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.

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.

About the moderator:
Marcia graduated from the University of Maryland in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Sciences and a minor in Journalism. She worked as a Realtor licensed in Virginia, Maryland, & West Virginia for over 20 years before making a career change and graduating from culinary arts school to become a chef. Her cookbook, The Admiral’s Chef: Recipes from a Navy Wife’s World Travels, was published in November 2015 by St. Johann’s Press. Marcia travels extensively & enjoys exploring the history, culture and cuisine of each region she visits. Her food and travel blog, http://www.theadmiralschef.com chronicles her adventures. She currently lives in Newmarket, New Hampshire and has been a member of The Music Hall Book Club for the last 10 years.