Herman Wouk, 'The Jackie Robinson Of Jewish-American Fiction,' Dies At 103

NPR ^ | 5/17/2019 | ROSE FRIEDMAN

[ruthles]

Yes i read it years ago. Would love to reread it. I member being fascinated by Jewish culture. What a rare gem Herman Wouk was!

[cowboyusa]

Yuge!

[TalBlack]

The Caine Mutiny is one hell of a literary achivement. Probably the best twentieth century coming of age story.

[TalBlack]

RIP, H. W.

[Emmett McCarthy]

I admit that the “shocking” part of it was finding out he was still alive.

[mware]

Wow, over 100. He had a good run. Really enjoyed his work, although Leon Iris was my my favorite.

[mware]

Add Leon Iris to that list and I agree with you.

[Starstruck]

These are great books IMHO. Kind of long-1200 pages or so each, but great. FYI "Winds of War" is the lead-up to war and more or less ends at Pearl Harbor. "War and Remembrance" is about the war itself and the Holocaust

When I am reading a good book I hate for it to end no matter how long it is. That being said many of the books that I have read would be better in the Cliff Notes version. Wouk doesn't fall in that category.

[IronJack]

“If you want to do something about it, I’ll be outside. I’m drunk, so it should be a fair fight.”

[SamAdams76]

Wow, I didn't even realize this guy was still alive. I really liked his books, at least those that I read which include Caine Mutiny, Winds of War, War & Remembrance. Was decades ago that I read those books and they were old books even then. So amazing this guy lived as long as he did. Good for him.

Puts me in mind of another favorite author from when I was a young man - James Michener - writer of all those historical fiction novels like Space, Texas, Alaska, Hawaii, Poland, etc. Looked him up just now and he's been dead for 20 years. Anyway, he did make it to 90 himself so not too shabby.

[windcliff]

Ping

[NFHale]

Yeah, we only get so many trips around the sun.

Some of leave bigger footprints than others.

[bert]

The Pug Henry part required and Robert Mitchum supplied GRVITAS

[Redleg Duke]

“Winds of War” and “War and Rememberance” are two tours de force. i have read them both repeatedly and enjoy them each and every time!

[Mr. Jeeves]

In the book, Wouk described the captain as "a small man" with "strands of sandy hair across an almost bald head."

So the movie was not miscast...just cast too early. :)

[Borges]

He’s considered more a writer of popular fiction as opposed to literature.

[Joe 6-pack]

"In his off hours, Wouk began to write Aurora Dawn, a novel that got mixed reviews. His second book, City Boy, did worse. But The Caine Mutiny put him on the map."

I wonder how many other potentially great authors threw in the towel after two strikes. Not all persistent people succeed, but I think all successful people are persistent and don't become easily discouraged.

RIP Mr. Wouk

[dfwgator]

The character of Pug was everywhere, but not at the top of the chain, just a couple of steps below.

The character of von Roon, was his German counterpart, he certainly didn't agree with Hitler, but he carried out the orders. Blobel (who oversaw Babi Yar) was another fascinating portrayal in War and Remembrance, when he matter of factly describes what happened at Babi Yar, and expressed disgust that people were watching as if it were a soccer match.

[onedoug]

Thanks for the ping.

Wouk was a truly great writer. I look up from the screen to the shelf above, and “This Is My God” stares back at me.

[dfwgator]

I note that the infamous “Hitler Rants” scene from Downfall, was pretty much lifted from War and Remembrance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKQZ5HpI73s