The Women

A Novel

By: Kristin Hannah

Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kristin Hannah

Long-listed, Amazon.com Best Books of the Year, 2024

Long-listed, NPR Best Book of the Year, 2024

New York Times Book Review Notable Books of the Year, 2024

Long-listed, Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year, 2024

Long-listed, Hudson Booksellers Best of the Year, 2024

Winner, Goodreads Choice Awards, 2024

"Kristin Hannah’s potent storytelling skills are brilliantly served by narrator Julia Whelan, whose limber, low-pitched voice moves nimbly from person to person, capturing personality and mood, her empathy palpable."—The Washington Post

From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah's 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 overwhelmed 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.

©2024 Kristin Hannah (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Could Not Stop Listening

The best compliment I could ever give an author is this…I feel educated…finally. Because enjoy and respect Kristin Hannah’s work-both an understatement-I preordered this book with complete trust that it would be wonderful. What I did not expect was to be thoroughly educated on a time that I heard about growing up, but never really learned about. It was not taught in school and I’m sure if had been it would’ve fallen grievously short of reality. So many young men and women from my rural small town are Vietnam Vets. While I did respect them, I had no idea the pain I was surrounded by my entire life nor the heroism, the inhuman strength they possess. I knew a man, a quiet, gentle man who had to “go away” for months at a time on occasion but I never completely understood why. He was a medic. I did over hear the adults saying his family would sometimes have to hide from him because he had nightmares and awoke to what he thought was VC. It was truly the war no one wanted to talk about-certainly not to children.
After hearing the plight of the women, who served in Vietnam I have a question. Is there a memorial for them in DC?
Kristin Hannah, thank you for your work! You are such an inspiration to this aspiring author. I hope that one day I can say I’ve left my mark in such a meaningful way as this. Well done!

frankie.. you are dynamic

I loved this book and couldn't stop binging it after it's release. Frankie is such a dynamic character and I loved hearing her harrowing story of being a nurse in Vietnam. The author brings everything to life in such great detail that the image is so alive in my head. This would be a fantastic movie.

KH gets Better and Better

I loved Frankie from the very beginning. Then, Ethel and Barb, who taught her to be a combat nurse. I was afraid to start this book,and then I could not stop listening. Thank you so much Kristen. After I listen to this book a few more times, I’ll be waiting for the next one.

Profound and personal!

I just finished this amazing story and couldn’t stop crying for the last 30-45 minutes! I was young when my father returned from Vietnam and this story shed light on so much, as well as my parents’ resistance to talk about it, and their divorce. This felt so personal and healing to listen to! The women and their friendship, always being there for each other… I’m so grateful for the amazing women in my life… those who are there through everything! This book makes me sad for our veterans and the way they were treated and are still treated and makes me stop and think of the current political climate! Thank you Kristin Hannah for doing such a great job on telling this story and in such an honorable, honest way! This might be my new favorite work of yours! Highly recommend!! Narrator was fabulous too!!!

I cried, duh.

This book was fabulous. I love and hate that Kristin Hannah breaks my heart with every book, yet I keep reading them. I am grateful she shed light onto less told stories and players in this war. Recommending to everyone.

Excellent story of those who were lost

I loved this story. It exposed me to an issue I was never aware of with women in the Vietnam war. It put you there in war and in the pain of feeling hopeless back in the states. Needing help but not knowing where to go. When reaching out and being told you didn’t need it or didn’t belong there. A great story.

The dynamic duo of Hannah and Whelan do it again!

Well… Kristin Hannah does it again! The combo of her writing and narration by Julia Whelan is perfection! Not going to lie… I put them both on a very tall pedestal but deservingly so! Ive always made sure to tell those with hats or clothing showing they serve our country, “thank you for your service.” However, after listening to this, it give me a whole new level of appreciation for what those who serve and their families endure. Thank you isn’t enough, but it’s a start. The Women is wonderful and would highly recommend!

Outstanding book

Amazing suspenseful story about a topic that needed to be brought to light. What these nurses saw and did is something to be honored for.

Eye opening

A subject I have not read often. Very eye opening. Well worth the read. Woman like Frances have paved the way.

Must read

This la a story you won’t soon forget. Beautifully written and narrated. I’ll be reading a second time.