Book cover of Whistling Women and Crowing Hens

Book description

To escape her strait-laced overbearing sister, Birdie Stauffer auditions for the all-female Versatile Quintet, Chautauqua circuit's opening act. Through this train-traveling roadshow she experiences the tumultuous 1920s, a modern era of shocking flappers and smuggled whiskey, with the camaraderie of newfound friends. Her exceptional gift of concert whistling entertains more…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Whistling Women and Crowing Hens as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Melora Fern’s debut novel tells an unconventional coming of age story against the backdrop of a nation doing the same. Set in the Chautauqua circuit of the 1920s, Whistling Women and Crowing Hens is immersive and moving. A whistler when it was uncommon for women to do so, Birdie Stauffer finds herself having to choose between following her truth and disappointing the most important people in her life. Fern’s attention to detail and a cast of unforgettable characters make this book hard to put down. At times raucous, tragic, and uplifting, this book is about finding one’s voice and singing…

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