The Hope (novel)
| Company type | Historical novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Herman Wouk |
| Products | Novel |
The Hope is a historical novel authored by American writer Herman Wouk and published in 1993. It chronicles significant moments in the history of the State of Israel spanning from 1948 until 1967, including the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the 1956 Sinai War (Operation Kadesh), and the Six-Day War. The story continues in the follow-up novel The Glory.
This work serves as a thematic continuation of Wouk's earlier World War II novels, The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. Although featuring a different set of characters, those previous novels centered on the Holocaust and Zionist ambitions that culminated in Israel’s founding. Similar to those narratives, The Hope interweaves fictional personas with historical figures amid wartime developments.
Plot summary
The narrative centers on two invented protagonists: Zev Barak and Joseph Blumenthal, nicknamed "Don Kishote." Wouk also portrays prominent Israeli figures such as David Ben-Gurion, Moshe Dayan, Golda Meir, Mickey Marcus, Yigael Yadin, Ariel Sharon, and Motta Gur. Both actual and fictional leaders are depicted with depth, steering Israel through three pivotal conflicts while managing both external threats and domestic difficulties.
Zev serves as a junior officer involved in the unsuccessful assaults on the Latrun area. Joseph Blumenthal arrives in Israel and enlists in a new military unit; his moniker "Don Kishote" originates from his habit of riding a mule equipped with an old helmet. Both characters continue their service in the Israeli Defense Forces following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
They join journalists on the initial convoy delivering supplies to Jerusalem via the Burma Road. Zev later travels to the United States to attend Mickey Marcus’s funeral at West Point, where he meets CIA analyst Christian Cunningham, an advocate for Israel, along with Cunningham’s daughter Emily, who becomes Zev’s lover.
Don Kishote harbors affection for Shayna Matisdorf but briefly engages in a relationship with Yael Luria prior to the 1956 Suez conflict. He takes part in Operation Kadesh’s airborne assault against Egypt. Meanwhile, Zev leads efforts to transport landing craft overland from Haifa to Eilat to facilitate Israeli advances on Sharm el-Sheik.
After Yael discloses her pregnancy, Kishote marries her despite his enduring feelings for Shayna. Additionally, Kishote trains African military officers, including Idi Amin, whom he assists in earning paratrooper wings through a contrived jump.
Zev carries out diplomatic assignments in the US; on the day of President Kennedy's assassination, he begins an affair with Emily Cunningham. By 1967, serving as Israel’s military attaché in Washington, Zev delivers a confidential message from Cunningham indicating that the US will not oppose Israel’s capture of the Golan Heights. Zev’s wife Nakhama tolerates his relationship with Emily, although Emily terminates it once she realizes Nakhama is aware.
During the Six-Day War, Kishote sustains injuries in Sinai but leaves medical care early to participate in the seizure of the Old City of Jerusalem, viewing this act as liberation.
Publication details
- The Hope (1993) by Herman Wouk, ISBN 0-316-95519-1