Play Book Tag discussion

War and Remembrance is the sequel to Wouk's The Winds of War, and covers the extended Henry and Jastrow families from the aftermath of Pearl Harbor through the end of the war in August 1945.

Commander Victor “Pug” Henry is serving in various capacities, first as the commander of a cruiser in the Pacific theater, and then as an aide to President Franklin Roosevelt. This allows our fictional Pug to carry out frequent special assignments, which put him in the middle of several historic moments. We also follow Byron Henry’s search for his Jewish wife and baby son, now trapped with her uncle inside Nazi-controlled Europe.

Interwoven throughout the novel are excerpts of writings from a fictitious book titled "World Empire Lost" written by a fictional German general that Pug meets in the prior book. These chapters explain the German viewpoint and add more understanding to the political situation.

Herman Wouk performed exceptional research on the time period. I found many of his descriptions very realistic. Even though it is a fictional narrative, it is filled with historical accuracy. He was able to create characters that I've remembered over forty two years as if they were people I once knew. In my opinion, the duology of The Winds of War and War and Remembrance comprise one of the most compelling novels of World War II. It's a wonderful, multi-layered story, with incisive commentary on the war and the geopolitical situation of the time.

War and Remembrance, along with the previous book, are two of the very few books I've read three times over the years. Published in 1978, it does feel a bit dated in 2020, but it's still eloquent, informative and a great way to learn more about that period of history through fictional characters. Now, off to get my DVD of the 1988 miniseries and settle in for a few hours with Robert Mitchum's Pug Henry.

Thanks for your review. It took me back to the late 70s when I remember reading this, neglecting everything else because I couldn't put it down. It did provide me insight into WWII and the aftermath.

This is one of my all time favorites.