Rating: 
Summary: BRILLIANT NOVEL
Review: This book is . . . absolutely breathtaking. It is no less than a modern masterpiece. Rating it makes me think that all of those other books I have rated as "5" were not worthy of the score. _The Winds of War_ covers a broad range of areas (all around the world, covering the global war) keeping the reader wherever the action is happening, but without always staying on the actual battlefied. The story of the novel covers the Henry family as its members go about their ways during the war, bringing them to various locations and situations. Pug, the main protagonist, for instance, gets a chance to meet Roosevelt, Hitler, and many more- and that isn't even giving away anything as the book is so long. But long, in this case, is a wonderful thing, as it mean the story continues, so that the reader does not ever get the sense that there is not enough (though, still, I eagerly await reading the sequal, _War and Remembrance_). The book has a huge cast, but they are all such different characters that they never get mixed up, which is an amazing feat with so many influential people in the novel. Wouk is an expert at what he does. I have done nothing thus far but gush praise for the book, and most of it is just senseless ramblimgs, but I am unable to do anything else, as I did not identifiy any flaw with the perfect storytelling and am not competant to possibly give it justice and so am reduced to just lauding it without clear reason. But the sheer power of this book overwhelms me and twists my toungue (keyboard) in such a way that I cannot truly explain its wonder.
Rating:
Summary: historical fiction at its best
Review: This book was a lively, vibrant account of WWII from the perspectives of diverse, well-developed characters. _Winds of War_ recounted the great historical events occuring from 1938-39 until the end of 1941, but presented them in a way that reflected believable sentiments real people felt at the time. The characters of the Jastrow family were particularly interesting for me, who as a Jew, try to understand the element in which they found themselves trying to escape Europe, and how they responded to it.
The protagonist, an ambitious and succesful naval officer is the patriarch of the model naval WASP family. He maneuvers through the thickest power circles in his time with tact and ease, and is really a lot of fun to imagine.
Wouk basically conjures a bunch of extremely gifted characters, some beautiful, some brilliant, and weaves them into a fascinating narrative of the most influential years of the 20th century.
Historical fiction at its best, if you want a fun yet accurate portrayal of WWII, this is a good pick.
Rating: 
Summary: Good entertainment, as long as it's not taken to seriously.
Review: This book, as well as it's sequel, are good for light, entertaining reading. Definately hard to put down. But it's many examples of ridiculousness border on the absurd, with the main one being expected to believe a person of the status and rank of the main character would have the experiences he does.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: This was one of the greatest books I have ever read. I especially like the excerpts from the author of his opinion on roons writings which seem to be nesseled in every other chapter or so. And for those who think kids cant read this book well they can Ive read it and im 14 so i thnik most people can comprehend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book if you can get past the first few pages.
Review: Years ago my father warned me (a 10 year old tyke at the time)that great books take a while to "get going" and that resolve is needed to plow through those first few pages...Well, its the first 200 pages in this case: Herman Wouk's "The Winds of War". As we are dryly introduced to Pug Henry, the stout naval commander, and his family of superstars and misfits, one can only wonder when SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN. But don't worry: It does...And after almost exactly page 200, the book becomes wonderfully delicious. All of a sudden the plot unravles into steam-rolling scenes set in Poland, Germany, and New York. In some parts, it even steals the "can't put it down mentality" from its cheaper fiction counterparts. Wouk seamlessly blends the magnanimous events of the war with the intricate stories of every character. The general but ubiquitous ideas that defined that time period (German Anti-Semitism or, say, American Isolationism) are presented as fresh and realisitc through Wouk's powerful writing. The fictional dialogues with some of history's most memorable men (Hitler, Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt) are especially rewarding and, it seems, remarkably accurate in depiction of their characters. A definite must-read
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