Book
Switchboard soldiers : a novel / Jennifer Chiaverini.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780063080690 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: 453 pages ; 24 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York : William Morrow, [2022]
- Copyright: ©2022
Content descriptions
| General Note: | "A novel of the heroic women who served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I"--Dust jacket. |
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references. |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | United States. Army. Signal Corps > Fiction. World War, 1914-1918 > Participation, Female > Fiction. |
| Genre: | Historical fiction. War fiction. Novels. |
Available copies
- 2 of 2 copies available at Tsuga Consortium.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 2 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookstown Branch | FIC Chiav | 31681010285500 | FICTION | Available | - |
| Stroud Branch | FIC Chiav | 31681010285518 | FICTION | Available | - |
- Baker & Taylor
In 1917, Grace Banker from N.J., Marie Moissec from France, and Valerie DeSmedt, originally from Belgium, are recruited as a telephone operators, aka switchboard solders, to help American forces communicate between troops as bombs fell around them. 150,000 first printing. - Baker & Taylor
"From New York times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini, a bold, revelatory novel about one of the great untold stories of World War I--the women of the US Army Signal Corps, who broke down gender barriers in the military, smashed the workplace glassceiling, and battled a pandemic as they helped lead the Allies to victory"-- - HARPERCOLL
From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini, a bold, revelatory novel about one of the great untold stories of World War Iâthe women of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, who broke down gender barriers in the military and battled a pandemic as they helped lead the Allies to victory.Â
âAn eye-opening and detailed novel about remarkable female soldiers. . . Chiaverini weaves the intersecting threads of these brave womenâs lives together, highlighting their deep sense of pride and duty.ââKirkus Reviews
 In June 1917, General John Pershing arrived in France to establish American forces in Europe. He immediately found himself unable to communicate with troops in the field. Pershing needed telephone operators who could swiftly and accurately connect multiple calls, speak fluent French and English, remain steady under fire, and be utterly discreet, since the calls often conveyed classified information.
At the time, nearly all well-trained American telephone operators were womenâbut women were not permitted to enlist, or even to vote in most states. Nevertheless, the U.S. Army Signal Corps promptly began recruiting them.
More than 7,600 women responded, including Grace Banker of New Jersey, a switchboard instructor with AT&T and an alumna of Barnard College; Marie Miossec, a Frenchwoman and aspiring opera singer; and Valerie DeSmedt, a twenty-year-old Pacific Telephone operator from Los Angeles, determined to strike a blow for her native Belgium.
They were among the first women sworn into the U.S. Army under the Articles of War. The male soldiers they had replaced had needed one minute to connect each call. The switchboard soldiers could do it in ten seconds.
Deployed throughout France, including near the front lines, the operators endured hardships and risked death or injury from gunfire, bombardments, and the Spanish Flu. Not all of them would survive.
The women of the U.S. Army Signal Corps served with honor and played an essential role in achieving the Allied victory. Their story has never been the focus of a novelâ¦until now.Â
