War and Remembrance, By Herman Wouk. New York: Pocket Books. $3.95.

The chronological sequel to the earlier "The Winds of War," this extraordinary epic about the 1940s conveys authenticity, whether at the scene of great battles or eavesdropping on the dialogue of historic personages. By conceding that the inhumanity of the '40s is beyond human comprehension, Wouk's novel provides us with some understanding of Western man's dilemma then and now.