Switchboard Soldiers: A Novel
(OverDrive MP3 Audiobook, OverDrive 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.
If you are having problem transferring a title to your device, please fill out this support form or visit the library so we can help you to use our eBooks and eAudio Books.
Jennifer Chiaverini. (2022). Switchboard Soldiers: A Novel. Unabridged HarperAudio.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)Jennifer Chiaverini. 2022. Switchboard Soldiers: A Novel. HarperAudio.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)Jennifer Chiaverini, Switchboard Soldiers: A Novel. HarperAudio, 2022.
MLA Citation (style guide)Jennifer Chiaverini. Switchboard Soldiers: A Novel. Unabridged HarperAudio, 2022.
| Library | Owned | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Digital Collection | 5 | 3 |
OverDrive Product Record
- images
- cover:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0293-1/{19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC}IMG100.JPG
- type: image/jpeg
- thumbnail:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/0293-1/{19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC}IMG200.JPG
- type: image/jpeg
- cover150Wide:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/0293-1/{19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC}IMG150.JPG
- type: image/jpeg
- cover300Wide:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/0293-1/{19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC}IMG400.JPG
- type: image/jpeg
- cover:
- formats
- identifiers:
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063080720
- name: OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
- id: audiobook-mp3
- identifiers:
- identifiers:
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063080720
- name: OverDrive Listen
- id: audiobook-overdrive
- identifiers:
- mediaType
- Audiobook
- primaryCreator
- role: Author
- name: Jennifer Chiaverini
- title
- Switchboard Soldiers
- dateAdded
- 2022-07-15T23:09:00Z
- contentDetails
- href: https://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=141&titleID=7227530
- type: text/html
- account:
- name: Sacramento Public Library (CA)
- id: 1151
- sortTitle
- Switchboard Soldiers A Novel
- crossRefId
- 7227530
- subtitle
- A Novel
- id
- 19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC
- starRating
- 4.2
OverDrive MetaData
- isPublicDomain
- False
- images
- cover:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0293-1/{19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC}IMG100.JPG
- type: image/jpeg
- thumbnail:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/0293-1/{19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC}IMG200.JPG
- type: image/jpeg
- cover150Wide:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/0293-1/{19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC}IMG150.JPG
- type: image/jpeg
- cover300Wide:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/0293-1/{19966CAC-E6B0-4083-BF94-D4BDF94439EC}IMG400.JPG
- type: image/jpeg
- cover:
- isPublicPerformanceAllowed
- False
- formats
- duration: 14:49:34
- fileName: SwitchboardSoldiers_9780063080720_7227530
- partCount: 15
- fileSize: 424696178
- identifiers:
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063080720
- rights:
- type: PlayOnPC
- value: 1
- type: PlayOnPCCount
- value: -1
- type: BurnToCD
- value: 1
- type: BurnToCDCount
- value: -1
- type: PlayOnPM
- value: 1
- type: TransferToSDMI
- value: 1
- type: TransferToNonSDMI
- value: 1
- type: TransferCount
- value: -1
- type: CollaborativePlay
- value: 0
- type: PublicPerformance
- value: 0
- type: TranscodeToAAC
- value: 1
- name: OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
- isReadAlong: False
- id: audiobook-mp3
- onSaleDate: 7/19/2022
- samples:
- source: From the book
- formatType: audiobook-overdrive
- url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=19966cac-e6b0-4083-bf94-d4bdf94439ec&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
- duration: 14:44:40
- fileName: SwitchboardSoldiers_9780063080720_7227530
- partCount: 0
- fileSize: 424640046
- identifiers:
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063080720
- name: OverDrive Listen
- isReadAlong: False
- id: audiobook-overdrive
- onSaleDate: 7/19/2022
- samples:
- source: From the book
- formatType: audiobook-overdrive
- url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=19966cac-e6b0-4083-bf94-d4bdf94439ec&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
- languages
- code: en
- name: English
- creators
- role: Author
- fileAs: Chiaverini, Jennifer
- bioText:
Jennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-four novels, including critically acclaimed historical fiction and the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series. In 2020, she was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association for her novel Resistance Women. In 2023, the WLA awarded her the honor of Notable Wisconsin Author for her significant contributions to the state's literary heritage. Chiaverini earned a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago. She, her husband, and their two sons call Madison, Wisconsin home.
- name: Jennifer Chiaverini
- role: Narrator
- fileAs: Maarleveld, Saskia
- name: Saskia Maarleveld
- subjects
- value: Fiction
- value: Literature
- value: Historical Fiction
- publishDate
- 2022-07-19T00:00:00-04:00
- edition
- Unabridged
- publishDateText
- 07/19/2022
- mediaType
- Audiobook
- shortDescription
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...
- isOwnedByCollections
- True
- title
- Switchboard Soldiers
- fullDescription
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.
- sortTitle
- Switchboard Soldiers A Novel
- crossRefId
- 7227530
- subtitle
- A Novel
- popularity
- 3482
- publisher
- HarperAudio
- links
- self:
- href: https://api.overdrive.com/v1/collections/v1L1B3gEAAA2d/products/19966cac-e6b0-4083-bf94-d4bdf94439ec/metadata
- type: application/vnd.overdrive.api+json
- self:
- id
- 19966cac-e6b0-4083-bf94-d4bdf94439ec
- starRating
- 3.9
- bisacCodes
- code: FIC044000
- description: Fiction / Contemporary Women
- code: FIC014040
- description: FICTION / Historical / 20th Century / World War I
- code: FIC076000
- description: Fiction / Feminist
