soldiers took their last breath. They were truly heroes. And I have a great empathy for anyone who served in Vietnam, males and female who returned home to so much hatred and shame. Wishing healing for them all.
A. Johnson –
If you served in Vietnam or know anyone who did, you should read this book. It is incredible! You feel like you’re there on the battlefield. It will make you laugh and cry…and scream. Hard to believe that we as a nation turned our backs on these veterans when they came home; how they were looked at with disdain; how women veterans were never even acknowledged. I lived through this time and never realized how bad it really was. This book opened my eyes. It’s a beautiful, tragic, heartbreaking story. The words will be long remembered even after the last page is turned. This is definitely one of Kristen Hannah’s best novels to date.