Aurora Dawn 1947 1st edition by Herman Wouk

Description: Aurora Dawn by Herman Wouk - 1st edition 1947 vintage hardcover A good gift for collectors of historical 1st edition novels or first editions about early Manhattan New York life. from goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42993.Aurora_Dawn The publication of 'Aurora Dawn' in 1947 immediately established Herman Wouk as a novelist of exceptional literary and historical significance. Today, Aurora Dawn's themes have grown still more relevant and, in the manner of all great fiction, its characters and ironies have only been sharpened by the passage of time. Wouk's raucous satire of Manhattan's high-power elite recounts the adventures of one Andrew Reale as he struggles toward fame and fortune in the early days of radio. On the quest for wealth and prestige, ambitious young Andrew finds himself face-to-face with his own devil's bargain: forced to choose between soul and salary, true love and a strategic romance, Wouk's riotous, endearing hero learns a timeless lesson about the high cost of success in America's most extravagant metropolis. Herman Wouk was a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning Jewish American author with a number of notable novels to his credit, including The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War, and War and Remembrance. Herman Wouk was born in New York City into a Jewish family that had emigrated from Russia. After a childhood and adolescence in the Bronx and a high school diploma from Townsend Harris High School, he earned a B.A. from Columbia University in 1934, where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity and studied under philosopher Irwin Edman. Soon thereafter, he became a radio dramatist, working in David Freedman's "Joke Factory" and later with Fred Allen for five years and then, in 1941, for the United States government, writing radio spots to sell war bonds. He lived a fairly secular lifestyle in his early 20s before deciding to return to a more traditional Jewish way of life, modeled after that of his grandfather, in his mid-20s. Wouk joined the United States Navy and served in the Pacific Theater, an experience he later characterized as educational; "I learned about machinery, I learned how men behaved under pressure, and I learned about Americans." Wouk served as an officer aboard two destroyer minesweepers (DMS), the USS Zane and USS Southard, becoming executive officer of the latter. He started writing a novel, Aurora Dawn, during off-duty hours aboard ship. Wouk sent a copy of the opening chapters to Irwin Edman who quoted a few pages verbatim to a New York editor. The result was a publisher's contract sent to Wouk's ship, then off the coast of Okinawa. The novel was published in 1947 and became a Book of the Month Club main selection. His second novel, City Boy, proved to be a commercial disappointment at the time of its initial publication in 1948. While writing his next novel, Wouk read each chapter as it was completed to his wife, who remarked at one point that if they didn't like this one, he'd better take up another line of work (a line he would give to the character of the editor Jeannie Fry in his 1962 novel Youngblood Hawke). The novel, The Caine Mutiny (1951), went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. A huge best-seller, drawing from his wartime experiences aboard minesweepers during World War II, The Caine Mutiny was adapted by the author into a Broadway play called The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, and was later made into a film, with Humphrey Bogart portraying Lt. Commander Philip Francis Queeg, captain of the fictional USS Caine. Some Navy personnel complained at the time that Wouk had taken every twitch of every commanding officer in the Navy and put them all into one character, but Captain Queeg has endured as one of the great characters in American fiction. He married Betty Sarah Brown in 1945, with whom he had three sons: Abraham, Nathanial, and Joseph. He became a fulltime writer in 1946 to support his growing family. His first-born son, Abraham Isaac Wouk, died in a tragic accident as a child; Wouk later dedicated War and Remembrance (1978) to him with the Biblical words, "He will destroy death forever." In 1998, Wouk received the Guardian of Zion Award. Herman Wouk died in his sleep in his home in Palm Springs, California, on May 17, 2019, at the age of 103, ten days before his 104th birthday.Thanks for visiting Well Done Vintage, featuring a wide range of vintage goods and rare collectible merchandise. TLDR:- 1 biz day shipping- Can combine shipments- Look closely at description & photos- 14 day returns Shipping:We pride ourselves on offering fast shipping and accept returns, so you can shop with confidence knowing that you're getting the best possible experience. We understand that getting items quickly & safely is a top priority for collectors. That's why we offer shipping on the next business day & pack with great care, using bags, bubble wrap & boxes whenever possible. Bundled shipping:If you purchase more than 1 item, we can combine them into a single shipment to save on your shipping costs. In the cart you can request a new total or message us to ask for a combined invoice. Returns:Vintage items are often unique and not easily replaced. Nor are they 100% perfect. Please read our description & look closely at the photos & video if provided. We try to represent the item as accurately as possible. We also know that buying vintage or rare merchandise online can be a bit daunting, which is why we accept returns. You can contact us within 14 days of receiving your order to start the return process as long as the original product is returned to us in original packaging, undamaged and packed securely. Questions:Please feel free to see our reviews if you have any concerns or reach out to ask any questions, happy to help. Thanks for your interest & happy hunting!

Price: 2.85 USD

Location: Saint Charles, Illinois

End Time: 2025-01-05T16:56:02.000Z

Shipping Cost: 6.13 USD