The Women

Kristin Hannah's powerful storytelling talents are brilliantly showcased by narrator Julia Whelan, whose supple, low-pitched voice adeptly moves between characters, capturing their personalities and moods, her empathy palpable.—The Washington Post

From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah's The Women, a captivating narrative that interweaves the intimate portrait of a young woman's coming-of-age in a perilous time and an epic tale of a nation torn apart.

Women can be heroes, and when twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on her adherence to the right path. However, in 1965, as the world undergoes a profound transformation, Frankie dares to envision a different future for herself. When her brother is deployed to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows in his footsteps.

Inexperienced and green, like the men sent to fight in Vietnam, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a high-stakes gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships are forged deeply and can be shattered in a heartbeat. In the midst of the conflict, she becomes one with the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But the war is just the beginning for Frankie and her fellow veterans. The real battle lies in returning home to a changed and divided America, facing angry protesters and a country that seeks to forget Vietnam. The Women is the story of one woman's journey to war, but it also shines a light on all the women who have put themselves in harm's way, their sacrifice and commitment to their country often overlooked.

A novel about the power of deep friendships and unwavering patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn narrative with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

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