Herman Wouk has died at 103 (1 Viewer)

[timschochet]

One of my favorite authors all time. 

https://www.npr.org/2019/05/17/468790231/herman-wouk-the-jackie-robinson-of-jewish-american-fiction-dies-at-103

The Caine Mutiny As fine as any novel I have ever read, period. 

Marjorie Morningstar With all apologies to Saul Bellow, Bernard Malamud, Philip Roth, Leon Uris, and countless others who have attempted it, this is THE classic American Jewish novel of the 20th Century. 

The Winds of War/War and Remembrance Wouk’s magnum opus: basically the “War and Peace” of World War II. Enthralling epic. 

He has several other novels as well (Don’t Stop the Carnival is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read) and some non fiction in which he explains his reason for having been an Orthodox Jew throughout his life. But the ones I listed above are really his classic works. 

 

[johnnycakes]

Huh. Never heard of him before.   

 

[OrtonToOlsen]

One of my favorite authors all time. 

https://www.npr.org/2019/05/17/468790231/herman-wouk-the-jackie-robinson-of-jewish-american-fiction-dies-at-103

The Caine Mutiny As fine as any novel I have ever read, period. 

Marjorie Morningstar With all apologies to Saul Bellow, Bernard Malamud, Philip Roth, Leon Uris, and countless others who have attempted it, this is THE classic American Jewish novel of the 20th Century. 

The Winds of War/War and Remembrance Wouk’s magnum opus: basically the “War and Peace” of World War II. Enthralling epic. 

He has several other novels as well (Don’t Stop the Carnival is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read) and some non fiction in which he explains his reason for having been an Orthodox Jew throughout his life. But the ones I listed above are really his classic works. 

JFC I had absolutely no idea the guy was still alive.  

 

[OrtonToOlsen]

Huh. Never heard of him before.   

OH COME ON

 

[johnnycakes]

OH COME ON

I live a very sheltered life.  

 

[Eephus]

Huh. Never heard of him before.   

One of the problems of living to 103.  Wouk won a Pulitzer during the Truman administration.

 

[Juxtatarot]

Huh. Never heard of him before.   

I've heard of him but never knew there was a Jackie Robinson of Jewish-American fiction.

 

[dickey moe]

I live a very sheltered life.  

You probably knew about his brother.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Mr Ishida weeps as he opens the tontine of Napoleon brandy and sips alone. RIP -

 

[timschochet]

I've heard of him but never knew there was a Jackie Robinson of Jewish-American fiction.

That was a bizarre turn of phrase. Great novelist (for me as good as it gets) but he didn’t really break a lot of barriers. 

 

[Norman Paperman]

Well, darn.  That is depressing.

 

[gianmarco]

Way too soon.

 

[proteus126]

I read Winds of War and War and Remembrance every 4 years or so.  Books that eat like meals.  The first book is significantly better than the 2nd, imo.  The Theresienstadt section drags, and who gives a hoot about Rhoda anyway?

 

[dickey moe]

I've heard of him but never knew there was a Jackie Robinson of Jewish-American fiction.

Something light.

 

[Eephus]

I read Winds of War and War and Remembrance every 4 years or so.  Books that eat like meals.  The first book is significantly better than the 2nd, imo.  The Theresienstadt section drags, and who gives a hoot about Rhoda anyway?

I read them once, many years ago and can't imagine doing it again.  I admire your commitment.  Have you ever read Youngblood Hawke?  It's been on my reading list for so long that I forgot why it was there to begin with.

Also agree with your ranking of the two War books.  WWII was too huge of a canvas, even for a writer of Wouk's gifts.

 

[Eephus]

The Wouks' four year old son died in a swimming pool accident in 1951.  It happened shortly after the massive popular success of Caine made Wouk a literary star.   He was a man of much greater faith than I but these two events would have had me wondering about God's plan.

 

[Ketamine Dreams]

JFC I had absolutely no idea the guy was still alive.  

He’s not

 

[OrtonToOlsen]

He’s not

Tooshay

 

[Ketamine Dreams]

I’m a little embarrassed to say I’d never heard of him either. 

 

[timschochet]

I read Winds of War and War and Remembrance every 4 years or so.  Books that eat like meals.  The first book is significantly better than the 2nd, imo.  The Theresienstadt section drags, and who gives a hoot about Rhoda anyway?

I disagree; I think the 2nd book is slightly better because of Aaron Jastrow, and also because of the battles of Midway and Leyte Gulf. 

 

[JaxBill]

JFC I had absolutely no idea the guy was still alive.  

Same thing with IM Pei who also just died

 

[NREC34]

If this guy gets his own thread I would say Tim Conway should too. 

 

[proteus126]

I disagree; I think the 2nd book is slightly better because of Aaron Jastrow, and also because of the battles of Midway and Leyte Gulf. 

Friggin Halsey.