Switchboard Soldiers
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Saskia Maarleveld
About this listen
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 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.
“An eye-opening and detailed novel about remarkable female soldiers. . . Chiaverini weaves the intersecting threads of these brave women’s lives together, highlighting their deep sense of pride and duty.”—Kirkus 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 women—but 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 novel…until now.
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Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot Rosenthal initially resents being trapped in the congested French capital, where she is still looked upon as the enemy. But as she contemplates returning to Berlin and a life with Stefan, the wounded fiancé she hardly knows anymore, she decides that being in Paris is not so bad after all. Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job.
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Book 0 in the series
- By Stevon on 12-12-17
By: Pam Jenoff
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Dreamers of the Day
- A Novel
- By: Mary Doria Russell
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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A 40-year-old schoolteacher from Ohio still reeling from the tragedies of the Great War and the influenza epidemic, Agnes has come into a modest inheritance that allows her to take the trip of a lifetime to Egypt and the Holy Land. Arriving at the Semiramis Hotel just as an historic Peace Conference convenes, Agnes, with her plainspoken American opinions - and a small, noisy dachshund named Rosie - enters into the company of the historic luminaries.
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Little Big Woman
- By W.Denis on 10-02-08
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After the War Is Over
- A Novel
- By: Jennifer Robson
- Narrated by: Lucy Rayner
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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After four years as a military nurse, Charlotte Brown is ready to leave behind the devastation of the Great War. The daughter of a vicar, she has always been determined to dedicate her life to helping others. Moving to busy Liverpool, she throws herself into her work with those most in need, only tearing herself away for the lively dinners she enjoys with the women at her boardinghouse.
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More romance than history
- By RueRue on 08-17-16
By: Jennifer Robson
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North and South
- North and South Trilogy, Book 1
- By: John Jakes
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 30 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Two strangers, young men from Pennsylvania and South Carolina, meet on the way to West Point.... Thus begins this brilliant novel of antebellum America, spanning three generations and chronicling the lives and loves of two great family dynasties. The Hazards and the Mains are brought together in bonds of friendship and affection that neither jealousy nor violence can shatter - until a storm of events sunders the nation and brings the cataclysm of war!
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Captivating novel of the Civil War
- By 9S on 01-12-13
By: John Jakes
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The Mayfair Bookshop
- A Novel of Nancy Mitford and the Pursuit of Happiness
- By: Eliza Knight
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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1938: She was one of the six sparkling Mitford sisters, known for her stinging quips, stylish dress, and bright green eyes. But Nancy Mitford’s seemingly dazzling life was really one of turmoil: with a perpetually unfaithful and broke husband, two Nazi sympathizer sisters, and her hopes of motherhood dashed forever. With war imminent, Nancy finds respite by taking a job at the Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, hoping to make ends meet, and discovers a new life.
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Perfectly Voices, Upliftingly Fun
- By Syd Young on 04-15-22
By: Eliza Knight
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Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy
- Four Women Undercover in the Civil War
- By: Karen Abbott
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 15 hrs and 14 mins
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Karen Abbott illuminates one of the most fascinating yet little-known aspects of the Civil War: The stories of four courageous women - a socialite, a farmgirl, an abolitionist, and a widow - who were spies. After shooting a Union soldier in her front hall with a pocket pistol, Belle Boyd became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds cut off her hair and assumed the identity of a man to enlist as a Union private, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
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Shockingly Bad Narrator
- By Sheesha on 11-12-14
By: Karen Abbott
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Troubles
- By: J. G. Farrell
- Narrated by: Kevin Hely
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
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Major Brendan Archer travels to Ireland - to the Majestic Hotel and to the fiancée he acquired on a rash afternoon's leave three years ago. Despite her many letters, the lady herself proves elusive, and the Major's engagement is short-lived. But he is unable to detach himself from the alluring discomforts of the crumbling hotel. Ensconced in the dim and shabby splendour of the Palm Court, surrounded by gently decaying old ladies and proliferating cats, the Major passes the summer.
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Absolutely delightful read
- By E. Kim on 02-25-20
By: J. G. Farrell
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To Whisper Her Name
- By: Tamera Alexander
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 17 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a murdered carpetbagger, gratefully accepts an invitation from 'Aunt' Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation and the dearest friend of Olivia’s late mother. Expecting to be the Harding's housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned once again when she learns the real reason why Elizabeth's husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming.
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Wonderful Book
- By 🌸DARA on 04-03-13
By: Tamera Alexander
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Grand Central
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- By: Melanie Benjamin, Amanda Hodgkinson, Pam Jenoff, and others
- Narrated by: Carla Mercer-Meyer
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On any particular day, thousands upon thousands of people pass through New York City's Grand Central Terminal, through the whispering gallery, beneath the ceiling of stars, and past the information booth and its beckoning four-faced clock, to whatever destination is calling them. It is a place where people come to say hello and good-bye. And each person has a story to tell.
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Grand Central: Memories
- By ZacharyKindle Customer on 05-03-17
By: Melanie Benjamin, and others
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Nocturne
- By: Diane Armstrong
- Narrated by: Deidre Rubenstein
- Length: 16 hrs and 58 mins
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It is Warsaw, 1939, and Elzunia is an indulged teenager who longs for a heroic life filled with romance. But the outbreak of war shatters all her dreams. As bombs fall, she meets Adam, a taciturn airman whose fate becomes entwined with hers. In despair over the occupation, Adam joins the Polish resistance, then flies bombers for the RAF.
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Blech
- By Caroline H. on 02-20-11
By: Diane Armstrong
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The Shipbuilder’s Wife
- By: Jennifer Moore
- Narrated by: Luone Ingram
- Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins
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Performance
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The day of her parents’ garden party dawns bright as Lydia Prescott eagerly anticipates a marriage proposal from a handsome and wealthy plantation owner. The lovely debutante plans to steal a moment away with her beau, but her plans go terribly awry. Instead of her intended, she is joined by a stranger - the largest man she’s ever laid eyes on. And it is clear Jacob Steele is there for reasons far more sober than the party. With British raids erupting all around them, it is his job to reassure plantation owners of their safety.
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Not my favorite
- By MelMom on 01-11-19
By: Jennifer Moore
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A Fall of Marigolds
- By: Susan Meissner
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
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September 1911. On Ellis Island in New York Harbor, nurse Clara Wood cannot face returning to Manhattan, where the man she loved fell to his death in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Then, while caring for a fevered immigrant whose own loss mirrors hers, she becomes intrigued by a name embroidered onto the scarf he carries...and finds herself caught in a dilemma that compels her to confront the truth about the assumptions she's made. Will what she learns devastate her or free her?
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Beautiful!
- By R. Burnham on 03-29-15
By: Susan Meissner
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What listeners say about Switchboard Soldiers
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Marie G.
- 06-01-23
BRAVE WOMEN — PIONEERS FOR THE FUTURE OF WONEN IN THE MILITARY!
I learned a LOT from this book. Until reading it, I had no idea the “Switchboard Operators” had even existed!
Though much of this story might have been fictional, it was based on real events. I’m sure conditions were even more difficult than were described. The ladies that were brave enough to answer the call of duty and to march into the largely unknown (including going up against the prejudice of some men who were not thrilled about women in the military), have my UTMOST respect!
For me, the book started off very slowly (I wasn’t sure I would be able to stick with it, but I’m glad I did). There was a long introduction to each of the main characters and their home lives before joining the military. It was Chapter 8 before the women got to their first overseas posting and began their journey overseas and began forging lifelong friendships.
The book began to pick up from there, although there were places where I felt the story lagged. I often set my timer at night so the novel would play for 30-minutes, and I would often fall asleep before the timer finished. The next day, I MIGHT wind the story back six or seven clicks, I might not. It was easy enough to keep going and figure out what I might have missed.
During the story I found myself repeatedly thinking how amazing these ladies were as individuals and as a cohesive group. They held themselves to extremely high standards, and even in the face of great danger, the refused to leave their posts until the last male soldier left theirs. They realized what an important role they had and would not abandon their post until a building was literally crashing down around their heads and they literally had to be DRAGGED away from their switchboards!
I would be remiss to not mention what a great job the narrator did in this novel. She has a lovely voice as well as a lovely French accent. I would be HAPPY to listen her read again.
I have to say, the Epilogue to this book made me ANGRY! The Epilogue reveals that once the women were no longer needed in Europe and were returned home, they found they had not been granted the status of “soldiers,” and as such, were not entitled to any of the benefits their male counterparts received. This just infuriated me. No Veteran’s benefits, no healthcare, no recognition of their service and sacrifices as soldiers…NOTHING.
I was never a fan of Jimmy Carter. But after hearing in the Epilogue that in 1977, a full 60-years after the womens’ distinguished service, Carter granted them full soldier status, and all the benefits attached to this status, his “stock” went up immeasurably with me!
It truly angered (but didn’t surprise) me that despite all they had given, all they had sacrificed to be part of that important time in our world history, the government/military screwed them over. It’s a little late now to fix it, but I’m glad the 50 female soldiers still alive at the time they were awarded soldier status and this book was published, were still alive to see their services recognized and APPRECIATED! They were finally recognized as being TRUE soldiers. It should have been done from the moment they signed on. They never should have had to fight and beg for the status they EARNED. The government’s poor treatment of these women is SHAMEFUL.😡
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- MLB
- 03-10-23
Loved this book!
This was so well written! It made me feel like I was right there watching the story unfold. You will love it.
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- Yvonne
- 09-09-23
Switchboard Soldiers
The writing and narration were very well done in this audiobook. I learned a lot from this book about this time period, world war 1 and the switchboard soldiers. I found it very interesting. My only complaint is that the author wrote too much detail into the story and she repeated certain aspects of the story over and over again, too many times.
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- Shanna Payne
- 03-13-24
Amazing
From the beginning this story held my attention. It moved at a good pace while at the same time feeling like you were there. I felt like I knew each of these amazing women. Definitely a book I will listen to again. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys listening to a good book with a great narrator.
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- ohva
- 07-20-22
Having lots of trouble with the narration
I have listened to a few hundred Audible books. I’ve listened to and read a lot of Chiaverini novels. A first for me, I may not be able to finish this book on Audible because of the narration. The narrator is speed reading monotone through the book to the point it’s hard to even follow what is going on. . It’s like an school assignment she wants to get done with. The voice changes from character to character are also overdone, and often substituting loud for voice changes.
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8 people found this helpful
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- BarbieAlaska
- 07-25-22
Thank you
for writing this book. The story is well done and perfect for many hours I spent weeding my gardens.
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- LSuzieClark
- 07-22-22
I Loved This
I found this author through her quilting series and I devoured all of them. However, I haven't always enjoyed her other stories. This was a huge win though with the writing putting you inside the story. You are right beside the characters as they make history.
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- Gerald Albertson
- 09-01-22
Don’t Switch — READ
I loved this book. If you think you know a bit about the American involvement in WW1 this book may catch you off guard. While the Allied Forces were liberating Europe the Switchboard Soldiers were liberating men’s minds. All the while, working with technology almost forgotten today. There is even a bit of romance wrapped up in a clandestine world where anyone could be a spy. This book could so easily be adapted to a movie. Let’s hope it comes to theaters…Soon!
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- Sica
- 11-11-22
Over too soon
I am, so glad this is in my collection. Now I can listen to it as many times as I like. This book makes you proud to be a woman!
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- Maria D. Homolka
- 05-25-23
Perfect story line
I really enjoyed the story of our female soldiers. I am a retired military, I can imagine how it was harrowing to work in the middle of all of chaos.
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