A chronicle of the wars and conflicts--from the 1948 war of independence to the present day--that have determined Israel's existence is seen through the eyes of three fictional military families and many real-life participants. 500,000 first printing. $500,000 ad/promo. Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly In the Historical Notes to this solid saga encapsulating three Israeli-Arab wars, Wouk makes astute reference to the element that gives the novel its considerable power: he refers to his "arduous personal research . . . which is one reason that my books appear at long intervals." Conceding the impossibility of using "cool perspective" about events so recent and often still hotly debated, he then clarifies which episodes in the novel are based on fact. These accounts of specific battles, behind-the-scenes political skirmishes in Israel and diplomatic strategy in Washington, D.C., provide the novel's fascinating historical background and true drama. Among and between his accounts of the 1948 War of Independence, the Suez crisis and the Six-Day War, Wouk weaves a story of two protagonists and their fortunes in love and war. Young Polish immigrant Yossi Blumenthal first distinguishes himself in battle in such a reckless manner that he is dubbed Don Kishote; he goes on to become a military hero. His first commander, Zev Barak, is "sidelined" into diplomacy and becomes an attache in Washington. Such actual figures as David Ben Gurion, Moshe Dayan, Golda Meir and others are depicted with candor and credibility. While his account is sympathetic to Israel, Wouk does not paint the Arabs with a tarred brush; nor does he put a false gloss on less-than-admirable episodes in the short history of the Jewish nation. Though his prose at times peregrinates into the pedestrian, Wouk has not lost his touch: this is an engrossing and often moving tale. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Wouk's newest novel covers Israel's history from the new state's first battle for survival in 1948 through its joyous victory in the Six-Day War of 1967. In the style of Winds of War ( LJ 11/1/71) and War and Remembrance ( LJ 10/15/78), it tells a story of relationships and human lives in the midst of political and social turmoil. (Notes at the back describe the actual events used as background.) The historical figures are here: Eshkol and Eban, Ben Gurion and Dayan are all woven into the fictional drama of Zev Barak, Don Kishote Nitzan, their families, and close friends. Sadly, Wouk's women are still "handmaidens of men," but the ongoing chronicle of politics, intrigue, and nation-building provides an exciting and involving adventure. This is good reading, sure to be sought by those who have read Wouk's earlier novels and enjoyed by many new fans as well. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 8/93. - Marcia Dorey, Northwest Missouri State Univ. Lib., Maryville Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.