Herman Wouk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herman Wouk
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Wouk in Jerusalem, 1955
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| Born | May 27, 1915 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | May 17, 2019 (aged 103) Palm Springs, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Beth David Cemetery, Elmont, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author |
| Education | Townsend Harris High School |
| Alma mater | Columbia University (BA) |
| Period | 1941–2019 |
| Notable works |
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| Spouse |
Betty Sarah Brown
(m. 1945; died 2011) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives |
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| Military career | |
| Service/ |
United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars |
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Herman Wouk (born May 27, 1915 – died May 17, 2019) was a famous American author. He was best known for his historical novels. One of his most famous books was The Caine Mutiny (1951). He won the Pulitzer Prize for this book.
Other important books by Wouk include The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. These are historical novels about World War II. He also wrote non-fiction books like This Is My God. This book explains Judaism from a Modern Orthodox point of view. His books have been translated into 27 different languages.
Many people called Wouk a very important American historical novelist. Some even compared him to the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Herman Wouk was born in the Bronx, New York City. He was the second of three children. His parents, Esther and Abraham Wouk, were Jewish immigrants from what is now Belarus. His father worked hard to lift the family out of poverty. He eventually started a successful laundry business.
When Wouk was 13, his grandfather, Mendel Leib Levine, came to live with them. His grandfather helped teach him about Jewish traditions and the Talmud. Wouk's father always told him to "Study the Talmud." This advice became very important to Wouk later in life.
After a short time living a less religious life, Wouk returned to his faith. Judaism became a big part of his personal life and his writing. He often said that his grandfather and the United States Navy were the two most important influences on him.
Wouk went to Townsend Harris High School in Manhattan. This was a top school for students planning to go to City College. He then went to Columbia University and earned a degree at age 19 in 1934. While at Columbia, he was the editor of the university's humor magazine, Jester.
After college, he worked as a radio writer. He wrote for famous comedians like Fred Allen. In 1941, he started writing radio spots for the U.S. government. These spots helped sell war bonds to support the country.
Military Service and First Novel
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Wouk joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1942. He served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He said this experience taught him a lot. He learned about machines, how people act under pressure, and about Americans.
Wouk was an officer on two destroyer minesweepers, the USS Zane and USS Southard. He became an executive officer on the USS Southard. He was involved in about six invasions and earned several battle stars. He took part in campaigns like New Georgia campaign, Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, and the Battle of Okinawa.
While on duty, he started writing his first novel, Aurora Dawn. He sent the first chapters to a professor at Columbia. This led to a publishing contract being sent to his ship near Okinawa. Aurora Dawn was published in 1947 and became a popular book. Wouk finished his time in the Navy in 1946.
Writing Career Highlights
Wouk's second novel, City Boy (1948), was not very successful at first. However, his next book became a huge hit.
The Caine Mutiny and Beyond
While writing The Caine Mutiny (1951), Wouk would read each chapter to his wife. This novel was based on his experiences in the Navy during World War II. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was also adapted into a Broadway play called The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. In 1954, a film version was released starring Humphrey Bogart.
After The Caine Mutiny, Wouk wrote Marjorie Morningstar (1955). This book was so popular that Wouk was featured on the cover of Time magazine. Three years later, it was made into a movie starring Natalie Wood.
In 1959, he wrote his first non-fiction book, This is My God: The Jewish Way of Life.
Later Novels and Major Works
In the 1960s, Wouk wrote Youngblood Hawke (1962). This drama was about a young writer's rise and fall. He also wrote Don't Stop the Carnival (1965). This was a comedy about moving to the Caribbean to escape a mid-life crisis. Youngblood Hawke was made into a movie in 1964. Don't Stop the Carnival was later turned into a musical by Jimmy Buffett.
The 1970s saw Wouk publish two very long and important novels: The Winds of War (1971) and its sequel, War and Remembrance (1978). He said War and Remembrance, which included a powerful description of the Holocaust, was "the main tale I have to tell." Both books were made into successful TV miniseries. Robert Mitchum starred as Captain Victor "Pug" Henry in both.
These novels are historical fiction. They tell the story from the viewpoints of Captain Henry and his family. They also include historical accounts of the war and analysis from a fictional German general. Wouk spent "thirteen years of extraordinary research" on these two novels.
Other novels include Inside, Outside (1985), which tells the story of a Russian Jewish family. The Hope (1993) and The Glory (1994) are historical novels about the first 33 years of Israel's history. He also wrote The Will to Live On: This is Our Heritage (2000), which is a guide to Jewish history.
In 1995, the Library of Congress honored Wouk on his 80th birthday. Many famous authors and historians attended.
Later books include A Hole in Texas (2004), a novel about the discovery of the Higgs boson. The Language God Talks: On Science and Religion (2010) explores the relationship between religion and science.
The Lawgiver (2012) is a novel about a Hollywood writer making a movie script about Moses. Wouk himself appears as a character in the book.
Wouk's memoir, Sailor and Fiddler: Reflections of a 100-Year-Old Author, was published in 2016. This book came out to celebrate his 100th birthday. It was his last book.
Personal Life
In 1944, Wouk met Betty Sarah Brown. She was working for the Navy. They fell in love quickly. Betty, who was raised Protestant, studied Judaism and converted. They got married on December 10, 1945.
Wouk became a full-time writer to support his growing family. Their first son, Abraham Isaac Wouk, passed away before his fifth birthday. Wouk dedicated War and Remembrance to him. The dedication included the Biblical words "He will destroy death forever." Their other children were Iolanthe and Joseph. Joseph served in the Israeli Navy. Wouk had three grandchildren.
The Wouks lived in New York, the Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C.. They eventually settled in Palm Springs, California. His wife, Betty, was also his literary agent for many years. She passed away in 2011.
Wouk said that his writing career truly began after he met and married Sarah. He felt she was very important to his success.
Herman Wouk passed away peacefully in his home in Palm Springs, California. He was 103 years old, just ten days before his 104th birthday.
Awards and Honors
- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 1952
- Columbia University Medal for Excellence, 1952
- Alexander Hamilton Medal, 1980
- Golden Plate Award, American Academy of Achievement, 1986
- United States Navy Memorial Foundation Lone Sailor Award, 1987
- Bar-Ilan University Guardian of Zion Award, 1998
- Jewish Book Council Lifetime Literary Achievement Award, 1999
- Library of Congress Lifetime Achievement Award for the Writing of Fiction (first ever), 2008
Published Works
- Aurora Dawn (1947)
- City Boy: The Adventures of Herbie Bookbinder (1948)
- The Caine Mutiny (1951)
- The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1953, play)
- Marjorie Morningstar (1955)
- Slattery's Hurricane (1956)
- This is My God: The Jewish Way of Life (1959, non-fiction)
- Youngblood Hawke (1962)
- Don't Stop the Carnival (1965)
- The Winds of War (1971)
- War and Remembrance (1978)
- Inside, Outside (1985)
- The Hope (1993)
- The Glory (1994)
- The Will to Live On: This is Our Heritage (2000, non-fiction)
- A Hole in Texas (2004)
- The Language God Talks: On Science and Religion (2010, non-fiction)
- The Lawgiver (2012)
- Sailor and Fiddler: Reflections of a 100-Year Old Author (2015, non-fiction)
