▁Lad ies ▁of ▁the ▁Club " ▁is ▁a ▁novel , ▁written ▁by ▁Helen ▁Ho oven ▁Sant my er , ▁about ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁fict ional ▁town ▁of ▁Way nes bor o , ▁Ohio ▁who ▁begin ▁a ▁women ' s ▁literary ▁club , ▁which ▁evol ves ▁through ▁the ▁years ▁into ▁a ▁significant ▁community ▁service ▁organization ▁in ▁the ▁town . ▁ ▁The ▁novel , ▁which ▁looks ▁at ▁the ▁club ▁as ▁it ▁changes ▁throughout ▁the ▁years , ▁sp ans ▁dec ades ▁in ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁the ▁women ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁club , ▁between ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁Many ▁characters ▁are ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁novel , ▁but ▁the ▁primary ▁characters ▁are ▁Anne ▁Gordon ▁and ▁S ally ▁R aus ch , ▁who ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁are ▁new ▁gradu ates ▁of ▁the ▁Way nes bor o ▁Fem ale ▁College . ▁They ▁marry ▁soon ▁after ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁book , ▁and ▁the ▁dec ades ▁that ▁follow ▁chron icle ▁their ▁mar ri ages ▁and ▁those ▁of ▁their ▁children ▁and ▁grand children . ▁Sant my er ▁focus es ▁not ▁just ▁on ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁the ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁Club , ▁but ▁also ▁their ▁families , ▁friends , ▁politics , ▁and ▁develop ments ▁in ▁their ▁small ▁town ▁and ▁the ▁larger ▁world . ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁their ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁the ▁Way nes bor o ▁Fem ale ▁College ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁best ▁friends ▁Anne ▁Alexander ▁and ▁Sarah