JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Community members from Whitwell have gathered around the table within Orena Humphreys Public Library for this month’s book club event, featuring Kristin Hannah’s novel “The Women.”
Similarly to Carolyn Stewart Public Library’s book club in Jasper, members of Whitwell’s book club came together to discuss the club’s latest read for January. The group’s recent novel discussed was “The Women” by Kristin Hannah, a 2024 novel which tells the story of nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath who joins the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War in 1965. Once deployed, she confronts the horrors which occur during the war, only to then return home to a politically divided America.
Members were given a variety of questions surrounding the novel and its characters, each being asked about their personal thoughts and interpretations to the story’s core themes and plot points. Library Director Cathy Black explained the book club was first formed in September 2025, where all who met discussed about what books each member were interested in reading, and what day each month would work best to gather.
“I think it’s great,” said Black. “It brings people together to talk about books, and it brings people into the library that wouldn’t have come in here before.”
Black additionally noted the book club helps bring a new activity for adults to enjoy, as many activities within the library are geared more towards children. Because of this, the book club has grown into a local favorite for community members to participate in each month, becoming an additional activity among others within Whitwell’s library.
Whitwell’s book club meets every third Tuesday at 5 p.m. Sign-up sheets are provided at the library for those interested in joining.