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.

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Excerpt

One

CORONADO 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.

Twenty-year-old Frances Grace McGrath knew what was expected of her tonight. She was to be the very portrait of a well-bred young lady, smiling and serene; any untoward emotions were to be contained and concealed, borne in silence. The lessons Frankie had been taught at home and at church and at St. Bernadette’s Academy for Girls had instilled in her a rigorous sense of propriety. The unrest going on across the country these days, erupting on city streets and college campuses, was a distant and alien world to her, as incomprehensible as the conflict in faraway Vietnam.

She circulated among the guests, sipping an ice-cold Coca-Cola, trying to smile, stopping now and then to make small talk with her parents’ friends, hoping her worry didn’t show. All the while, her gaze searched the crowd for her brother, who was late to his own party.

Frankie idolized her older brother, Finley. They’d always been inseparable, a pair of black-haired, blue-eyed kids, less than two years apart in age, who’d spent the long California summers unsupervised by adults, riding their bikes from one end of sleepy Coronado Island to the other, rarely coming home before nightfall.

But now he was going where she couldn’t follow.

The roar of a car engine disturbed the quiet party; car horns honked loudly, in succession.

Frankie saw how her mother flinched at the noise. Bette McGrath hated anything showy or vulgar, and she certainly didn’t believe in announcing one’s presence by honking a horn.

Moments later, Finley banged through the back gate, his handsome face flushed, a lock of curly black hair fallen across his forehead. His best friend, Rye Walsh, had an arm around him, but neither looked too steady on his feet. They laughed drunkenly, held each other up, as more of their friends stumbled into the party behind them.

Dressed impeccably in a black sheath, with her hair in a regal updo, Mom moved toward the group of laughing young men and women. She wore the pearls her grandmother had bequeathed her, a subtle reminder that Bette McGrath had once been Bette Alexander, of the Newport Beach Alexanders. “Boys,” she said in her modulated charm-school voice. “How nice that you are finally here.”

Finley stumbled away from Rye, tried to straighten.

Dad motioned to the band and the music stopped. Suddenly the sounds of Coronado Island on a late spring night—the throaty purr of the ocean, the whisper of the palm fronds overhead, a dog barking down the street or on the beach—took over. Dad strode forward in his custom-made black suit, crisp white shirt, and black tie, holding a cigarette in one hand and a Manhattan in his other. With his close-cropped black hair and square jaw, he looked a little like an ex-boxer who’d hit the big time and learned how to dress well, which wasn’t too far off. Even among this handsome, well-dressed crowd, he and Mom stood out, radiated success. She was old money and had always been at the top of the social ladder; he had climbed his way up to stand confidently beside her.

“Friends, family, recent academy graduates,” Dad said in his booming voice. When Frankie was young, he’d still had a hint of an Irish accent, which he’d worked hard to eliminate. He often touted his own immigrant mythology, a story of bootstrapping and hard work. He rarely mentioned the good fortune and opportunity that had come with marrying the boss’s daughter, but everyone knew. They also knew that after the death of Mom’s parents, Dad had more than tripled their wealth with his zeal for developing California real estate.

He put an arm around his slender wife, drew her as close as she would allow in public. “We are grateful that you have come to help us say bon voyage to our son, Finley.” Dad smiled. “No more bailing him out of the Coronado police station at two A.M. after some ridiculous drag race.”

There was a smattering of laughter. Everyone at this party knew the circuitous track Finley had taken to adulthood. From earliest memory, he had been a golden boy, a wild child who could make the hardest heart soften. People laughed at his jokes; girls followed him everywhere. Everyone loved Finley, but most agreed that he was a handful. He had been held back in fourth grade, more for constant mischievousness than anything else. He was sometimes disrespectful in church, and he liked the kind of girl who wore short skirts and carried cigarettes in her purse.

When the laughter ended, Dad went on: “A toast to Finley and his grand adventure. We are proud of you, son!”

Servers appeared with bottles of Dom Pérignon and poured more champagne; the tinkling sound of glass on glass filled the air. Guests surrounded Finley; men clapped him on the back in congratulations. Young women pressed forward, vying for his attention.

Dad motioned to the band, and music started up again.

Feeling left out, Frankie headed into the house, past the large kitchen, where the caterers were busily putting canapés on trays.

She ducked into her father’s office. It had been her favorite place as a child. Big tufted leather chairs, footstools, two walls of books, a massive desk. She flicked on the light. The room smelled of old leather and cigars, with a hint of expensive aftershave. Neatly organized stacks of building permits and architectural plans lay atop the desk.

One entire wall of the office was devoted to their family history. Framed photographs Mom had inherited from her parents and even a few Dad had brought with him from Ireland. There was a photo of Great-Grandfather McGrath, in his soldier’s uniform, saluting the camera. Alongside that photograph was a framed war medal that her Grandpa Francis had been awarded in the First World War. The photograph of her parents’ wedding was positioned between her grandfather Alexander’s framed Purple Heart and a newspaper clipping with a photo of the ship he’d served on coming into harbor at the end of the war. There were no photographs of her father in uniform. To his great shame, he had been labeled 4-F and disqualified for military service. It was something he lamented in private, only to family, and only when he’d been drinking. After the war, he’d convinced Grandpa Alexander to begin building affordable housing in San Diego for returning veterans. Dad called it his contribution to the war effort, and it had been spectacularly successful. In conversation, he was always so “military-proud” that, in time, everyone on Coronado seemed to forget he hadn’t served. There were no photographs of his children, not yet. Her father believed that one had to earn their way onto this wall.

Frankie heard the door open quietly behind her, and someone said, “Oh. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to intrude.”

She turned and saw Rye Walsh standing in the doorway. He held a cocktail in one hand and a pack of Old Gold cigarettes in the other. No doubt he’d been looking for a quiet place to smoke.

“I’m hiding from the party,” she said. “I don’t feel much like celebrating, it seems.”

He left the door open behind him. “I was doing the same thing, I guess. You probably don’t remember me—”

“Joseph Ryerson Walsh; goes by Rye. Like the whiskey,” Frankie said, trying to smile. It was how he’d introduced himself to her last summer. “Why are you hiding out? You and Fin are thick as thieves. You both love a good party.”

As he neared, her heart did a queer little stutter. He’d had that effect on her from their first meeting, but they’d never really spoken. She didn’t know what to say to him now, when she felt a little bereft. Lonely.

“I’m going to miss him,” he said quietly.

She felt the sting of tears and turned quickly away, faced the wall of memorabilia; he moved in beside her. They stared up at the family photos and mementos. Men in uniforms, women in wedding dresses, medals for valor and injury, a triangle-folded and framed American flag that had been given to her paternal grandmother.

“How come there are no pictures of women up here, except for the wedding pictures?” Rye asked.

“It’s a heroes’ wall. To honor the sacrifices our family has made in service of the country.”

He lit a cigarette. “Women can be heroes.”

Frankie laughed.

“What’s funny about that?”

She turned to him, wiped the tears from her eyes. “I … well … you don’t mean…”

“Yeah,” he said, looking down at her. She couldn’t remember a man ever looking at her in such a way, so intensely. It made her catch her breath. “I mean it, Frankie. It’s 1966. The whole world is changing.”

* * *

Hours later, when the guests had begun to make their polite exits, Frankie found herself still thinking about Rye, and what he’d said.

Women can be heroes.

No one had ever said such a thing to her. Not her teachers at St. Bernadette’s, not her parents. Not even Finley. Why had it never occurred to Frankie that a girl, a woman, could have a place on her father’s office wall for doing something heroic or important, that a woman could invent something or discover something or be a nurse on the battlefield, could literally save lives?

The idea of it was like an earthquake, an upending of her sheltered view of the world, of herself. She’d been told for years, by the nuns, by her teachers, by her mother, that nursing was an excellent profession for a woman.

Teacher. Nurse. Secretary. These were acceptable futures for a girl like her. Only last week her mother had listened to Frankie talk about her struggles in upper-level biology and said gently, Who cares about frogs, Frances? You’re only going to be a nurse until you get married. And by the way, it’s time you start thinking about that. Quit rushing through your classes and slow down. Who cares if you graduate early? You need to date more. Frankie had been taught to believe that her job was to be a good housewife, to raise well-mannered children and keep a lovely home. In her Catholic high school, they’d spent days learning how to iron buttonholes to perfection, how to precisely fold a napkin, how to set an elegant table. At the San Diego College for Women, there wasn’t much rebellion among her classmates and friends. Girls laughed about working for their MRS degree. Even her own choice of nursing as a degree hadn’t required much introspection; all she’d really focused on was getting good grades and making her parents proud.

As the musicians packed up their instruments and the waiters began clearing away the empty glasses, Frankie flipped off her sandals and left the yard and wandered across empty Ocean Boulevard, the wide, paved street that separated her parents’ house from the beach.

The golden sand of Coronado Beach stretched out in front of her. Off to the left was the famous Hotel del Coronado and to the right was the large Naval Air Station North Island, which had recently been recognized as the Birthplace of Naval Aviation.

A cool night breeze plucked at her bouffant chin-length bob, but it was no match for the layer of Aqua Net that kept every strand in place.

She sat down in the cool sand, looped her arms around her bent knees, and stared out at the waves. A full moon hung overhead. Not far away, a beach bonfire glowed orange; the smell of smoke drifted on the night air.

How did a woman go about opening up her world? How did one begin a journey when no invitation had been issued? It was easy for Finley; the path had been laid out for him. He was to do what all the McGrath and Alexander men did: serve his country with honor and then take over the family real estate business. No one had ever suggested any future for Frankie beyond marriage and motherhood.

She heard laughter behind her, the sound of running feet. A young blond woman took off her shoes at the water’s edge and splashed into the surf. Rye followed her, laughing, not even bothering to take off his shoes. Someone sang “Walk Like a Man” off-key.

Finley plopped down beside Frankie, fell drunkenly into her. “Where have you been all night, doll? I missed you.”

“Hey, Fin,” she said quietly. Leaning into him, she remembered their lives on this beach; as children, they’d built elaborate sandcastles and bought Creamsicles from the jangling ice-cream truck that drove up and down Ocean Boulevard in the summer. They’d spent long hours on their surfboards, feet dangling over the sides, talking beneath the hot sun as they waited for the right wave, sharing their deepest secrets.

Together, always. Best friends.

She knew what he needed from her now; she should tell Fin she was proud of him and send him off with a smile, but she couldn’t do it. They’d never lied to each other. It didn’t seem like the time to start. “Fin, are you sure you should go to Vietnam?”

“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

Frankie sighed. She and Finley had idolized President Kennedy. His words meant something to them, so how could she argue? “I know, but—”

“It isn’t dangerous, Frankie. Trust me. I’m a Naval Academy graduate, an officer with a cushy assignment on a ship. I’ll be back in no time. You’ll hardly have time to miss me.”

Everyone said the same thing: Communism was an evil that had to be stopped; these were the Cold War years. Dangerous times. If a great man like President Kennedy could be shot in broad daylight by a Red in Dallas, how could any American feel safe? Everyone agreed that communism couldn’t be allowed to flourish in Asia, and Vietnam was the place to stop it.

The nightly news showed smiling soldiers marching in packs through the Vietnamese jungle and giving newsmen the thumbs-up. No bloodshed.

Finley put an arm around her.

“I’ll miss you, Peanut,” he said. She heard the catch in his voice and knew he was scared to go.

Had he been hiding it from her all along, or hiding it from himself?

And there it was, the fear and worry she’d been trying to suppress all night, to ignore. Suddenly it was too big to bear. No looking away now.

Her brother was going to war.

Copyright © 2024 by Kristin Hannah view abbreviated excerpt only...

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

»	Author's website
»	Publisher's book info
»	Q & A with Kristin Hannah
»	Curated Spotify Playlist for the book

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