The Hope [Hardcover]

Herman Wouk (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1993

Herman Wouk is one of this century's great historical novelists, whose peerless talent for capturing the human drama of landmark world events has earned him worldwide acclaim. In The Hope, his long-awaited return to historical fiction, he turns to one of the most thrilling stories of our time - the saga of Israel. In the grand, epic style of The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, The Hope plunges the reader into the major battles, the disasters and victories, and the fragile periods of peace from the 1948 War of Independence to the astounding triumph of the Six-Day War in 1967. And since Israelis have seen their share of comic mishaps as well as heroism, this novel offers some of Herman Wouk's most amusing scenes since the famed "strawberry business" in The Caine Mutiny. First to last The Hope is a tale of four Israeli army officers and the women they love: Zev Barak, Viennese-born cultured military man; Benny Luria, ace fighter pilot with religious stirrings; Sam Pasternak, sardonic and mysterious Mossad man; and an antic dashing warrior they call Kishote, Hebrew for Quixote, who arrives at Israel's first pitched battle a refugee boy on a mule and over the years rises to high rank. In the love stories of these four men, the author of Marjorie Morningstar has created a gallery of three memorable Israeli women and one quirky fascinating American, daughter of a high CIA official and headmistress of a Washington girls school. With the authenticity, authority, and narrative force of Wouk's finest fiction, The Hope portrays not so much the victory of one people over another, as the gallantry of the human spirit, surviving and triumphing against crushing odds. In that sense it can becalled a tale of hope for all mankind; a note that Herman Wouk has struck in all his writings, against the prevailing pessimism of our turbulent century.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the Historical Notes to this solid saga encapsulating three Israeli-Arab wars, Wouk makes astute reference to the element that gives the novel its considerable power: he refers to his "arduous personal research . . . which is one reason that my books appear at long intervals." Conceding the impossibility of using "cool perspective" about events so recent and often still hotly debated, he then clarifies which episodes in the novel are based on fact. These accounts of specific battles, behind-the-scenes political skirmishes in Israel and diplomatic strategy in Washington, D.C., provide the novel's fascinating historical background and true drama. Among and between his accounts of the 1948 War of Independence, the Suez crisis and the Six-Day War, Wouk weaves a story of two protagonists and their fortunes in love and war. Young Polish immigrant Yossi Blumenthal first distinguishes himself in battle in such a reckless manner that he is dubbed Don Kishote; he goes on to become a military hero. His first commander, Zev Barak, is "sidelined" into diplomacy and becomes an attache in Washington. Such actual figures as David Ben Gurion, Moshe Dayan, Golda Meir and others are depicted with candor and credibility. While his account is sympathetic to Israel, Wouk does not paint the Arabs with a tarred brush; nor does he put a false gloss on less-than-admirable episodes in the short history of the Jewish nation. Though his prose at times peregrinates into the pedestrian, Wouk has not lost his touch: this is an engrossing and often moving tale.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Wouk's newest novel covers Israel's history from the new state's first battle for survival in 1948 through its joyous victory in the Six-Day War of 1967. In the style of Winds of War ( LJ 11/1/71) and War and Remembrance ( LJ 10/15/78), it tells a story of relationships and human lives in the midst of political and social turmoil. (Notes at the back describe the actual events used as background.) The historical figures are here: Eshkol and Eban, Ben Gurion and Dayan are all woven into the fictional drama of Zev Barak, Don Kishote Nitzan, their families, and close friends. Sadly, Wouk's women are still "handmaidens of men," but the ongoing chronicle of politics, intrigue, and nation-building provides an exciting and involving adventure. This is good reading, sure to be sought by those who have read Wouk's earlier novels and enjoyed by many new fans as well. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 8/93.
- Marcia Dorey, Northwest Missouri State Univ. Lib., Maryville
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Little Brown & Company (December 1993)
• ISBN-10: 0316852589
• ISBN-13: 978-0316852586
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,173,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Herman Wouk earned his living as a scriptwriter for Fred Allen before serving in World War II. His career as a novelist spans nearly six decades and has brought him resounding international acclaim. He lives in Palm Springs, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I suggest "The Hope" as a "must read" to be culturally literate, September 11, 2005

By 

Michael Fair "Senator Mike Fair" (Oklahoma City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Hope: A Novel (Paperback)

I frequently suggest "The Hope" and the second half of the story, "The Glory" as 'must-reads' for anyone who would like to understand where Israel is today in world politics. Wouk's other two great historical-fiction works, "The Winds of War" and "War and Rememberance", gave the non-history major a view of the history and politics of World War II while reading a fun and well-written novel. "The Hope" and "The Glory" give insight to the rebirth of Israel in the last 1940s and a feel for her tenuous survival since that time - again, while reading of interesting fictional characters interwoven with real characters and real history. As one who has spent 26 of the last 39 years in elective office and one who is a graduate level student of 20th Century political and diplomatic history, I rate Wouk as the most important historical-fiction writer of our time.
Senator Mike Fair
Oklahoma State Senator (retired)

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An exciting workmanlike view of Israel's first 20 years, May 17, 1998

By 

dougrhon "dougrhon" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hope: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

Although not in the league of "Exodus" The Hope is an exciting view of the birth and early years of Israel through the eyes of four military men. The book lacks the epic scope of Uris's masterpiece but does a nice job of weaving fictional characters with real life characters and incidents. Unlike Exodus, however, the Hope manages to show the day to day lives of these Israelis and toshow them as people not larger than life giants. The Hope also shows a little bit of how backroom Israeli politics worked as figures like Ben-Gurion, Dayan, Rabin and Meir play prominent roles. Well worth reading.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Novel, February 4, 2005

By 

Zachary K "Zack" (Montclair, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hope: A Novel (Paperback)

This is an amazing novel. I picked it up wearily, thinking it would not be as good as other novelists such as Leon Uris or James Michner. This was far from the truth, this story is incredible. The novel tells the story of the beginnings of Israel right up through the end of the Six Day War in 1967. The one thing that I loved about this book, besides the stories being so vividly portrayed, was that all of the characters are so human. The reader can easily relate to not just a few of the main characters, but all of them. This is an amazing story, and I would reccommend it to anyone interested in a novelized version of Israeli history.