Good Night, Irene

A Novel

By: Luis Alberto Urrea

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik, Luis Alberto Urrea

This New York Times bestselling novel tells an exhilarating World War II epic that chronicles an extraordinary young woman’s heroic frontline service in the Red Cross.

“Urrea’s touch is sure, his exuberance carries you through . . . He is a generous writer, not just in his approach to his craft but in the broader sense of what he feels necessary to capture about life itself.” —Financial Times

In 1943, Irene Woodward abandons an abusive fiancé in New York to enlist with the Red Cross and head to Europe. She makes fast friends in training with Dorothy Dunford, a towering Midwesterner with a ferocious wit. Together they are part of an elite group of women, nicknamed Donut Dollies, who command military vehicles called Clubmobiles at the front line, providing camaraderie and a taste of home that may be the only solace before troops head into battle.

After D-Day, these two intrepid friends join the Allied soldiers streaming into France. Their time in Europe will see them embroiled in danger, from the Battle of the Bulge to the liberation of Buchenwald. Through her friendship with Dorothy, and a love affair with a courageous American fighter pilot named Hans, Irene learns to trust again. Her most fervent hope, which becomes more precarious by the day, is for all three of them to survive the war intact.

Taking as inspiration his mother’s own Red Cross service, Luis Alberto Urrea has delivered an overlooked story of women’s heroism in World War II. With its affecting and uplifting portrait of friendship and valor in harrowing circumstances, Good Night, Irene powerfully demonstrates yet again that Urrea’s “gifts as a storyteller are prodigious” (NPR).

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Luis Alberto Urrea (P)2023 Little, Brown & Company

Critic reviews

“Good Night, Irene is a beautiful, heartfelt novel that celebrates the intense power and durability of female friendship while shining a light on one of the fascinating lost women’s stories of World War II. Inspired by his own family history—and his mother’s heroism as a Red Cross volunteer during the war—Luis Urrea has created an indelible portrait of women’s courage under extreme adversity. Powerful, uplifting, and deeply personal, Good Night, Irene is a story of survival, camaraderie, and courage on the front line.”—Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds"

,"“Every once in a while the universe opens its heart and pulls out a book like this novel, gifting it to the cosmos. In Good Night, Irene, a new element has been created, and the literary world is reborn in the image of Luis Alberto Urrea. His voice comes alive on every page of this magnificent novel.”—Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Swee

A heart-wrenching wartime drama, a rich portrait of friendship, and an exploration of the trials and triumphs of the human spirit, Good Night, Irene is historical fiction at its finest. Using the little-known true story of women who worked behind the front lines for the Red Cross during World War II, Luis Alberto Urrea weaves a novel about the enduring bonds, devastating losses, and heroism of ordinary people who put their lives on the line for freedom. This is a story that needed to be told and remembered.” —Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and The Exiles

Bravo

Another beautiful book from Luis Urrea. Endearing, suspenseful and joyful. I loved this book. Such a beautiful tribute!

coffee and donuts in WWII

First time author for me. There are lots of books being written today. There are lots of good authors and stories. I assume they are all looking for a uniqueness that sets their book apart from all the others out there. This book has that, an American Red Cross unit delivering coffee and donuts to GI in World War II where they follow along at the rear of the combat troops and their only task was to give comfort to the soldiers as best they could, mainly by serving coffee and donuts. And, this really happened!

The author follows two volunteers into this group and goes through their training in the US, deployment to Europe, their stay in the UK waiting for D-Day, the going to France and then Germany following the troops in actual combat. Did they have some adventures along the way? Boy howdy and not all of them were good. It's a good listen.

One aspect this book brought home was the amount of alcohol imbibed by all during the whole adventure. I don't know where it all came from, but it always seemed to be there in some form. If someone had a bottle of something, whoever was standing g there passed the bottle around until it was empty. Lots of the book dealing with the war don't bring up this aspect of the war, that if alcohol was to be had, it got drunk.

I loved this book!

Beautifully written and well told by the narrator. Poignant story of the bond between two women and how their lives intertwined in WWII and after. I couldn't stop listening to it. Loved the ending and especially enjoyed the author's story about how the book came to be in the afterword.

Yes

I’m always gripped by stories of people doing their best and trying their hardest. Failure sometimes is an option but just striving to be more than you think you can be. WWII stories seem to be a rich garden for heartbreaking triumphs and breathtaking disappointments. It’s a great book and I had no problem with the narrator.

Loved everything about this book!!

Admittedly, Im a sucker for a novel, based on a true story, and love a satisfying, heartwarming ending. This books ticks all my boxes 😀

Heartwarming and intriguing

Brilliant author. This is the 3rd book I’ve read from Luis Alberto Urrea and I am still in awe. Great book. Vivid details. Made me think of my own grandmother

thank you for writing this book.

FANTASTIC! This book is full of so much! It made me so horribly lonely for my own mother and the secrets she took to her grave.

Would you like a doughnut with that?

Wow! First time I have listened to to the author and he didn’t disappoint!
Another amazing story I have never heard of about the women who made coffee and doughnuts for the men in the trenches. Not only was it excellent writing but it gave much more depth than ever expected. He is a must to catch for some next listens. He make you feel the wind from the window cascading across your sweating belly as you lie exhausted on the bed, and the wet socks and sweat smell from the hors of matching without end.
Don’t waste another moment, just purchase and sit back for an amazing ride thru the bowels of the WWII!

Loved it!

Loved all of it - ups and downs and the friendship and love and most of all the humor that was woven throughout. Thank you!

I adore stories about World War II, especially those involving women fighting Nazis.

I loved everything about it. while I thought it got off to a little bit of a slow start, the rest of it enthralled me.