Franklin Library leather edition of Herman Wouk's "The Caine Mutiny: A Novel of World War II," Illustrated by George H. Jones, a Limited edition, one of the SIGNED 60 series, Personally signed by HERMAN WOUK, published in 1977.  Bound in deep camel tan leather, the book has hunter green French moire silk end leaves, acid-free paper, a satin book marker, hubbed spine, Symth-sewn binding, gold gilding on three edges---in near FINE condition. Herman Wouk, who lived from 1915----2019, is an American author, whose best-selling 1951 novel, "The Caine Mutiny" won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Told through the eyes of Willis Seward "Willie" Keith, an affluent, callow young man who signs up with the U.S. Navy to avoid being drafted into the Army during World War II, the novel describes the tribulations he endures because of inner conflicts over his relationship with his domineering mother and with May Wynn, a beautiful red-haired nightclub singer, the daughter of Italian immigrants. After barely surviving a series of misadventures that earn him the highest number of demerits in his midshipman's class, he is commissioned as an ensign and assigned to the destroyer minesweeper USS Caine, an obsolete warship converted from a World War I-era destroyer. Willie, with a low opinion of the ways of the Navy, misses his ship when it leaves on a combat assignment, and rather than catch up with it, ducks his duties to play piano for an admiral who has taken a shine to him.  Eventually, he reports aboard the Caine. Willie's lackadaisical attitude toward what he considers menial duties brings about a humiliating clash with De Vriess when Willie forgets to decode a communications message which serves notice that De Vriess will soon be relieved. While Willie is still pouting over his punishment, De Vriess is relieved by Lieutenant Commander Philip Francis Queeg, a strong, by-the-book figure whom Willie at first believes to be just what the rusty Caine and its rough-necked crew needs. But Queeg has never handled a ship like this before, and he soon makes errors, to which he is unwilling to admit.  In a breach of regulations, Queeg smuggles the liquor off the ship, and when it is lost, blackmails Willie into paying for it. Willie sees May on leave, and after sleeping with her, decides he has no future with a woman of a lower social class.  As the Caine begins its missions under his command, Queeg loses the respect of the crew and loyalty of the wardroom through a series of incidents. Tensions aboard the ship cause Queeg to isolate himself from the other officers, who snub him as unworthy, believing him an oppressive coward. Queeg is dubbed "Old Yellowstain" by the officers.   At the height of a storm, Queeg's paralysis of action convinces Maryk that he must relieve the captain of command to prevent the loss of the ship. Maryk is tried by court-martial instead of "making a mutiny."  During the trial, Greenwald unrelentingly cross-examines Queeg until he is overcome by the stress.  Keefer is sent home after the war ends, ashamed of his cowardly behavior during the kamikaze attack. 544 pages. I offer Combined shipping.