08 Mar Women and World War II: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
This book is set in the 1930’s prior to the outbreak of World War II. However, it deals with the theme of strong and independent women who push against the social norms and boundaries set for women in the era.
Alice Wright escapes her stifling hometown in England to marry the handsome Bennett Van Cleve and move with him to Kentucky. But life becomes equally restrictive when the couple moves in with her overbearing father-in-law.
When the call comes to join the Packhorse Librarians, a team of women who deliver books as a part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice is eager to sign up. She strikes an instant rapport with the self-sufficient leader, Margery. Refusing to be cowed by men or convention, the two join with three other women to brave the mountain landscapes that can be breathtaking as well as brutal, to bring books to people who have never had any, and to arm them with facts that will change their lives.
Based on a true story, The Giver of Stars is a novel of women’s friendship, true love, and reaching beyond ones grasp.
For additional reading on strong and independent women, see the Barton Family Series by Katherine P. Stillerman.
For additional novels about women in World War II based on less well known historical events, see Kathy’s Booklist for Novels of Women in World War II.
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