"A lighthearted and delightful tour de force" (The Washington Times).A romantic and suspenseful epistolary novel about a group of people trying to make a movie about Moses in the present day, The Lawgiver is a story that emerges from letters, memos, e-mails, journals, news articles, Skype transcripts, and text messages. At the center of The Lawgiver is Margo Solovei, a brilliant young writer-director who has rejected her rabbinical father’s strict Jewish upbringing to pursue a career in the arts. When an Australian multibillionaire promises to finance a movie about Moses, Margo does everything she can to land the job, including reunite with her estranged first love, an influential lawyer with whom she still has unfinished business. Two other key characters in the novel are Herman Wouk himself and his wife of more than sixty years, Betty Sarah, who, almost against their will, find themselves entangled in the movie.As Wouk and his characters contend with Moses and marriage, the force of tradition, rebellion and reunion, The Lawgiver reflects the wisdom of a lifetime. Inspired by the great nineteenth-century novelists, one of America’s most beloved twentieth-century authors has now written a remarkable twenty-first-century work of fiction.
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"Absolutely delightful and up to date novel written by one of our greatest living authors. He wrote this at about 94-95 and you'd never know it was written by someone that age. Wouk has written some of my favorite novels and although this one wasn't as deep as most of them, it was funny, current, and in some ways, quite touching." — Bobbi (4 out of 5 stars)
"Absolutely delightful and up to date novel written by one of our greatest living authors. He wrote this at about 94-95 and you'd never know it was written by someone that age. Wouk has written some of my favorite novels and although this one wasn't as deep as most of them, it was funny, current, and in some ways, quite touching."
“Witty and wise…Brisk, funny, and incisive, Wouk’s romantic comedy of art versus love slyly updates the story of the beloved star of his indelible novel Marjorie Morningstar, while nimbly (at last!) retelling the story of Moses. This smart, playful novel, along with Wouk’s remarkably sustained literary exuberance, will garner major media attention and avid reader interest.”
“A fun ride…The author has made something old, and something very old, new again.”
" Wow, great book- interesting conceit, easy to read, hard to believe this guy is 97! "
" I borrowed The Lawgiver from the Silver Bay Public Library today. It has a 14-day loan period, and I expect it will be a quick read. Wouk was 97 years old when he wrote this book. He is a character in it, but it is fiction. "
" what a treat. It's about Moses, but it's not. It's a love story but it's not really. It's a love letter to his wife, it's that and more. Loved this, it made me happy. "
" Different format but engaging. This fun little story is actually a moving tribute to Wouk's wife. "
" I enjoyed the book, but did not think it was one of Wouk's best. Still, it was entertaining, creative and a good way to spend a snowy afternoon. And I am amazed he is still writing at age 97. Go Herman! "
" I resisted reading it after having checked it out of the library some time ago. Very easy and fun read once I started. I like Herman Wouk's writings and was surprised to see how modern this book was. Definitely not a boring book! Recommended. "
" a great read from a very great writer who is now 95 years old. "
" Didn't care for it much at all. All emails, letters, newspaper articles, phone conversations, faxes, etc. I just thought it was very boring. "
" Very Good Read! Witty and well written :) "
" Interesting method for telling a story. The characters and their actions felt real, which is a good thing & a bad thing for me. I wasn't all that interested in the content of the novel/movie which is why it was just a 2-star read for me. "
" I hope I am as lucid at 97 as is Wouk. Good humorous read. "
" Very different than I thought it would be. Mr. Wouk is very modern for a man in his nineties. "
" It was nostalgia for Wouk. It was like I finished the Winds of War and The Caine Mutany last week. I enjoyed the time spent with Wouk again. "
" easy quick read ; been a fan of Herman Wouk since Marjorie Morningstar . "
" Didn't like the convoluted style at all "
" Herman Wouk, author of all-time favorites The Caine Mutiny and The Winds of War, is still writing novels? This modern fairy tale of a book is amazingly written by a man born in 1915. Book and author -- both marvels. "
" Could be my favorite read of 2012. A treat to read after years recalling winds of war, w and r and Marjorie Morningstar. Everything you would hope for and expect from Wouk. History, romance and hassidic tangling relayed with charm! "
Herman Wouk (1915–2019) earned his living as a scriptwriter for Fred Allen before serving in World War II. His career as a novelist spans nearly six decades and has brought him resounding international acclaim, as well as a Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Caine Mutiny.
Peter Riegert is an actor, screenwriter, and film director who is best known for his roles in the films Animal House and The Mask; he also played the role of New Jersey State Assemblyman Ronald Zellman in the HBO original series The Sopranos.
Zosia Mamet is an actress who has appeared in a number of television series, including Mad Men, United States of Tara, and Parenthood.
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