An Evening with Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah appears in conversation with Monica Hesse to celebrate the paperback release of *The Women*, Hannah’s bestselling novel about a young woman who serves as an Army nurse during the Vietnam War. The discussion will explore the novel’s portrait of a woman coming of age amid war, political division, and the upheaval of 1960s America, as well as the often-overlooked sacrifices of women who served.
Hannah will also discuss her writing process, inspirations, career, and the adaptation of her work for the screen. Her other novels mentioned include *The Nightingale*, *The Great Alone*, and *The Four Winds*. *The Nightingale* is being adapted as a film starring Dakota and Elle Fanning, while *Firefly Lane* has become a Netflix series.
When: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Showtimes: Doors open at 6:00 p.m.; the conversation begins at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Format: In-person and virtual. In-person admission is sold out.
Tickets: Virtual admission is $12. A virtual ticket with a signed book is $29. Additional fees apply.
Seating: General admission for in-person attendees.
Venue: Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, with virtual access also available through the venue.
Featured speaker: Kristin Hannah, a former lawyer and author of more than 20 novels.
Conversation partner: Monica Hesse, a Washington Post Style-section critic and former Opinion columnist whose writing examines gender and its effects on society. Hesse is also the author of the historical-fiction novels *They Went Left* and *Girl in the Blue Coat*.
Program: The discussion focuses on *The Women*, which follows 20-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath after her brother leaves to serve in Vietnam. Frankie joins the Army Nurse Corps and confronts the devastation of war, only to return to an America transformed and divided. The novel considers the experience of women who went to war and whose service and commitment were frequently neglected or forgotten.
Accessibility: Real-time captions will be provided. Attendees who want seating in the captioned section or access to the captioned virtual feed should email Amanda Loerch.
Ages: Not specified.
Run time: Not specified.