“I
regard the writing of humor as a supreme artistic challenge.”
– Herman Wouk
Born on this date
in 1915, Wouk admired those who could write humor. But after starting as a gag writer for
comedian Fred Allen, he turned his focus to historical fiction like the
Pulitzer Prize-winning The Caine Mutiny,
and his bestselling two-book series The
Winds of War and The War and
Remembrance. All three were also
made into popular movies.
Called by The Washington Post "the reclusive
dean of American historical novelists, “ Wouk always treasured his privacy
despite his public persona. Born and
raised in New York City he was leaning toward a business career when WWII
intervened and he signed up for the Navy.
It was during time aboard two destroyer minesweepers that he started
writing and became an instant success with his first effort, Aurora Dawn.
After 6 years in
the service – where he earned 8 battle stars and multiple other awards for his
heroism – he turned to writing full time with some of his most memorable works
based on naval characters and battles, both from history and from his time in
the military. Wouk
kept a personal diary from 1937 until age 100 (he lived to 103, dying just 10
days short of 104). His extensive
journals, numbering over 100 volumes, were donated to the Library of Congress
with the first batch given at the ceremony honoring him with the first Library
of Congress Lifetime Achievement Award for the Writing of Fiction.
Wouk said he often referred to his journals to check dates
and facts in his writing and always found writing to be both cathartic and a
life’s purpose. In addition to those
journals and hundreds of essays, he wrote more than two dozen bestselling
books.
His advice to success in writing was simple: “Write a page a day. It
will add up.”
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