THE WOMEN

This book led me to learning more about the Vietnam War and in a different direction information about the effect it had on those Americans fighting.    Frankie, a 21 year old girl who the story is about, lived in an upper class neighborhood in Southern California.   She decided to go where her brother fought just to find out the day she boarded a plane for Vietnam, he was killed.   The whole story depicts life during war time and then switches to life coming home.   

This war lasted for 20 years, 1955-1975, under President Johnson.   "It's well documented that those returning from Vietnam were treated as pariahs; they were labelled 'baby killers' and were spat at for their service.   Many were left with life changing injuries, struggling with PTSD, they were shunned and left with little support".    The women that served were not recognized, which put Frankie in a horrible and distressing life upon returning.   

And where was I during this time.   I was 8 years old when the war began, spent life in high school and was married for 5 years before the war ended.   It was a war we lost and cost us the lives of 30,000 who must have thought daily, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?   

The writing was exceptional:  "In front of them, a wide brown river arced lazily past, lapping against a reedy, marshy shore".   This quote has little to do with what Frankie went through but became a part of the great writing of this book.