Books by Kristin Hannah
The Women
by Kristin Hannah
The Women by Kristin Hannah hit the bestseller lists on publication in February 2024 in the United States. It's set in the 1960s, and tells the story of a 20-year-old American woman who follows her brother to war in Vietnam. It shines a light on a topic not often focused on: the American women who served in Vietnam. In her author's note, Hannah writes that the book "has been a true labour of love, years in the making...It has taken me decades to circle back to the Vietnam War era." At the back of the book, there's a list of memoirs by nurses who went to Vietnam that Hannah read for her research. This novel is just under 500 pages, but as you would expect from an author who has sold some 25 million copies of her books, it's very accessible.
For a novel about the Vietnam War told from another neglected point of view, that of the North Vietnamese, we recommend The Sorrow of War (1991) by Bao Ninh.
New York Times bestseller The Great Alone is a powerful tale of family, trauma, and strength. When former prisoner of war Ernt Allbright returns home from Vietnam he is volatile, unable to maintain a job or adjust to domestic life. In a desperate bid to repair their fragmented family, Ernt, his wife Cora and their daughter Leni move to the Alaskan wilderness to live off-grid. Isolated and battling the elements, Ernt’s mental health continues to deteriorate, and the family is stretched to breaking point. Like Where the Crawdads Sing, The Great Alone is a tender story highlighting the extent of human resilience.
From our article Books like Where the Crawdads Sing
