SEPTEMBER 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES
& MUSINGS
The Women, Kristin Hannah
“I
just want … I don’t know…for someone to care that I’m home. That I went.” Frankie
“They
learned to breath, and then to talk, and then, if they were lucky, to hope”
23 met at
the home of Jane Shaw. to kick off Year 22 of Bookers. We were excited to welcome
new members, Jeanette Brown, Chris Vaughn, Suzy Penner and Joellyn Martin and
hope they enjoyed themselves and will return next month. I’ve added their email
addresses to my Bookers list.
Sunshine:
Gayle and
John Brummett lived in Pinnacle for many years before relocating to the Dallas
area. Sadly, John passed away on September 5th. Both were very
involved in the community and golf and those who knew them are saddened at the
news. Please keep the family in your prayers as they maneuver through the grief
of losing a loved one.
Business:
Jane, on
behalf of our selection committee, announced the books for the upcoming year
and the list will be attached to the Minutes email. We are again partnering
with Jen Sherman of Bookish in Malakoff to purchase books from her and again
she’s offering a 10% discount to our group. I will be coordinating this with
her, will pay for, and pick up the books when they arrive. If you were not at
the meeting and are interested in supporting this effort, please let me know
your choices and I’ll add your name to the list. I’ll let you know what you owe
as soon as I get a price list from Jen. Many thanks to all who volunteered to
host our meetings for the rest of the year. We’re all full until we begin Year
23 in September 2026.
Rebecca Robinson volunteered to take over the
food and beverage czarship from Kim Nalls who has done a wonderful job
for the past two years. And many thanks to all who donated to this year’s
“slush fund” which is used for out-of-pocket expenses throughout the year and for
Bookers’ donations to worthwhile causes.
Note from the author:
She first
conceived the idea for this book in 1997 but as a young writer – 37 at the time
– she realized she lacked the skill or maturity to tackle such an important and
complex subject. She was in elementary or middle school for most of the war but
vividly remembers the protests, how the story was broadcast by the media, and
particularly how the veterans – many fathers of her friends – were treated upon
returning home. Originally, she created fictional towns and evacuation
hospitals to give herself some latitude in telling the story, but her Vietnam
veteran readers felt strongly she should name the places accurately; therefore,
the hospitals and towns are real. Kristin considers it an honor to tell the
stories of the women – both military and civilian – especially since being told
there ‘were no women in Vietnam.’
About the author:
Kristin
Hannah was born September 25, 1960, in Garden Grove, California, later moving
to Western Washington at the age of eight. She graduated with a degree in
Communications from the University of Washington in 1983, later earning her law
degree from the University of Puget Sound in 1986. Before becoming a full-time
writer in 1991she practiced law in Seattle and worked in an advertising agency.
She’s published over twenty novels, with her bestselling work, The
Nightengale, set in France during the Nazi occupation, has sold over 4.5
million copies worldwide and translated in 45 languages and will be released in
theaters February 12, 2027. The Women has been picked up by Warner
Brothers. Stay tuned. She lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington with her
husband and their son.
Synopsis:
My name is
Frances Grace McGrath, but everyone calls me Frankie. Our family lives in an
estate on Coronado Beach in Southern California about a ten-minute drive across
the bridge over San Diego Bay. I’m just twenty years old in May of 1966 living
a debutant-type life when the story begins. Generations of men in my family
served in the military and were highly decorated except for my father, a
successful real estate developer, whose claim to fame was building affordable
housing for returning veterans which he considered his contribution to the war
effort, and my mother was a product of ‘old money’ – the silver spoons always
needing polishing. My brother Finley,
and his best friend, Rye Walsh, just joined the Navy and shipped out to
Vietnam. I fast-tracked my nursing training, graduating as a registered nurse
and was bent on using my skills in the best way, so I joined the Army Nurse
Corps to be deployed to Vietnam much to the chagrin of my parents, especially
after the news that Finley was killed in action.
I
remembered a quote from Clara Barton, a nurse, educator, and founder of the
American Red Cross about being compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and
while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them. My
fellow nurses, Barb and Ethel, kept me upright and after becoming a surgical
nurse, I met the love of my life, Dr. Jamie Callahan. War is brutal and falling
in love during war is insane. I learned that lesson when Jamie’s helicopter was
shot down and he was presumed dead. I reupped and am reunited with Finley’s
friend, Rye Walsh. Another thing you shouldn’t do during war is believe
anything…case in point, he was engaged, then unengaged, then married with a
child, then reported killed in action, only to reappear when the POWs are
released, and while professing his love for me, Rye and his wife have another
child while I’m in his arms.
I’m on a
destructive path between nightmares, anger, getting fired, having a mental
breakdown, drug and alcohol addiction, losing my nursing license, driving drunk
and almost killing a bicycle rider, causing a deep divide from my parents,
becoming engaged to a nice man that I didn’t love, but was pregnant with his
child until I miscarried, and accidently overdosing on pills. But thanks to my
nursing buddies, Barb and Ethel, they picked me up off the ground and provided
some sanity to my existence. Finally,
there’s a name attached to my suffering and erratic behavior – post-traumatic
stress disorder – from my time in Vietnam. My new life revolves around my
ranch, the Last Best Place, that serves as a refuge for women who served in
Vietnam. While searching the names listed on the Vietnam War Memorial in hopes
of finding Jamie’s name, he stood in front of me…alive, divorced, and holding
the smooth stone I gave him – on one side I had written ‘You Fight’ and on the
other, ‘McGrath.’ My story confirms there were women in Vietnam. My Army Nurse
Corps pin says it all. When one of our success stories came home to their loved
ones, their children and grandchildren returned to us the pieces of our heart
because we saved their lives.
Personal Stories:
There were
few dry eyes as Bookers shared personal stories of Vietnam. Most everyone in
our generation knew someone who served in this war and their heartfelt stories
touched many of us. It’s difficult to fully understand what these servicemen
encountered but most returned to their homeland not to hero parades and
gratitude, but to hostility within a divided country. Those who shared ensured
that these men and women are not forgotten. On a positive note, Kat Mackey, our
own retired military veteran, reported that those who served in Vietnam are now
treated with respect and reverence that was non-existent when they came home.
Bookers’ input:
Any 1-star
ratings (put your money back in the piggy bank) - no
Any 2-star
ratings (borrow don’t buy) - no
Any 3-star
ratings (good beach read) – no
The 4-star
ratings – (borders on favorite book ever) mostly 4.5’s those citing, although
well-written, it was difficult to read with the gory details of the war, the
emergency operating rooms, and the heartbreaking compassion shown for soldiers without
limbs and/or on their deathbeds, and how the troops stationed there were able
to navigate through twenty-four hour days that felt like forty-eight. It was a
war zone and painted accurately, although hard to imagine the horror of it all
and Ms. Hannah painted a clear picture of what it must have been like. One of
our new members commented that the scenario that a person living in the lap of
luxury, the entitled Frankie, was unrealistic given her upbringing questioning
who in that situation would volunteer to go to war.
The 5-star
ratings (order now. Include in your will) praised the writing, the reality of
war, accurately reflected the Vietnam timeline, and most loving the characters
and applauding their development. The author recited a horrible segment of
history and how these young men returned home almost as if traitors – shameful.
It showed us that women can be heroes and how friendships can run deep even
amid chaos and the destruction of war. Hannah walked us through Frankie’s
maturity, from the naïve twenty-one-year-old in a war zone who put herself in
harm’s way every day to a veteran coming home where the battle raged internally
and on street corners. It was pointed out that the author didn’t feel as though
she was mature enough to write this story when she first started her career,
but also the world was not ready to hear this story.
At the end
of our meeting Joellyn talked about the author collaboration project, the
history behind the effort, and the satisfaction it gives to be an author
involved in these books. Volume 6, 365 Days of Resilience is due out by
Christmas and there are opportunities to submit your story to be included in
the book. If you’ve always wanted to be an author and you’re interested in
being a part of this, please contact Joellyn for more details @ joellynw.martin@gmail.com.
Happy
Reading,
JoDee
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