Women of the Post : A Novel
Joshunda Sanders
On Sale Date: July 18, 2023
9780778334071
Trade Paperback
$18.99 USD
368 pages
ABOUT THE BOOK:
For fans of A League of Their Own, a debut historical novel that gives voice to the pioneering Black women of the of the Six Triple Eight Battalion who made history by sorting over one million pieces of mail overseas for the US Army.
“What a beautifully imagined and important narrative. Sanders’ clear-eyed and powerful writing made this a hard one to stop reading!”
—Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-Winning Author
“This is a novel to cherish and share. And this is a history to sing about and affirm — to proclaim.”
— Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, New York Times Bestselling author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois, an Oprah Book Club Novel
Inspired by true events, Women of the Post brings to life the heroines who proudly served in the all-Black battalion of the Women’s Army Corps in WWII, finding purpose in their mission and lifelong friendship.
1944, New York City. Judy Washington is tired of having to work at the Bronx Slave Market, cleaning white women’s houses for next to nothing. She dreams of a bigger life, but with her husband fighting overseas, it’s up to her and her mother to earn enough for food and rent. When she’s recruited to join the Women’s Army Corps—offering a steady paycheck and the chance to see the world—Judy jumps at the opportunity.
During training, Judy becomes fast friends with the other women in her unit—Stacy, Bernadette and Mary Alyce—who all come from different cities and circumstances. Under Second Officer Charity Adams’s leadership, they receive orders to sort over one million pieces of mail in England, becoming the only unit of Black women to serve overseas during WWII.
The women work diligently, knowing that they’re reuniting soldiers with their loved ones through their letters. However, their work becomes personal when Mary Alyce discovers a backlogged letter addressed to Judy. Told through the alternating perspectives of Judy, Charity and Mary Alyce, Women of the Post is an unforgettable story of perseverance, female friendship and self-discovery.
Review
Judy is tired of working for pennies. She joins the WAC. She wants a steady paycheck and she wants to know where her husband is. He joined the army and she has not heard a word from him. She ends up becoming friends with several other women in her group. They all end up overseas (even though they are not allowed to go!) with specific orders to fix the mess of the mail.
Well! I am a huge WWII reader (if you have not guessed!). And I had never heard of the women who straighten out the mess of the mail in WWII. I learned so much reading this novel.
First of all, I didn’t know about the African American women in the Army. I didn’t know all the trials they had to overcome. But these women were amazing. Then there is the Slave Market in the Bronx during the 1930s and 1940s. You can read more about that piece of awful history here. Plus, Mary McLeod Bethune is mentioned in this novel. She has a special place in my childhood reading so I learned more about her in these pages.
There is so much that this novel encompasses. Not only is it full of rich history, it is also full of friendship, strength and a bit of romance.
Need a unique, well researched, WWII tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Joshunda Sanders is an award-winning author, journalist and speechwriter. A former Obama Administration political appointee, her fiction, essays and poetry have appeared in dozens of anthologies. She has been awarded residencies and fellowships at Hedgebrook, Lambda Literary, The Key West Literary Seminars and the Martha’s Vineyard Institute for Creative Writing. Women of the Post is her first novel.
SOCIAL LINKS:
Author website: https://joshundasanders.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoshundaSanders
BUY LINKS:
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/women-of-the-post-joshunda-sanders/1142106285
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