In Heroic Measures, award-winning author and historian Jo-Ann Power pays homage to the brave women who served our country during World War I as members of the US Army Nurse Corps. Fascinated by what she calls their “grace under pressure,” Power began researching this group of women in 1985. Power brings their bravery, thoughts, and emotions to life with main character Gwen Spencer, a young nurse who joins the Army Nurse Corps to serve on American front lines.
For Gwen, fighting battles is nothing new. An orphan sent to live with a vengeful aunt, Gwen picks coal and scrubs floors to earn a living. But when Gwen decides to become a nurse, she steps outside the boundaries of her aunt's demands and into a world of her own making. After leaving her hometown for France, Gwen helps doctors care for thousands of brutally injured “doughboys” under shocking conditions. As she faces bombings and the madness of men crazed by the hell of war, Gwen is stunned to discover, above all else, love.