The Wives

A Memoir

By: Simone Gorrindo

Narrated by: Simone Gorrindo

“[Simone] Gorrindo’s prose is inviting and fluid, and her storytelling is intimate and vivid...[an] engaging, evocative memoir.” —The New York Times Book Review
“A hopeful, unifying memoir.” —People

This profoundly intimate memoir about marriage, friendship, and the power of human connection tells the story of one woman’s experience of joining a community of army wives after leaving her New York City job.

When her new husband joins an elite Army unit, Simone Gorrindo is uprooted from New York City and dropped into Columbus, Georgia. With her husband frequently deployed, Simone is left to find her place in this new world, alone—until she meets the wives.

Gorrindo gives us an intimate look into the inner lives of a remarkable group of women and a tender, unflinching portrait of a marriage. A love story, an unforgettable coming-of-age tale, and a bracing tour of the intractable divisions that plague our country today, The Wives offers a rare and powerful gift: a hopeful stitch in the fabric of a torn America.

©2024 Simone Gorrindo (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Absolutely Beauitful

I knew very little about the military before reading this book, but I cried probably 7 times. Simone is a beautiful storyteller and hearing her narrate her own book was gorgeously intimate. An absolute must read/listen.

Captivating

This memoir was captivating. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the life of an army wife and the friendships that are created on base. The performance aspect is the audiobook was a little lacking in my opinion as it was very monotone and as if she was reading a script instead of telling the story herself.

Really well done

I truly enjoyed this book, I wish there was a series. It kept me engaged the whole time.

War, Wives, Sisterhood and Survival

They say you can't go home again, but The Wives proved me wrong. A place of such familiarity, even the mounting anxiety welling up in my body felt like a comforting cocoon. I knew the cycle of deployment all too well. The painstaking beginning, the mundane middle and the excruciating end. I couldn't stop reading. I knew I had to keep pushing forward, knowing the inherent transformation happening in the suffering. There's no shortage of stories on the bonds of brotherhood in arms. But the story of the sisterhood of the wives, a war story equally its own form of survival, so often goes untold. Thank you, Simone Gorrindo, for giving the world a glimpse into the lives behind the brown fences.

Genuine, heartfelt and raw

Genuine, heartfelt, raw account of her own experiences as a military wife today. So real. Keep writing! Thank you for sharing and while I read that part about thank you for your service—thank you both for your service!

Connection

Really connected to this story as an army brat and realize what my mom must’ve gone through.

Military Wives

I thought the reader’s voice was flat and uninteresting to listen to. But I thought the story was interesting.

The wives left behind

The candor and honesty with which this was written was outstanding. Gorrindo is an intelligent, sensitive talented writer. She made me feel every emotion she had. I look forward to reading more of her work. The only criticism I have is I think perhaps another narrator would have made it even better. She wasn’t terrible but a lot of her dialogue was rushed and hard to hear.

Why did you have to bring politics into the story!

You never hear about the women's side of deployment. Wonderful to hear their side of the story. Then you had to bring politics into the story. Excellent writer.

Love and connection transcend!

Simone shares her deeply personal experience of becoming a military wife while finding herself as a young adult. Her storytelling catches you from the start and keeps you engaged.