Exodus
by Leon Urispublished
November 1st 1983
(first published 1958)
by Bantam
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binding
Mass Market Paperback, 608 pages
setting
Israel
isbn
0553258478
(isbn13: 9780553258479)
description
Exodus is an international publishing phenomenon--the towering novel of the twentieth century's most dramatic geopolitical event. Leon Uris ma...more
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Read in January, 2005
recommends it for:
anyone wishing to understand the origins of the arab israeli conflict
Among the top five books I have ever read, and also one of the most important.
A poignant and beautifully-told story that shares a painful struggle in Jewish history - one of the many that goes untalked about in modern history classes. This book should be mandatory reading in all highschools. Although it is a novel, it is completely framed in historical facts (I know because the stuff I read was so unbelievable, I had to look it up for myself to see if it was true - I even found publica...more
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This book is useful for learning the romantic Zionist version of events surrounding 1948, but contrary to several of the reviews here, it is NOT a reliable historical source or one I would recommend for those interested in seriously learning about the roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Describing this book as an accurate historical account from which to draw important information about the conflict is akin to promoting Gone With the Wind as a complete guide to the American Civil War. Uri...more
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Read in January, 1992
I read this is college and really liked it. I wasn't aware how one sided it was (very pro-zionist) until I was talking about it with a friend of mine who was studying Israeli/Palestinian history. While reading I assumed this was historical fiction, meaning the characters might not be real, but the events in the story were true and presented objectively. Well, it needs to be read carefully, with the understanding that the writer had a very strong point of view in favor of the Jews. My friend ...more
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recommended to Kris by:
my Mom, years ago
This is a novel set around the time of the creation of the state of Israel. The author creates a lot of back-stories for the characters that recount the struggles, prejudice, and genocide of Jewish people throughout history. The historical part of the book is very interesing, and the fictional story is kind of a grand, sweeping epic that takes place over several years. I LOVED the book when I first read it at least 10, maybe even 15, years ago, when I guess I was a bit of a starry-eyed romant...more
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I read this somewhere in early seventies (probably 1973/74). That was the time to read a lot of Leon Uris. I think it started with QB IIV which I borrowed from Shantha. At that time with a low pay and lots of long hours in the evening (our shift at ECIL would end at 3PM), reading books, listening to radio were the only sources of entertainment.
Of couse, we filled lots of vacant time with talking about books. That was the period of James A Michner, Leon Uris and Larry Niven and Isaac Asimov....more
Of couse, we filled lots of vacant time with talking about books. That was the period of James A Michner, Leon Uris and Larry Niven and Isaac Asimov....more
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Read in November, 1999
I read this book a long time ago, but still remember vividly the personal struggles and stories told by Leon Uris in this historical fiction.
I have always felt a personal connection to this book because my mom got my name, Jordana, after the sister of the main character, Ari Ben Cannan, a leader of the Israeli freedom fighters, helping the Jewish people of his time have freedom and peace and a state all their own.
The book's name is based on the name of the 1947 immigration ship Exodus, w...more
I have always felt a personal connection to this book because my mom got my name, Jordana, after the sister of the main character, Ari Ben Cannan, a leader of the Israeli freedom fighters, helping the Jewish people of his time have freedom and peace and a state all their own.
The book's name is based on the name of the 1947 immigration ship Exodus, w...more
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Read in July, 2007
Tells the story of the beginning of the State of Israel with lots of interesting historical facts. Although it is full of true history this book is a work of fiction as it follows many different Zionists through their work as soldiers, farmers, diplomats and Jews. They work in concentration camps, displaced prisoners camps that aren’t much better, kibbutzes, hospitals, battlefields, ghettos and farms. They paid much too much for land in Palistine that the Arabs didn’t want and transformed it...more
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recommended to Mike by:
Adam
recommends it for: Everyone
recommends it for: Everyone
It is not so often that a book stirs up so many emotions as Exodus. Exodus is an American masterpiece, a story woven with intricate threads creating a thought provoking story of tragedy and triumph. It tells the story of the establishment of Israel, and the atrocities that occured at the time. Despite moving slowly at the beggining, it quickly picks up and is a visceral thrillride. As battles are thought and the conditions grow bleaker for the protagonist, the more the reader feels involved ...more
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Really, this is one of my all time fave books. It really captures the history (ACCURATELY, I might add!) of how the country of modern-day Israel was born and all the incredible struggles that the Jews faced from seemingly every direction. A fantastic historical novel, even thought it's fiction. I highly recommend this to anyone who feels they could beef up on their historical understanding of the middle east of today--will really help you read through the western media when watching the news!
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
Absolutely Everyone
Excellent; one of the best works of historical fiction I've read. I gobbled it up and couldn't get enough in one sitting. This story of the Jews is amazing and seemed to me more powerful than any one account of the Holocaust I've read because it's not one individual's or one family's ordeal, but the story of an entire people - you really feel the tragedy of their history and the glory of their hard-won victory in gaining their own state. Beautiful and moving.
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I finally finished this after many stops and starts. Parts of it were fascinating and I now feel that I have a much better understanding of the incredible hardships faced in building a new Israel. Now I find myself wondering which parts of the story are true and which fictionalized. Definitely not beach reading material (it took a lot of work for me to get through), but worth it for the education.
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recommends it for:
everyone
one of my favorite books, I just wish a few more people would read it!
Fantastic way to learn more about the Jewish history as a whole and the Jewish National Movement specifically. Plus, it has a really great love story!
I learned so much that I did not know or understand about Jewish history, and in such an easy-read format. Takes a little while to get moving, but so worth it!
Fantastic way to learn more about the Jewish history as a whole and the Jewish National Movement specifically. Plus, it has a really great love story!
I learned so much that I did not know or understand about Jewish history, and in such an easy-read format. Takes a little while to get moving, but so worth it!
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Read in January, 2004
recommends it for:
The Tribe
I was reading this during my March of the Living trip and it greatly impacted the experience of arriving in Israel after a few miserable days in Poland. As I began to settle in among "my people" and the Israeli soldiers who travled with us, I also began to feel rather attached to the characters in the book and I'm not ashamed to admit I had several cathartic moments.
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Read in July, 2003
recommends it for:
Those wishing to understand better the creation of Israel
An incredible story of one family that starts in the Warsaw ghetto, traverses the middle east to arrive in Palestine, and eventually become fighting sabras in Israel. This book made a huge impact on me, in the beginning of my struggle to understand my roots and better understand the origins of Israel. More than anything else, Uris tells a simply epic story.
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Read in January, 1992
I've read this book a couple of times. I read it for the first time a year before I went to Israel for study abroad. I read it again a couple of years ago. It was fun to experience it differently - the first time as a stranger to Israel and the second as someone who had lived there.
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I am not a historical fiction fan... but this book kept me hooked till the end... needless to say... besides bringing reality to fiction... Leon Uris creates vivid images through his writing that stay on forever....i still clearly have some of the scenes etched in my mind...
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Anyone that seeks knowledge about the state of Israel
This book brought me a new perspective on the holocaust and its refugees, the history if Israel as a Jewish state, and the turmoil and struggle that come from violence. It was layered with fictional characters and love stories throughout that made it a more enjoyable read.
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Read in January, 2002
One of my top five favorite books. It mixes amazing and characters and a wonderful story with factual founding of Israel. It helped me to understand where the tension between the Jews and the Arabs started, while mixing in characters that you fall in love with.
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One of my favorite books of all time. The parts about the Landaus can get a bit tedious at times, but other than that, a wonderful, uplifting, well-written and researched novel that really makes you feel the struggle for Israel independence after the Holocaust.
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Read in January, 2004
I grew up on the movie but never read the book. Received the book as a present and immediately I became a huge fan of the author, reading everything he ever wrote. My regret is i didn't read the author's books while he was still alive, perhaps I could've met him.
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