The Women

I love a Kristin Hannah book for the writing, characters and deep emotion it draws up in me. This was no different but the glimpse into the Vietnam War was new - and heartbreaking for me. It held me from the first page and I finished it in two days.

There was so much I was never aware of regarding women serving in Vietnam. The book took me on a personal journey into the lives of nurses who survived and then tried to rebuild their lives after the war—only to be doubted and discounted and left to cope on their own.

What a luscious read from this great storyteller. She says she started this book years ago, early in her career, but it was too grand, too deep, for her emerging skills, and took this long to get together. It's worth the wait. We meet Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a nurse from a privileged family who joins the Army Nurse Corps to aid our soldiers injured in the Vietnam War. An innocent in many ways, she becomes friends with two other women and together they survive the horrors of war, returning to a country and a society that does not believe women… show more.

I was an anti-war activist in college in the 1960s. Although I never regretted my anti-was activism, I came to regret my lack of empathy for the men who fought in Vietnam and came home to a country that had forgotten their horrific sacrifice. I never learned, however, about the women who served in Vietnam and their struggles, both while they were serving and when they returned home.

We ignored the men who served when they came home, but few people were even aware that any women were in the U.S. military in Southeast Asia. Although they were not combatants,… show more.

I enjoyed learning about what it was like for nurses during the Vietnam War and the difficulties they faced upon coming home.

This one is thought provoking with important commentary on the military service of women during the Vietnam War. More than the historic details about the war, this gives a pretty accurate glimpse into the female experience in the armed forces.

The US has minimized the suffering caused by war, to the point of denying any women went to Vietnam. Kristin Hannah's The Women shares the story of one nurse who enlists to make a difference and earn her father's respect. This book covers not only her service in-country, but returning home to deal with PTSD, addictions, and the effects of Agent Orange. Ultimately it's a tribute to women's friendships and resilience.

I especially liked the inclusion of the difficulty that is created for returning veterans, including those in healthcare. This challenge continues to the present day.

The Women is both beautiful and brutal, breathtaking and insightful. It examines sensitively the infamous Vietnam War, shining a light on the women who served in this conflict. It brings to life the real-life women and their heroic service to their country in extreme conditions, but also the tragedy of their homecoming and the very real problems Vietnam vets faced on their return. The central character, Frankie, is unforgettable. This is an astonishingly powerful novel, one that both horrifies and uplifts at the same time. The Women is extraordinary!

Kristin Hannah’s new book is a powerful look at the contributions of thousands of women in the Vietnam war. Frances “Frankie” McGrath is a nurse and in 1968 applies for active duty as an ER nurse in Vietnam. But nothing can prepare for the horror she will encounter while taking care of the dead and dying soldiers, who are mostly kids.

After two tours, she returns to a world that refuses to recognize her contributions to the war effort. She constantly is confronted by “There were no women in Vietnam.” Even her parents refuse to accept that she did her… show more.