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The Women: A Novel
by Kristin Hannah
Hardcover : 480 pages
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14 members have read this book
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these ...
Introduction
From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes The Women?at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
Women can be heroes. 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 doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets?and becomes one of?the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming 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 one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
Editorial Review
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OneCORONADO ISLAND, CALIFORNIA
MAY 1966
The walled and gated McGrath estate was a world unto itself, protected and private. On this twilit evening, the Tudor-style home’s mullioned windows glowed jewel-like amid the lush, landscaped grounds. Palm fronds swayed overhead; candles floated on the surface of the pool and golden lanterns hung from the branches of a large California live oak. Black-clad servers moved among the well-dressed crowd, carrying silver trays full of champagne, while a jazz trio played softly in the corner. ...
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Discussion Questions
From the publisher--added by Pauline:1. “Women can be heroes.” Frankie believes her future as a wife and mother is set in stone until Rye says this. It is a small comment that tears a big hole in Frankie’s perception of the world. These words, and her brother’s enlistment, inspire Frankie to join the Army Nurse Corps. It is a decision founded on the patriotism of the post–World War II era and her family’s proud history of service. Why do you think Frankie’s parents were so appalled by her enlistment in the Army? Was it simply her sex? Or was there more to it? Discuss how the “conformity” of the 1950s caged women and the “freedom” of the 1960s changed the perception of where women “belong.” How do you think Bette and Connor’s own family history of service impacted their opinion of her choice?
2. Frankie arrives in Vietnam filled with idealism and hope. She wants to “make a difference.” But almost instantly, she is thrust into the truth of war: the trauma, the heartbreak, the fear. She thinks that she is too inexperienced and that she has made a mistake. It is Ethel who talks her through this and gives her comfort. How does this friendship change and grow over time? How do Ethel and Barb change Frankie’s view of the world?
3. Throughout the novel, characters listen to the pop music of the 1960s by such bands as The Beatles, The Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Cream. Classic Rock is now more than fifty years old, and artists from that era continue to tour and sell out arenas. Why do you think the 1960s music that reflected the counterculture and changing mores continues to appeal to so many generations of fans? Are the lyrics of these songs and the stories they tell still relevant in the twenty-first century? Are you a fan of Classic Rock? Which songs? Which artists? What do they mean to you and why?
4. During her Tour of Duty, Frankie evolves from sheltered young woman into hardened combat nurse. As wounded flood into the hospital, she begins to question the American government’s involvement in the war. She sees the truth behind the lies that are being told in the media and at home. The Vietnam generation was fueled by dreams and lost on the battlefield. Discuss how the political climate changed the war and how disillusionment with the government changed Americans’ minds.
5. In Vietnam, Frankie saves lives. During her service, she is aware of the protests going on “back in the world”: the flag burnings and the sit ins and the marches. She wonders why people can’t oppose the war but support the soldiers. Even so, when she returns home after two tours in Vietnam, she is stunned by the lack of welcome she receives. She is spit on at the airport and has trouble finding a cab to take her home. Once there, she learns that her parents are so ashamed of her service that they lied to their country club friends about it. She realizes quickly that Vietnam veterans are not respected; there is no thank-you for their service. The only way to survive is to “disappear” into the landscape and not talk about the war. How did this impact a generation of Americans? What would it feel like to have served your country in wartime only to be spit upon when you came home? How did this treatment affect the veterans in both the long and short term? How did it affect Frankie? Can you understand her trauma?
6. Explore and discuss the theme of honor in the novel as it relates to Frankie’s decisions about the war, about her life after the war, and about Jamie and Rye. What is her moral code? Other nurses tell Frankie that in Vietnam, “men lie and they die.” How does this statement reflect the events of the novel?
7. “There were no women in Vietnam.” When Frankie returns stateside, she encounters people who refuse to take her service and her experiences seriously and ignore her requests for help. Today, women continue to fight for their health rights against a medical system that fails to actively listen and address women’s health concerns. Have you ever felt dismissed by a doctor or a hospital when discussing your health? Do you think gender plays a role in how doctors treat their patients?
8. Clearly, Frankie suffers from PTSD after the war. At that time, there was very little understanding of the effects of PTSD, and both the military and the medical community dismissed the notion that a woman could suffer from the effects of war. Frankie herself believes that she “wasn’t in combat.” Was she? How do you define being in combat?
9. Over the years, Frankie is more and more affected by her PTSD, although she has no way to understand it and no one to help her deal with it. Her symptoms make her feel more alone, more of a failure. But she tries valiantly to “soldier on.” It isn’t until her miscarriage and Rye’s return from the Hanoi Hilton that she really begins to spiral out of control. This is when her mother gives her drugs to “take the edge off.” These highly addictive drugs were advertised and prescribed to women as “Mother’s Little Helpers.” Why do you think such ads existed? What purpose did they serve? How did you feel about Frankie’s coping behavior? Was there ever a time in your life when you felt so alone and helpless that you didn’t know what to do? How did Frankie’s mental and emotional health journey make you feel?
10. The stigma of mental illness remains prevalent today, and many people would rather suffer in silence than seek help. What do you do to maintain your mental and emotional health? Do you have a supportive group of family and friends to turn to in times of crisis?
11. About her time at war and her understanding of it, Frankie writes: “It’s hard to see clearly when the world is angry and divided and you’re being lied to.” This sentiment applies to many eras throughout human history, including our own. What lessons can we learn from the Vietnam era? Why do you think the world is so polarized now? How much difference does truth make, and consensus, and community? The end of the war was the beginning of healing for America in the time of the novel. What would begin to heal America today? How can individuals make a difference?
12. What do you think was Frankie’s darkest moment in the book? What do you think “broke” Frankie? Was it her service and the horrors she witnessed? Was it PTSD? The miscarriage? Or was it breaking her own moral code—having an affair with a married man? What should Frankie have done when she learned that Rye was alive? Did you see his betrayal coming? Should Frankie have seen it? What were the clues she missed? Do you believe Rye loved her?
13. In the novel, Frankie goes from sheltered California girl to hardened combat veteran to woman at peace with herself and the world. Her peace is hard-won and continually fought for. In the end, what was it that healed her? Was it friendship? The creation of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial to honor Vietnam veterans? Therapy? Sobriety? How did you feel about Frankie at the end of the novel? Where do you think she goes after the end of the novel? What does the rest of her life look like?
14. At the end of the book, Frankie realizes that “remembrance mattered.” What does she mean by this? Discuss the history of Vietnam-era veterans—their service and their treatment upon coming home—and ask yourself what you have learned from this story. What do we owe to our veterans and their families? How can we truly thank them for their service and their sacrifice?
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Weblinks
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Author's website
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Q & A with Kristin Hannah
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Curated Spotify Playlist for the book
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Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
Author Q & A: Q. What inspired you to write a novel set during the turbulent era of the Vietnam War? A. The Vietnam War cast a big shadow over my childhood. I remember the turbulence of the era, the unrest. When I was in elementary school, my best friend’s father was MIA; he’d been shot down in 1967. I remember wearing his POW bracelet for decades. As a result, his name was burned into my memory. Because of him, I remember vividly the sense of waiting for the warriors to come home, and I remember how they were treated upon return. Even as a young girl, I knew how wrong it was. These feelings have stayed with me for years, and I have wanted to write about this pivotal moment in American history. I am so grateful to be able to shine a light on the veterans who were forgotten for too long. Q. The country is currently polarized politically and socially with an intensity not seen or felt since the 1960s. Did today’s extreme divisions between people influence your novel? A. Absolutely. I first pitched this novel in the late 1990s and ended up deciding that I wasn’t ready to dig into this era. I think I needed to be older, hopefully wiser, and absolutely certain of what I had to say. And then came the pandemic. In the midst of the lockdown, with all of the attendant fear and division in America and abroad, I realized that it was the perfect moment to delve into another terrible, politically divided time in our country. One of the things I love about historical fiction is its ability to illuminate the modern world. Now, more than ever, we need to find a way to come together and have civil, informed conversations. Q. Did your research for this novel include reading any memoirs or histories about the nurses who served in Vietnam? What about in-person interviews or conversations? A. Obviously, the research for this novel was extensive and, honestly, a little daunting. In choosing to write about one nurse’s experiences, I was able to pare down the enormity of the subject as well as make it deeply personal. Yes, I was lucky to talk to many Vietnam-era veterans of the war—nurses, Red Cross workers, and even a decorated helicopter pilot. All of them helped me to create and maintain a truthful, accurate feel for my fictional story. But more than that, these veterans inspired me. I learned about their wartime experiences and their troubles coming home, about how it felt to be a veteran of this unpopular war. I was recently able to attend the Veteran’s Day commemoration in Washington, D.C., and it was an awe-inspiring, heart-expanding, heartbreaking experience. I stood at the Women’s Vietnam Memorial with Diane Carlson Evans and heard her speak of the ten-year struggle she waged to get the Memorial built and placed near The Wall (The Vietnam Veterans Memorial). I watched as dozens of these nurses– gathered at their own memorial– hugged each other and laughed and cried together. Q. Frankie experiences loss, heartbreak, combat, trauma, and addiction in her personal journey. Over the course of her story, what were the most difficult moments and emotions to depict? A. You’ll probably be surprised to hear that the most difficult aspects of this story for me, as the writer, centered on the love story. At her core, Frankie was a patriot and an idealist. I always knew that. And I loved that about her. So, when she broke her own moral code for love, I had a lot of trouble following that path, making her walk it. I think, in the end, it really made her fallible and human and revealed the depth of her pain, but readers may feel differently about her choice and why she made it. Q. Frankie’s friendship with Barb and Ethel was a profound source of strength and courage. Comment about the ways in which women’s friendship plays a role in this novel and in your own life. A. I think female friendship is one of the most powerful forces on earth. When we women come together in love and friendship, we are unbreakable. That was the silver lining of Frankie’s wartime experience: she met the best friends of her life, women that would be at her side come hell or high water. I am fortunate to have a group of girlfriends that keep me steady and upright. We laugh, we cry, we rail, we argue, but mostly, we share our lives. I can’t imagine my life without them. Q. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses were on the frontlines facing life and death. They have been called heroes, and yet their physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion under the circumstances has not been thoroughly explored in popular culture. Are the parallels we can find in The Women between these nurses and the nurses who served in Vietnam deliberate? A. Absolutely. You can see that I mention medical workers in my dedication for The Women. I researched and wrote this novel during the pandemic, and every day on the news I was seeing the price our medical professionals were paying. They were exhausted and overworked and underappreciated. This novel gave me a chance to say thank you to them for their service, too. Q. What themes, elements, relationships, settings, or time periods are piquing your interest for your next novel? A. Ha! I wish I knew. The Women was such a labor of absolute love. I adored writing about these amazing, resilient women—military and civilian—and illuminating both their service in Vietnam and the struggle they faced upon coming home. It will be a tall order to find another story with a similar amount of power and importance, but I’m looking!Book Club Recommendations
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