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“With a novelist’s perception of
character, drama, and telling detail, Helen Thorpe magically weaves together
the stories of three very different but equally compelling women soldiers.
Taken together, their stories provide an intimate window on life in the
military, the impact of war, and the difficult transition to home. This is an
absolutely terrific and important work.”
— Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize–winning American biographer, historian, and political commentator
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“Tracking a trio in an Indiana battalion, Thorpe movingly captures
how unexpected deployments rocked women’s lives…she unravels the
women’s complex relations—and how they sustain one another.”
— Elle
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“A raw, intimate look at the impact of combat and the healing power of friendship.”
— People
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“A nuanced look at the lives of female soldiers that is as intimate as
it is groundbreaking.”
— O, The Oprah Magazine
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“A breakthrough work…What Thorpe accomplishes in Soldier Girls is
something far greater than describing the experience of women in the
military. The book is a solid chunk of American history—detailing the
culture’s failing, resilience and progress…Thorpe triumphs.”
— New York Times Book Review
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“Thorpe follows three women,
tracking their ups and downs with faithful detail in a brilliant tableau of
their overlapping lives for twelve years as they do multiple tours in
Afghanistan and Iraq and readjust to civilian life…Soldier Girls raises important questions about how men and women
serve together and the differences in how they experience war, enabling us to
see the subtle challenges female soldiers face—the hardships that don’t make
easy headlines.”
— Washington Post
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“In the tradition of Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, Richard Rhodes, and other
masters of literary journalism, Soldier Girls is utterly absorbing,
gorgeously written, and unforgettable.”
— Boston Globe
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“Heartbreaking…absorbing, funny…a cry worth attending, sounded by a
band of sisters put in harm’s way.”
— Newsday
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“Moving…Highlighting how profoundly military service changed their
lives—and the lives of their families—this visceral narrative illuminates the
role of women in the military, the burdens placed on the National Guard, and
the disproportionate burden of these wars borne by the poor.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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“The absorbing story of how
wartime experiences shaped the lives and friendships of three female soldiers
deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan…Intensely immersive reading.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
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“Donna Postel’s narration is clear
and well paced…[in this] unique long-term look at the lives of these
strong-willed women and how they deal with the stress of deployment and its
effects on their personal relationships, home lives, and families.”
— AudioFile