Today We Go Home

A Novel

By: Kelli Estes

Narrated by: Amy Landon, Sarah Mollo-Christensen

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Two women, living centuries apart, fighting for our country's freedom...and their own.

Seattle, Washington: Larkin Bennett has always known her place, whether it's surrounded by her loving family in the lush greenery of the Pacific Northwest, or riding on a dusty convoy in Afghanistan. But all that changed the day tragedy struck her unit and took away everything she held dear. Soon after, Larkin discovers an unexpected treasure: the diary of Emily Wilson, a young woman who disguised herself as a man to fight for the Union in the Civil War. As Larkin struggles to heal, she finds herself drawn deep into Emily's life and the secrets she kept.

Indiana, 1861: The only thing more dangerous to Emily Wilson than a rebel soldier is her own comrades in the Union. But in the minds of her fellow soldiers, if it dresses like a man, swears like a man, and shoots like a man, it must be a man. As the war marches on and takes its terrible toll, Emily begins to question everything she has been told about the freedom she is supposed to be fighting for.

©2019 Kelli Estes (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

so inspiring.

I loved the historic and real-life portrayal of both the civil war and PTSD. It's an excellent tribute to female soldiers and to anyone surviving the ravages of PTSD. I highly recommend.

Good listen

glad I chose this book . great story regarding the women of this world. we need more recognition for what we do to keep this world together. thumbs up on this book

Great story

This story is wonderful and I do recommend reading it. The audible narration was hard to take do to monotones and awkward voice inflections and I was not a fan, however I would recommend reading this one from a book.

Interesting take on history of women in the military…

I wanted badly to love this book but there were some aspects of the author’s viewpoint that I could not buy into, particularly the male bashing and the way the modern day woman soldier character’s thinking was so permeated by total lack of self awareness. I know PTSD is common particularly in those who served in the Middle East (for good reason), however as a nurse I could not buy into the lack of follow through by the V.A. follow through in this woman’s treatment plan. I wanted to identify with her and was pulling for her but her behavior & thinking was so off the wall, it was nearly impossible! I stuck with it despite this but frankly will probably not seek out this author again. Too frustrating!

Captivating

The book was captivating, switching from civil war soldiers to present day soldiers in a poignant heartfelt story. although I know there are still injustices to blacks and women I did feel like it dwelt too much on that. there are injustices at different levels no matter what your gender or skin color. nevertheless I would listen to the book again. the performance was excellent with a very pleasant voice.

Good book!

I really enjoyed this book. Definitely worth listening to. A bit of history on the Civil War, women who fought in the war, and a look into the life of a female soldier suffering from PTSD.

Emotionally compelling

As in her awesome first book (The girl who wrote in silk), Kelli Estes gives us a credible glimpse into a little known part of American history. During the Civil War, women who wanted to serve their country had to disguise themselves as men. Woven into the Civil War story is the account of a modern day female soldier struggling to overcome the PTSD brought about by her service. For both women, service came at a cost - as they lost loved ones and pieces of themselves.

Through these two women, Kelli deftly demonstrates how - in both the past and present - women who wish to serve their country are often marginalized and made to feel their roles are secondary to men.

The author does an amazing job describing the historical events. I can only imagine the vast amount of research involved in presenting accounts of Civil War battles and the conditions that existed during those times. Many of the characters are based on actual women who served in the Civil War.

The novel is also about PTSD and the devastating toll it takes on those serving in the military in any generation. If you are a veteran, parts of the story may be difficult, but you may also find some healing through the story. If you know someone who is a veteran, this is a must-read for you.

This was a great book and I highly recommend it.

I had never heard readers; Amy Landon and Sarah Mollo Christensen. Both were quite good.

Highly recommend

As a woman veteran myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The author did a great job telling this story. She brought attention to the struggles women still have to overcome today in the military.

excellent job

eye-opening in terms of women's contribution to historical and current military. performances remarkable for characterizations.

A Job Well Done

Another great read from Kelli Estes! The narrators were excellent. This is my second read from Estes and I was not disappointed. I loved each character and was totally invested early on. This book also opened my eyes to the disparities women in the military encounter outside of the typical ones I had heard about. Definitely would recommend.