Exodus: A Novel of Israel

I was born in 1958, and had only cursory knowledge of the events surrounding the establishment of Israel as a nation ten years before my birth… until reading this timeless, challenging, and gripping novel. Weaving together historical events (and some historical personalities) with fictional characters and their experiences and relationships brings dusty events from the last century into stark and compelling focus. “Exodus” certainly has its critics and detractors (who deserve a hearing), but its core message illuminates the vision, courage, urgency and sacrifice that led to the miracle of the creation of modern Israel.

Dramatization of true events, it’s a blend of history in fiction (kind of like Titanic). It is SO worth your time. I learned a lot about the founding of Israel and the plight of Holocaust survivors.

Exodus was one of the best books I have ever read. It tells of the plight of the Jewish people, and calms any prejudice you might hold. Bringing love, hatred and sadness into one strong piece of historical fiction, Leon Uris stuns the world with his insight and vision on this difficult topic. People in today's world forget how difficult it was to establish the State of Israel. While reading this book, you establish fundamental views toward the Jewish people, and a respect for their determination and faith. Uris has gotten under the skin of Israel and into the hearts of millions. Through living characters, and intense emotions, Uris shows you just what it takes to be a man of faith. This book holds an accurate view on past events that should not be passed up. It is a read for teens to adults, and when you are through, you will have gained far more knowledge than you had before.

It warms my heart to see Christian reviewers like Karina Suarez saying nice things about the Jews after reading this book. I listen to progressive radio, ... in New York, and whenever they mention the Middle East they slam the Jews and Israel, and they sympathize with the Arabs. I feel like telling them to read Exodus by Leon Uris. Get the other side. The author beautifully presents history from the Jewish point of view, from the Holocaust to the prison camps on Cyprus to Jewish immigration to Palestine to the Jewish conquest of the desert and conversion of it into farmland, to the U.N. vote to allow the Jews their own homeland (since no country on Earth was willing to accept Hitler's Jews, thus sealing their fate in the death camps), to the Arab attempt to exterminate the Jews and finish what Germany started, to Israel's victory in the first war against a union of Arab invaders. This book also explains that the Palestinian refugee problem was manufactured by the Arabs, not by the Jews, and is hypocritically exploited by Arabs for propaganda value when in fact no Arab nation would allow the Palestinians to live among them. One criticism I have of this book is that it leaves the reader despising Arabs and British, and even a Jewish reader has to be left thinking they couldn't have been so completely evil, they must have had something to say for themselves. You walk away from this book thinking that Arabs are insane. Well, let's say they are overly propagandized to hate the Jews and leave it at that. The Mideast crisis will never be solved until the hateful propaganda is stopped. When every Arab country drums up vicious hatred against the Jews, similar to Goebbels and Hitler, it spells eternal trouble.

This was the first book by Leon Uris I ever read. I was seventeen or eighteen years old, in the Soviet Union and the book was elligal. Some Americans were bringing some books to the Soviet Union trying to show us the truth. I read it and all my insides were torn out. It was a revelation. Leon Uris was able to open my eyes and to show the way.

Exodus by Leon Uris is a gripping novel. This epic story is the epitome of human natures ability to suffer, to persevere, and to succeed. This novel comes highly recommended by me. The Exodus follows the story of people. Not just any people, a special type of person, a Jew. The Jewish population has undergone numerous tyrants that have tried, unsuccessfully, to banish the Jewish population from the face of the earth. The Exodus follows these people as they return to their rightful homeland of Jerusalem. During the course of this novel, they face numerous obstacles on there road to the rebirth of a Jewish homeland. Even after the forming of the Jewish state of Israel, Jews are persecuted for pursuing peace. The story of the Israel is astonishing. I was quickly surprised by the benevolent and unselfish ways of Jews through their lives. They give all to their Israel, including their life. The Exodus focuses on a few important characters. Yakov Rabinsky a.k.a. Akiva, Jewish extremist fighter. Jossi Rabinsky a.k.a. Barak Ben Canaan, brother of Yakov, Jewish conservative, father of Jewish politics. Karen Hansen Clemet, Jewish refugee in search of her father. Dov Landau, Jewish survivor of the German concentration camps. Kitty Fremont, American nurse out to look for a daughter figure. Jordana Canaan, Jewish sabra fighter. And finally, Ari Ben Canaan, famed fighter for the Jewish people. The Exodus has been the one of the few assigned reading books that I have enjoyed reading. The story of these people and their home is an example of human nature at its best. This novel connects with me. The story, the character, the settings, and the plots all are not fanaticized. Whether or not it these actual people existed is irrelevant. It is all so believable. The novel is filled with tragedy, but the common goal was something worth fighting for. Once everyone united and fought for it, it was achieved. And that I believe was the best thing about the novel, to see that everyone's unselfishness, benevolence and hard work came to show in the birth of Israel. The Exodus does have one downfall. The beginning of the novel is slow and somewhat confusing. The beginning of the novel lacks a common antagonist and therefore leaves you confused. Once you do get past the first fifty eight pages, the novel takes off and you can get quite interested. Despite this minor setback, the Exodus was gripping and inspiring. Some parts of the novel made you angry, made you want to cry, made you want to fight, and most important, made you contented at their success. The Exodus was an excellent novel and should be read by anyone with the opportunity.

Shalom. The 'Exodus' was my first Leon Uris' book and definately won't be my last! The book is an unfolding story that is full of fact, drama, romance, action, religion and skillfully inter-woven fiction. From a Jewish perspective, the book accurately documents Jewish persecution and is a wonderful book that educates people about the struggle of the Jews through history and the struggle of Eretz Israel. From an historical point of view, the book is somewhat accurate. The book illuminates the actions of the nations involved accurately. Yes, the British and the Arabs are portrayed as sly and anti-semetic, but this may be the truth in this case. Uris is only highlighting events and actions - if they make the people look evil or horrific then maybe that is the truth about their actions? Most of the events are facts - we have to face them. The book is an amazing work of literature. The story is so vivid, that one feels as though they themselves are present at the time of the events and are part of the action. The way in which the book is written make you feel as though you are very close to the characters and you begin to feel that the tragedies that they experience and have experienced have happened to you as well. The story was truly gripping. I could not put the book down and was drawn into the world of the 'Exodus'. I was saddened when I finally finished the book and wished that it would contiue with the story. I think that every single person in the world should read this book. It really does affect you and makes you realize just what people will do and just how they will sacrifice their own lives for the cause of their people. It also historically educates you and learnt a lot from the book. I now want nothing less than to travel to Eretz Israel and to see Gan Dafna, the Acre Jail in from which Akiva and Dov were freed! I now want to see the Biblical sights that the characters talked about. It seems that people who have read this book feel the spirit of its story and characters with them forever! I have to agree, a truly unique and special book! Alana from Durban