The Winds of War



The Winds of War by Herman Wouk is a great historical fiction book. It is set all over the world during WWII and focuses on the fictional Henry family.

The Henry family is an American Navy family. The father, Victor, or “Pug,” is the naval attaché in Berlin. Pug has two sons, Byron and Warren. In the book, Byron becomes a submariner on the Devilfish, and Warren becomes a fighter pilot on the aircraft carrier Enterprise.

I really like how almost every different chapter switches its focus on the characters. As in one chapter, the book describes what is happening to Byron, and in the next, it focuses on Warren. It makes for an exciting, fast-moving story.

Also, I am amazed at the good title for this book. It hit me in the last three or four pages of this book; I couldn’t possibly have thought of a better title. It is great how Pug uses, “winds of war” in a letter to his wife, Rhoda, describing the turmoil the war has created for the Henry family.

You must read The Winds of War if you like historical books. This book deserves a 10/10; it combines everything you might like into this one book. There is a sequel out, called War and Remembrance, and I expect it to be just as great!