Cynthia Roobottom’s A Wise Woman Once Said recounts the difficulties of the author’s experience as a homosexual member of the Air Force during the 1960s. In her memoir, Cynthia describes her time in the Air Force, the events which prompted her to join and those which transpired afterwards, reflecting upon how her time in the military shaped her into a strong and brilliant woman.

Escaping a chaotic childhood, Cynthia enlisted searching for a sense of order, despite the illegality of being a homosexual in the Air Force. Forced to hide her true identity, A Wise Woman Once Said examines the difficulties and successes of a homosexual woman navigating military life.