The Hope

"One of our best writers today—a modern Charles Dickens—is Herman Wouk… The Hope is not only a good read, but it also causes a good think."

—William Safire, New York Times





Starting in 1948 and reaching its climax during the Six-Day War of 1967, The Hope begins the story of Israel, a country fighting for its life—outmatched and surrounded by enemies. Zev Barak, Sam Pasternak, Don Kishote, and Benny Luria are all officers in the Israeli Army, caught up in the sweep of history, fighting the desperate desert battles and meeting the larger-than-life personalities that shaped Israel’s fight for independence. The four heroes, and the women they love—three Israelis and one American—weave a compelling tapestry of individual destinies through the grand social history of one nation’s struggle against the odds. Their story—and Israel’s—is concluded in The Glory, which picks up from the Six-Day War and carries through to the hope for peace of the Camp David accords. In this two-part epic, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Herman Wouk brings out the passion, romance, and heroism of Israel’s struggle for survival—adding to his oeuvre yet another enthralling saga that’s impossible to put down.