The Women on the Wall

by Wallace Stegner

Written during World War II and its immediate aftermath, the eighteen stories of The Women on the Wall move from women to war and back again, but it is the women who remain central. There are Alma, a war bride who runs a farm better than the neighbor men; Lucy, a former WAAF, working through college; Tamsen, who keeps her husband drunk so she can do as she pleases; and the women on the wall, who, with nothing to do but wait for their husbands to return from the war, find their private consolations. To these stories Wallace Stegner brings the same skill and thoughtfulness that won him the National Book Award for The Spectator Bird

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

279 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Wallace Earle Stegner was an American historian, novelist, short story writer, and environmentalist. Some call him "The Dean of Western Writers." He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and the U.S. National Book Award in 1977.

Reviews

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the great books about life in the American Midwest of the previous century. These stories reflect the challenges, hardships , courage, and modest triumphs of the men and women who made the still raw plains in the center of this vast country their home. Their children had to share the challenges that their parents accepted. Many of the best stories in this collection explore the relationship between the parents and their children, especially between fathers and sons. I’ve read these stories many times and always learn something from them.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written during World War II by one of my favorite authors, this book contains 18 stories about various women and their lives during the war.

[Jan Vanderburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

18 short stories, each one filled with Wallace Stegner's characters and settings. Loved it.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Stegner and had I read this before reading so many of his other works, would have liked it better. Instead I felt like I was just reading exerts from other works that were quite similar and as a result was easily able to put it down and read a few other books before coming back to finish out of obligation. Colorful stories and well written just repetitious.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Stegner I've actually read. I listed to Angle of Repose on cd and LOVED it. It was so difficult the first night after I'd finished to know I couldn't hear any more of what was happening with the characters. I like the way Stegner uses such description but its never to much and the words he uses seem to so accurately convey the characters and their stories with such acuity.

[Doug Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this was the only Stegner I ever read, I might rate it lower. As it is, you can clearly see the writer that he later would become, even if this one is more rough around the edges. It is writing from another time, his voice is very early 20th century. He is quite simply on the short list of the greats.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written during World War II and its aftermath, these short stories encompase women and who they really are in a spectacular way. I love reading short stories--especially when they're this good.

[Jennifer Hepworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan. I discovered that I really don't like reading short stories. As soon as you get to know the characters the story is over.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Stegner, but some of his stories are, oh, so depressing!

[~mad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading infrequently - one-by-one.
Enjoying, tho...

8.29.12 - obviously, I am not a short story reader!

[Amanda Troyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

turns out i do actually like Stegner. Sorry, Angle of Repose...perhaps i judged you too harshly.