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Winds of War
by Herman Wouk
by Herman Wouk
Larry Bassett's review
bookshelves: war, historical-fiction
Jun 21, 10
bookshelves: war, historical-fiction
Read from June 11 to 21, 2010
I will not try to tell the short version of this story other than to say that is about a family with the good fortune of having connections to all the important events of WWII. Improbable but meaningful tensions are what novels are all about, right?
Well, this book is filled from cover to cover with cigarettes, cigars and pipes. So much smoking. Havana cigars are especially popular. Does everyone have to smoke?
Astounding connections abound. The patriarch for example:
"You know, I've now met Hitler, Churchill, Roosevelt, and tonight I may shake hands with Stalin." Not to spoil but yes, he does meet Stalin and voices a meaningful toast when others are at a loss for words. I guess they didn't have Herman Wolk writing their lines for them.
And Leslie Slote, the ever suffering diplomat who looses one love to the son and another to the father. All of this comes together in one 888 page opus that covers, firsthand, the world events of the Nazi attempt to conquer the world up until Pearl Harbor. Trips to the White House and the front lines of the Soviets trying to hold back the invasion of the Germans and more historic events are all covered by on the scene reporting, often including written summaries and analysis sent directly by diplomatic pouch to Roosevelt by our patriarch.
James Michener and Leon Uris would be in good company with Wouk at a dinner party. Ah, the tales they could tell! And did...
War and Remembrance is only about 2/3 as long but I think I had better get started right away.
Well, this book is filled from cover to cover with cigarettes, cigars and pipes. So much smoking. Havana cigars are especially popular. Does everyone have to smoke?
Astounding connections abound. The patriarch for example:
"You know, I've now met Hitler, Churchill, Roosevelt, and tonight I may shake hands with Stalin." Not to spoil but yes, he does meet Stalin and voices a meaningful toast when others are at a loss for words. I guess they didn't have Herman Wolk writing their lines for them.
And Leslie Slote, the ever suffering diplomat who looses one love to the son and another to the father. All of this comes together in one 888 page opus that covers, firsthand, the world events of the Nazi attempt to conquer the world up until Pearl Harbor. Trips to the White House and the front lines of the Soviets trying to hold back the invasion of the Germans and more historic events are all covered by on the scene reporting, often including written summaries and analysis sent directly by diplomatic pouch to Roosevelt by our patriarch.
James Michener and Leon Uris would be in good company with Wouk at a dinner party. Ah, the tales they could tell! And did...
War and Remembrance is only about 2/3 as long but I think I had better get started right away.
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Reading Progress
| 06/11/2010 | page 30 |
|
3.0% | "Well, it is true. I am already on page 30. At this rate I shall be finished in a month. But it is a bit like what I imagine a soap opera to be." |
| 06/18/2010 | page 524 |
|
59.0% | "So reading a novel does go more quickly than non-fiction. I wonder why that is? But I have the second part of the two book set, War and Remembrance with a mere 558 pages, right behind this one." |
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rated it 4 stars
Jun 11, 2010 06:48pm
I was slightly surprised that Herman Wouk does not have a discussion group. I guess he is out of date. Somehow I think of him as a Book of the Month Club author of the 1950s even though The Winds of War was published in 1971. It gave me pause when I picked up this thick book as saw that it has 888 pages. I don't think I have ever read such a thick book since Hawaii and Exodus. Probably a real reader would say that it will go fast. The problem is that the type is pretty small too! Hard for my old eyes, even with new glasses. Well, better get to it...
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