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Undaunted: The Real Story of America's Servicewomen in Today's Military
As she did so provocatively with military spouses in Army Wives, Tanya Biank gives us the inside story of women in today’s military—the professional and personal challenges that confront female soldiers from the combat zone to the home front... Since 9/11, more than 240,000 women soldiers have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan—more than 140 have died there, and they currently make up fourteen percent of the total active-duty forces. Despite advances, today’s servicewomen are constantly pressed to prove themselves, to overcome challenges men never face, and to put the military mission ahead of all other aspects of their lives, particularly marriage and motherhood. In this groundbreaking, insider’s look at the women defending our nation, Tanya Biank brings to light the real issues—of femininity, belonging to an old boys’ club, veiled discrimination, dating, marriage problems, separation from children, questions about life goals, career trajectories, and self-worth—that servicewomen are facing by focusing on four individual stories.Brigadier General Angela Salinas, the Marine Corps’ first Hispanic female general, faces the challenge of commanding an all-male institution. Second Lieutenant Bergan Flanagan finds herself on the frontlines in Afghanistan, serving in the same military police company as her husband. As a marine drill instructor, Sergeant Amy Stokley demands the very best from the recruits at Parris Island. And Major Candice O’Brien deals with deployment to Afghanistan, with two young children and a strained marriage back home.Undaunted is the story of these courageous trailblazers—their struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs in the name of serving the country they love.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2013
39 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
January 29, 2016
Excellent book! The book profiles 4 women: a Brigadier General in the Marine Corps, a Major in the Army, a Drill Instructor for the Marines, and an Army Military Police Lieutenant. It was interesting as I heard stories of these women as they progressed in the military careers in their specific circumstances in the Army and Marine Corps. The armed services are steeped in traditions. Traditions that these women had to accept. It was also interesting these women learned to get along in a traditionally male institution. While the armed services were required to allow women to serve, it was not a friendly environment for women. For example, the army only makes uniforms to fit men so women had to accommodate to wearing men's uniforms. This is slowly changing but it is changing. Each woman has had to adapt their leadership style to gain the respect of those she commands even it means setting higher bar for themselves than their male counterparts. Women are often characterized on the outset as "sluts" or "bitches."
One interesting point throughout the book was the families of the service women. They play a huge role in the lives of these women (I think the same could be said for the men as well).
The book cites numerous statistics regarding women in the military which I won't regurgitate here and because I can't remember them accurately anyway. One statistic that kind of keeps rearing its head is the number of women who come home with PTSD as a result of sexual harassment and/or abuse is troubling.
For women who want a career, marriage and a family in the military, the statistics are even more challenging. Dual military spouses have a harder time still since the service assignments often ignore their status. The result is long periods of separation.
In spite of all of these challenges, women still succeed and make in-roads for women who want to have military careers in the future. Women are being valued for what they can do. As General Angela Salinas is quoted in the book: "We're all Marines."
I found the book inspiring and very informative.
One interesting point throughout the book was the families of the service women. They play a huge role in the lives of these women (I think the same could be said for the men as well).
The book cites numerous statistics regarding women in the military which I won't regurgitate here and because I can't remember them accurately anyway. One statistic that kind of keeps rearing its head is the number of women who come home with PTSD as a result of sexual harassment and/or abuse is troubling.
For women who want a career, marriage and a family in the military, the statistics are even more challenging. Dual military spouses have a harder time still since the service assignments often ignore their status. The result is long periods of separation.
In spite of all of these challenges, women still succeed and make in-roads for women who want to have military careers in the future. Women are being valued for what they can do. As General Angela Salinas is quoted in the book: "We're all Marines."
I found the book inspiring and very informative.
February 11, 2013
Was looking for a book about women in combat, and found this. So glad I picked it up. All four of these women are an inspiration to me. Reasons why I joined the military and hope to accomplish in my career. For any woman in the military, I recommend this book. It's real and raw, and speaks about what we deal with. For those not, but wonder why we do what we do, it's exactly as the book says, we do what we do, because we can. I am so glad I read this book.
May 6, 2015
Good read.
Recently, the U.S. military changed the regulations on allowing women into combat, which is somewhat shocking considering that women have been unofficially in combat for years. This book relates the story of four women and their experiences in the Armed Forces. One is a general; one a servicewoman who is also a mother and wife who must deal with PTSD in her husband; one a drill sergeant; and the last a newlywed who services in a leadership position in Afghanistan.
The women are all dedicated service members as well as having ambition. A criticism that might be leveled at the book is the lack of African American service women – there is only one minority woman and she is Hispanic. Yet the women are diverse and their backgrounds are fleshed out enough to give more information about women in the service, besides the headlines about sexual assault. Something that the author discusses but does not dwell on.
Recently, the U.S. military changed the regulations on allowing women into combat, which is somewhat shocking considering that women have been unofficially in combat for years. This book relates the story of four women and their experiences in the Armed Forces. One is a general; one a servicewoman who is also a mother and wife who must deal with PTSD in her husband; one a drill sergeant; and the last a newlywed who services in a leadership position in Afghanistan.
The women are all dedicated service members as well as having ambition. A criticism that might be leveled at the book is the lack of African American service women – there is only one minority woman and she is Hispanic. Yet the women are diverse and their backgrounds are fleshed out enough to give more information about women in the service, besides the headlines about sexual assault. Something that the author discusses but does not dwell on.
November 29, 2012
Undaunted expertly captures the struggle women face in the rapidly changing 21st century military. Enlightening and engrossing, the book weaves in little known facts about the invaluable role women have played throughout the history of the Unites States Armed Forces. If you have ever wondered what it takes for women service members to “be all they can be,” you must read this book.
January 12, 2015
As a military member, I found this book inspiring, frustrating, motivating and engaging. I couldn't put it down.
April 10, 2022
Undaunted: The Real Story of America's Servicewomen in Today's Military by Tanya Biank
This book profiles 4 women in the military a Brigadier General in the Marine Corps, a Major in the Army, a Drill Instructor for the Marines, and an Army Military Police Lieutenant. It was a detailed look in the experiences of these four women in careers in the military that was recently opened up to them. It does a deep dive into what they each went through in the service to get to where they are at now. It also looked into the difficulty of being a women who wants to be a mom and a soldier.
It was detailed in the exact way that I dealt with in the Air Force in a field that I entered that was recently opened up to women. I completely understood what these women went through and their struggles where my struggles. I think more women in the military stories need to be told so that people can understand they sacrifice in the same way any male soldier does and they can do any job any male soldier can. I am hoping that the future will look even better for women who serve and it will eventually clean up the mess from the past. These women not only lead the soldiers they command as well as excelled at their jobs.
This book profiles 4 women in the military a Brigadier General in the Marine Corps, a Major in the Army, a Drill Instructor for the Marines, and an Army Military Police Lieutenant. It was a detailed look in the experiences of these four women in careers in the military that was recently opened up to them. It does a deep dive into what they each went through in the service to get to where they are at now. It also looked into the difficulty of being a women who wants to be a mom and a soldier.
It was detailed in the exact way that I dealt with in the Air Force in a field that I entered that was recently opened up to women. I completely understood what these women went through and their struggles where my struggles. I think more women in the military stories need to be told so that people can understand they sacrifice in the same way any male soldier does and they can do any job any male soldier can. I am hoping that the future will look even better for women who serve and it will eventually clean up the mess from the past. These women not only lead the soldiers they command as well as excelled at their jobs.
July 26, 2025
Fantastic look into four vastly different women in the military. Duty, Courage and Honor at the forefront for each other them all while honoring their womanhood. From hairdryer tasks, to having nails done, to a spritz of perfume, those simple feminine gestures brought each of these women to the battlefield as themselves. They juggled emotions, marriage, family life, deployments, and leadership in the ultimate man's world. This book is a great reminder of the sacrifices our military members and their families make every day.
December 24, 2022
Powerful look at women serving in the military and their unique challenges and achievements
April 24, 2019
It was a pretty good book about women in the military. Good read
January 22, 2018
This is a story about four driven and exceptional women in various branches of the military, all of whom served in some leadership capacity.
Each one of these women deserve their own biography, perhaps a memoir detailing their service.
I particularly enjoyed Bergan Flannigan's story, probably because of her combat roll and the tragic incident that changed her life forever. I would thoroughly enjoy reading her own memoir if she ever wrote one detailing her combat experience leading a platoon of her own. I wished there was more written about her story, background, and recovery.
The book focuses primarily on the lives of the women inside and out of the military, their challenges, struggles, and feats. It does not include much detail of their deployments or day to day work at their stations, except perhaps D.I. SSgt Stokely who received less attention in this story than the other three.
I think the target audience for this book are women, particularly those interested in a woman's military life. It gives a feminists perspective into the military; however, the author never gets overtly political. The book is compelling and exhibits encouragement for women. I would recommend my own daughters read it if they were feeling discouraged about themselves.
I'm of the opinion that 'affirmative action' styled preferential treatment or reduced expectations has no place in the military given the fact that even the slightest failure or lack in performance can result in injury or death in combat or even in training. There should be no quotas or, 'lowering of the bar' for anyone. For example, any marine or special ops applicant should meet the exact same competitive physical aptitude regardless of gender. I think the four women represented in this book surpassed the standards exceptionally.
I felt that the author mischaracterized Candice O'Brien's husband Will. The author described one instance in which Will, having just returned from a long deployment in Iraq had on one occasion berated and spoke somewhat abusively to his wife Candice.
The author describes the incident when Candice, having been raised politically liberal, was profoundly intrigued by the election of Barack Obama and was glued to the TV the day of his election. After a heated exchange in which he complained that she cared more for the new president than her own husband, he stormed off leaving her in tears questioning her marriage. The exchange was uncharacteristic of him and strongly exhibited signs of PTSD which is common in soldiers newly returned from combat. At this point the author never once mentioned the most probable underlying cause of his outburst, and instead referred to him as a radical because of his disdainful views of Arabs in the area where he was serving. This was completely off-base and I was caught off guard by the author not properly considering what was likely the underlying issue that contributed to his poor behavior. Later in the book she addresses PTSD and that Will actively began seeking treatment.
Each one of these women deserve their own biography, perhaps a memoir detailing their service.
I particularly enjoyed Bergan Flannigan's story, probably because of her combat roll and the tragic incident that changed her life forever. I would thoroughly enjoy reading her own memoir if she ever wrote one detailing her combat experience leading a platoon of her own. I wished there was more written about her story, background, and recovery.
The book focuses primarily on the lives of the women inside and out of the military, their challenges, struggles, and feats. It does not include much detail of their deployments or day to day work at their stations, except perhaps D.I. SSgt Stokely who received less attention in this story than the other three.
I think the target audience for this book are women, particularly those interested in a woman's military life. It gives a feminists perspective into the military; however, the author never gets overtly political. The book is compelling and exhibits encouragement for women. I would recommend my own daughters read it if they were feeling discouraged about themselves.
I'm of the opinion that 'affirmative action' styled preferential treatment or reduced expectations has no place in the military given the fact that even the slightest failure or lack in performance can result in injury or death in combat or even in training. There should be no quotas or, 'lowering of the bar' for anyone. For example, any marine or special ops applicant should meet the exact same competitive physical aptitude regardless of gender. I think the four women represented in this book surpassed the standards exceptionally.
I felt that the author mischaracterized Candice O'Brien's husband Will. The author described one instance in which Will, having just returned from a long deployment in Iraq had on one occasion berated and spoke somewhat abusively to his wife Candice.
The author describes the incident when Candice, having been raised politically liberal, was profoundly intrigued by the election of Barack Obama and was glued to the TV the day of his election. After a heated exchange in which he complained that she cared more for the new president than her own husband, he stormed off leaving her in tears questioning her marriage. The exchange was uncharacteristic of him and strongly exhibited signs of PTSD which is common in soldiers newly returned from combat. At this point the author never once mentioned the most probable underlying cause of his outburst, and instead referred to him as a radical because of his disdainful views of Arabs in the area where he was serving. This was completely off-base and I was caught off guard by the author not properly considering what was likely the underlying issue that contributed to his poor behavior. Later in the book she addresses PTSD and that Will actively began seeking treatment.
March 7, 2013
Originally posted on Sarahsbookshelf.com:
I have been reading many books about our military recently, in an effort to better understand the challenges of service and the transition to civilian life. In my search, I’ve often gravitated towards books written by men, since their experience is so different from my own. But I found myself asking why I wasn’t interested in women’s stories–so I picked up this book by Tanya Biank about the experiences of four women serving in both the Army and Marines.
I don’t usually like books that skip around between multiple stories–especially when it’s non-fiction–but this book managed to pull it off. In many ways, I think it almost had to bounce around due to the challenging events that happened to at least two of the women. I learned so many things reading this book that I had no idea about previously. Such as the Marines, until the 70′s, had very different criteria for women, some of which included looks. Even today, women have certain foods restrictions in the mess halls that men do not have. These are all things in addition to the many hurdles that many women already face in their careers by not being able to serve in combat.
As a new parent reading about Candice’s experiences as a officer and a parent of two children, I found myself in awe of her juggling and commitment to herself, her career, and the common beliefs she has with other people who serve. I’m a civilian, so I read these books with a very different set of eyes than those who serve, but it’s so interesting to be able to see some of the opportunities and challenges that many women face. I would definitely recommend this book if you are curious about some of the challenges our servicewomen deal with and how many of them have overcome those challenges. Well-written, I gave this book a pass on not being a first-person account.
I have been reading many books about our military recently, in an effort to better understand the challenges of service and the transition to civilian life. In my search, I’ve often gravitated towards books written by men, since their experience is so different from my own. But I found myself asking why I wasn’t interested in women’s stories–so I picked up this book by Tanya Biank about the experiences of four women serving in both the Army and Marines.
I don’t usually like books that skip around between multiple stories–especially when it’s non-fiction–but this book managed to pull it off. In many ways, I think it almost had to bounce around due to the challenging events that happened to at least two of the women. I learned so many things reading this book that I had no idea about previously. Such as the Marines, until the 70′s, had very different criteria for women, some of which included looks. Even today, women have certain foods restrictions in the mess halls that men do not have. These are all things in addition to the many hurdles that many women already face in their careers by not being able to serve in combat.
As a new parent reading about Candice’s experiences as a officer and a parent of two children, I found myself in awe of her juggling and commitment to herself, her career, and the common beliefs she has with other people who serve. I’m a civilian, so I read these books with a very different set of eyes than those who serve, but it’s so interesting to be able to see some of the opportunities and challenges that many women face. I would definitely recommend this book if you are curious about some of the challenges our servicewomen deal with and how many of them have overcome those challenges. Well-written, I gave this book a pass on not being a first-person account.
February 27, 2013
Very well written by an author that knows her subject matter., women in the military, and the experiences they undergo. The timing of this book couldn't have been better planned, as most restrictions on women in combat positions are currently being lifted, and those that aren't, will be seriously reviewed for a later possibility. The author follows four women, both enlisted and officer, a SGT, LT, MAJ, and BGEN, over a four to five year period in their careers. We get a glimpse of what life is like for a hard charging woman that is a wife, mother, and soldier, not necessarily in that order, and what most women like her will face in their military career. We see what today's warfare can do to a perfectly healthy individual in a split second of time, and her struggles to recover and continue service. You meet a Marine Drill Instructor, and the exhaustive energy and work she puts in to produce future Marines, and also the General that Commands an all male recruit depot, the first under a female Marine, and her meetings with General Krulak, an icon in the Marine Corps. Again, a very well written book for anyone that holds an interest in today's military, and especially of the women that presently serve.
November 15, 2014
The stories of four military women and their lives in the past five years or so-- two Army and two Marines. The book outlines the courage, dedication and commitment required to balance a military career with a family and the expectations of society. I found some of the vignettes interesting and confirmed my opinions, e.g. the story of the French boss who ignored the needs of a female major who had been assaulted. I can't help but wonder why the author did not include examples from the Navy or the Air Force. Perhaps, the predominantly combat arms services provided better precedents for the author's themes? The book is; however, on the Air Force Chief's reading list, which is where I found it.
May 19, 2014
While I admire the stories of the struggles these women went through to reach their goals, I think it would have been beneficial to have the Navy and Air Force represented in this book as well. Women breaking through barriers in male dominated career fields while having to choose between families or careers isn't just a theme present in the Army or Marine Corps.
I also didn't like the way the story was told. I get that events had to be re-created and all, but the way the stories were told, there was too much hindsight added in. I also wasn't a fan of the tone. It seemed fake at times.
I also didn't like the way the story was told. I get that events had to be re-created and all, but the way the stories were told, there was too much hindsight added in. I also wasn't a fan of the tone. It seemed fake at times.
October 28, 2015
Biank introduces the reader to 4 women who serve in the Armed Forces. The women are spread through the ranks and each story reflects what they have overcome and what challenges they still face.
Why I started this book: Fascinating subject.
Why I finished it: Fascinating stories. The problem, when reporters follow a person for a set amount of time, the reader is always eager to find out, what happens next?
Why I started this book: Fascinating subject.
Why I finished it: Fascinating stories. The problem, when reporters follow a person for a set amount of time, the reader is always eager to find out, what happens next?
November 25, 2015
This was an inspiring and in-depth look at what women in the military go through daily to progress their careers. I'm so glad I read this!
May 11, 2014
Very very very good book. Gives an outstanding perspective of some of the unique challenges women face as they serve in the military.
September 18, 2022
This book was published at almost exactly the same time Defense Secretary Leon Panetta officially opened combat positions to women in 2013. Biank profiles four female soldiers in detail to illustrate the many challenges military women face in a field that has been dominated by men for most of the country's history. And even though these women weren't technically combat soldiers during the writing of the book, two of them were definitely in harm's way. One of the them, Bergan Flannigan, lost her leg in an explosion in 2010 in Afghanistan where she was serving in the Military Police Corps.
The hardships they endure with stereotypes, resistance (sometimes violent), marriage, and motherhood are on vivid display as Biank tells their story, and by extension the story of so many of their comrades. The author carefully and thoughtfully narrates the timeline of how these women entered the service, including their motivations for entering the military, and carries through with how they overcame one obstacle after another to earn the respect they deserved from fellow soldiers and their commanding officers. The most impressive of the four to me was Brig. Gen. Angela Salinas, the first Hispanic female general in the Marines, who served at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego.
Although this book is now almost a decade old, I am sure many of the hurdles these women had to clear are still very much in place, from recruiting and training to promotion and supervising their male peers. Being side-by-side with them in combat has probably complicated matters even more. I greatly admire their courage, stamina, and devotion to service.
Biank writes in a style that is compelling and accessible. The book almost reads like a novel, which is a testament to the author's skill. The reader of the audiobook does a good job, although her cadence and intonation sometimes make it sound like she's reading a novel of crime fiction instead of a work of nonfiction. I would be very interested to read a similar book that chronicles the way the role of women has changed since they were admitted to official combat status.
The hardships they endure with stereotypes, resistance (sometimes violent), marriage, and motherhood are on vivid display as Biank tells their story, and by extension the story of so many of their comrades. The author carefully and thoughtfully narrates the timeline of how these women entered the service, including their motivations for entering the military, and carries through with how they overcame one obstacle after another to earn the respect they deserved from fellow soldiers and their commanding officers. The most impressive of the four to me was Brig. Gen. Angela Salinas, the first Hispanic female general in the Marines, who served at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego.
Although this book is now almost a decade old, I am sure many of the hurdles these women had to clear are still very much in place, from recruiting and training to promotion and supervising their male peers. Being side-by-side with them in combat has probably complicated matters even more. I greatly admire their courage, stamina, and devotion to service.
Biank writes in a style that is compelling and accessible. The book almost reads like a novel, which is a testament to the author's skill. The reader of the audiobook does a good job, although her cadence and intonation sometimes make it sound like she's reading a novel of crime fiction instead of a work of nonfiction. I would be very interested to read a similar book that chronicles the way the role of women has changed since they were admitted to official combat status.
September 18, 2018
This book takes us into the life of 4 women who are in the military: two who are in the Marines: A Brigadier General and a Drill Instructor and two who are in the Army--a Lt and a Major. They come from different walks of life and show what it is like to be a female in the predominantly male world of the military.
I did like this book. I wonder if she'll do another book coming from the Air Force and Navy points of view? or do one from a female who graduated from one of the service academies within the last 10 years?
I did not like the format. I would read about one person, get invested in her and then have to start over with the next one. About a third of the way through the book, I finished reading about one (The BG who was up) and then skipped forward until I got to the rest of her stories. I did that so I had a better concept of who they were and what they were up against.
Even today, women are at a disadvantage in the military. There are a lot more men, more "good old boy networks out there" and more people who may not come out and say it but who don't want or think that women can do as well as the men there.
Going up the ranks as a female has its own pitfalls. One doesn't want to be perceived as getting there because of who she slept with and always has to be better than the guys. Where the men can hang out with some of their younger troops, females have to be wary of that for many reasons mostly about how it will be perceived by others.
I think that this book showed that pretty well. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about joining the military for a birds eye view as to what is in store. Each case is different and each case needs to be scrutinized on its own merit.
I did like this book. I wonder if she'll do another book coming from the Air Force and Navy points of view? or do one from a female who graduated from one of the service academies within the last 10 years?
I did not like the format. I would read about one person, get invested in her and then have to start over with the next one. About a third of the way through the book, I finished reading about one (The BG who was up) and then skipped forward until I got to the rest of her stories. I did that so I had a better concept of who they were and what they were up against.
Even today, women are at a disadvantage in the military. There are a lot more men, more "good old boy networks out there" and more people who may not come out and say it but who don't want or think that women can do as well as the men there.
Going up the ranks as a female has its own pitfalls. One doesn't want to be perceived as getting there because of who she slept with and always has to be better than the guys. Where the men can hang out with some of their younger troops, females have to be wary of that for many reasons mostly about how it will be perceived by others.
I think that this book showed that pretty well. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about joining the military for a birds eye view as to what is in store. Each case is different and each case needs to be scrutinized on its own merit.
November 20, 2024
I picked up and dropped this book multiple times this year. Finally just decided to plow through the last….70% of it. So, most of it. As we speak I marked it read on Goodreads but still getting through the rest of it today and maybe tomorrow.
“Read” this as an audiobook. For me personally, the narrator isn’t bad, the tone and tempo is meant for when I got nothing better to do but chores. Unsure if that’s due to the writer or the narrator though. It felt like the format got the point across, as if we are following along in the moment for many of their days. Yet I found it oddly offputting. Like putting words in the past’s mouth. No idea why it felt that way but it made it harder to get through. Otherwise I appreciated their stories. It would be beneficial to read either an update or an entire second book with new women in 10 years from now.
It cracked me up that the general would run 4-5 miles every morning at 4:30am to keep up with the marines. I wish she didn’t do it at the expense of her knees! Nowadays that kind of example is definitely part of the larger statistic of many veterans being disabled which is too bad. Hoping that her back, knees, etc is okay these days.
“Read” this as an audiobook. For me personally, the narrator isn’t bad, the tone and tempo is meant for when I got nothing better to do but chores. Unsure if that’s due to the writer or the narrator though. It felt like the format got the point across, as if we are following along in the moment for many of their days. Yet I found it oddly offputting. Like putting words in the past’s mouth. No idea why it felt that way but it made it harder to get through. Otherwise I appreciated their stories. It would be beneficial to read either an update or an entire second book with new women in 10 years from now.
It cracked me up that the general would run 4-5 miles every morning at 4:30am to keep up with the marines. I wish she didn’t do it at the expense of her knees! Nowadays that kind of example is definitely part of the larger statistic of many veterans being disabled which is too bad. Hoping that her back, knees, etc is okay these days.
October 31, 2021
Remarkable book
Women in the military
Four case study snapshots of four women serving their country -- one enlisted, two field officers, and one flag officer. Enlightening and absorbing. I've long been interested in gender studies, and the handicaps women endure just so they can serve; patriotism is not the sole province of men. Neither is courage nor heart. The warrior woman is an historic fact; it is long past time for her to step out of the shadows and take her place beside the American warrior.
As we near ten years from the epilogue, I'm wondering how these four are doing. To all the women and men who have served or currently wear our nation's uniform, regardless of branch --and I include the Coast Guard-- a sincere thank for your service.
Recommended.
Women in the military
Four case study snapshots of four women serving their country -- one enlisted, two field officers, and one flag officer. Enlightening and absorbing. I've long been interested in gender studies, and the handicaps women endure just so they can serve; patriotism is not the sole province of men. Neither is courage nor heart. The warrior woman is an historic fact; it is long past time for her to step out of the shadows and take her place beside the American warrior.
As we near ten years from the epilogue, I'm wondering how these four are doing. To all the women and men who have served or currently wear our nation's uniform, regardless of branch --and I include the Coast Guard-- a sincere thank for your service.
Recommended.
May 13, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It’s an easy read; well-written and the soldiers and marines profiled have engaging stories. There are the few minor inaccuracies one comes to expect when non-military folks write about the military, but they’re not significant and do not detract from the book. What did detract from my read was that only two branches of service were represented. Surely out of the thousands upon thousands of women serving in the Navy and Air Force, we could have found two with compelling stories. I know I’ve served with several who would have fit the bill perfectly. Each of the branches have very different cultures and the contrast between their experiences may have added interesting perspectives and given us a more thorough picture of life in uniform for these amazing women.
July 12, 2021
During the pandemic, my husband and I started watching series of TV programs that we like. A few months ago, we found Army Wives. We loved the show when it originally came out. The credits indicated that the show was based on the book by Biank. I tried to get that book, but the library did not have it. Instead, it had this book. In this work, Biank follows four military females. She details the struggles they have e.g., the difficulties that occur when they have to work with men who do not want them in the military, how to maintain a strong marriage and family life, etc. It is a well-written account. It makes me grateful for what these women do.
June 18, 2020
Excellent book
This book about women in the military is outstanding. The author covers 4 different female soldiers in different branches of the military and of different ranks . The details of their military careers makes one feel like they are there. This book gives the reader a better understanding of what each of these women endured in their careers. Outstanding writing and fascinating reading, this is a powerful story about the bravery and courage these women have faced to defend our country. Every woman should read this book.
This book about women in the military is outstanding. The author covers 4 different female soldiers in different branches of the military and of different ranks . The details of their military careers makes one feel like they are there. This book gives the reader a better understanding of what each of these women endured in their careers. Outstanding writing and fascinating reading, this is a powerful story about the bravery and courage these women have faced to defend our country. Every woman should read this book.
October 4, 2022
I like this author and I liked this book. The reason I gave it a 4 is it’s rather bland in the story telling. If she could have written it with more emotion or changed the pattern between soldiers it would of been a more interesting to read. In Army Wives, it worked, because the lives told were emotion based and each character was at a different speed. This book only had one speed. Well worth reading though if you like historical war women of today.
October 27, 2023
It's probably a really good book, it just wasn't what I was looking for. It wasn't so much about the adventures, but day to day challenges. I did find 'A Woman of No Importance', a book about a Virginia Hall and all that she accomplished in WWII and the amazing amount of challenges she overcome to include her wooden leg. I was hoping Undaunted would be similar in focusing much more on accomplishments than the challenges.
February 2, 2018
This is a very good and interesting read. I think it could be stronger if she had included an airman and a seaman along with the soldiers and marines. I am so privileged to know many fierce military women! They inspire me daily, but I don't think a book like this does them justice. I've not ready Army Wives, but I image it highlights sensationalism like this book does.
February 2, 2019
I don't have the time to write a full review currently but I'll say that this book, for being non-fiction, is really captivating. Even the small stuff is worth reading about in my opinion.
Love hearing from strong women!
Love hearing from strong women!
January 19, 2020
I listened to the audio book and it is amazing. It profiles women's lives in the Army and Marine Corps and the sexism, abuse, and double standards they must deal with and how they overcame this.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
January 2, 2019
Unbelievably fantastic read
Four phenomenal stories of service women, this is a great read for any woman in a male dominated career field.
Four phenomenal stories of service women, this is a great read for any woman in a male dominated career field.
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