Leon Uris Books

In my (very) humble opinion this is Leon Uris' best written book.

The story of Gideon Zadok as he hunches down in the desert with the Israeli Army awaiting attack the book is mostly flashbacks through Gideon's life and his family's history. Utilizing a variety of narrative styles and a mix of narrators to give the reader a full perspective of events as they transpire, Uris also is able to flow from one time frame to the next with mastery and grace.

For me, however, the true gem of this book is the character of Gideon Zadok himself; not the most likeable of people (cheats on his wife, is self-centered unabashedly) but for all of his very obvious faults you cannot help but sympathize and identify with him. I love stories where the main character is unlikable yet through the author the story is constructed in such a way that the reader is pulled into the characters world and forced to walk their path along with them, creating a perfect binary between protqagonist and reader.

Uris, as far as I am concerned, is at his absolute best in this book and it is definately worth catching!!!

Another fantastic human historical drama from Leon Uris Gideon the Writer is struggling to come to terms with a dysfunctional family (made up of a host of colourful characters make it read like a Jewish Dickens) and a difficult marriage to a wife who he takes for granted as well as his own wavering career He gets an assignment to write on Israels struggle to survive at the time of the Sinai War and has a steamy relationship with a sophisticated and powerful Jewish woman -who is a holocaust victim and an important consultant to the Israeli government But the story goes back to that of Gideons family many years before he was born and is exciting,illuminating,sad,humorous and pictureresque

This is perhaps the first book where I read about a character who was made the way Gideon Zadok was. Every hero had to be loved. Hated at least. Mixed emotions never existed in my life then towards a particular character. But Gideon, who blundered his way through fame, marriage and relationships found me loving him to bits one minute and hating him to pieces the next.

One of the best works of Uris, if not for the historical value of the book- for the sheer joy in discovering Gideon Zadok.

As a book, Exodus and Redemption are my favorites, but if I go by characters, I still wouldn't know if I love or hate Gideon Zadok.

Another fantastic historical human historical drama from Leon Uris Gideon the Writer is struggling to come to terms with a dysfunctional family (made up of a host of colourful characters make it read like a Jewish Dickens) and a difficult marriage to a wife who he takes for granted as well as his own wavering career He gets an assignment to write on Israels struggle to survive at the time of the Sinai War and has a steamy relationship with a sophisticated and powerful Jewish woman -who is a holocaust victim and an important consultant to the Israeli government But the story goes back to that of gideons family many years before he was born and is exciting,illuminating,sad,humorous and pictureresque

Mitla Pass is a layered, inspirational tale of love, war(amidst other things) and portrays the main character in a realistic and gritty manner.I first read the book when I was 12 years old and it has remained my favourite novel of all time. Gideon Zadok's struggle is very moving and his remniscing of loved ones helps to emphasise his conflict with himself and those around him. Mitla Pass spans over generations, but contrary to what one might think, you don't lose track.Uris's writing style is exceptional and captures the different settings of the novel beautifully and brings out their individuality.

From what I understand, the inspiration for this book came out of Leon Uris' research for the novel, "Trinity".

It's a pity that this book is out of print. It is an excellent photographic journal -- Jill did the photography, and Leon wrote the narrative. It gives a very real portrait of Ireland, and how this moment in history has arrived. You will not find these pictures in any travel brochure -- they are quite remarkable.

"What do I have?" said this fine old woman,
"What do I have?" this fine old woman did say,
"I have four green fields; each one was a jewel . . ."


The tragedy is that this wonderful book is out of print. Leon Uris and the Irish then-Mrs. Uris, Jill, collaborated on this work, which grew out of Uris' research for his novel, TRINITY.

The photographs are haunting, each one a poem. Few places on earth are more beautiful or have had the soil moistened by more tears. Irish history is sorrowful yet uplifting, and the result is the "terrible beauty" this book speaks of and to.

Published in 1978, this picture essay captures an Ireland that was still on the margins of Europe, a fly in the amber, that had not quite shaken off the Nineteenth Century.

Thirty years on, Ireland has transmogrified into a EuroYuppie haven, and until recently, had the fastest-growing economy in Europe. In 1978 (or even in 1990, when I was there), Dublin could be walked entire in a day; no longer.

It's a fair bet that upscale condos, Tesco Supermarkets and the golden arches now stand in many places pictured in this book. All of which makes IRELAND: A TERRIBLE BEAUTY more valuable than before.

sensitive portrayal with outstanding photographs of all classes of Irish people

Armageddon is my favorite Leon Uris, unless I just reread Exodus. The book is the story of one of three brothers serving as soldiers during World War II, each in different capacities. Sean O'Sullivan's war is not one of glory and flying but of thinking and strategizing how the United States will occupy Germany after the War. After his brothers are killed by the Germans he finds it hard to do his job and begin the rebuilding of this enemy state.

The story gradual turns to Berlin, the first front of the Cold War. The struggles of Sean O'Sullivan are set against the drama and escalation between the United States and the Soviet Union culminating in the Soviet blockade of Berlin in 1948 and the fledgling United States Air Force successful effort to supply Berlin by air. An air power buff will love this story of the logistics and planning it took to supply half of Berlin, by air, for almost a year.

The intermingling of the facts of rebuilding Germany, the political fight for Berlin and its eventual division into East and West, and the Berlin Airlift with the story of Sean O'Sullivan and Ernestine a young German woman he comes to love create a potent story that you don't want to end despite the long pages.

"The Haj" by Leon Uris is an important book (in print or audio form) for understanding the negative aspects of Arab culture and little known aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict that the great majority of the media won't share with us. Specifically, "The Haj" is historical fiction about a Palestinian-Arab family before and after the 1948 War for Israeli independence (From about 1922 to sometime around the 1960's or 1970's).

Leon Uris wrote this about the book (in the beginning of "The Haj"):

"Many of the events in The Haj are a matter of history and public record. Many of the scenes were created around historical incidents and used as a backdrop for the purpose of fiction. There may be persons alive who took part in events similar to those described in the book. It is possible therefore, that some may be mistaken for characters in the novel. Let me emphasize that all of the characters in the Haj are the complete creation of the author, and entirely fictional. The exceptions, of course, are the recognizable public figures who were associated historically with this period, such as David Ben-Gurion, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Abdullah, Yigal Allon, and others."

There is no question that this book is fiction regarding the details its' story tells, but the story itself is a real one. Arab refugees did stream out of Israel during the 1948 war and Arab leaders telling them to do so (there are taped broadcasts of these calls) was definitely one of the major causes of the plight of the Palestinian-Arab refugees. There was also very definitely a very active terrorist movement among the Arabs in the Middle East, which survives to the present day (witness groups like Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hizbollah, the PLO / Palestinian authority, and others). The Palestinian-Arabs continue to suffer under poor leadership that represses their rights (witness many human rights organizations' reports of extrajudicial killings by the Palestinian Authority, the same autocratic leader, Yassir Arafat, who refuses to transfer the reins of power, and other facts). It is also a well-documented fact that the Mufti of Jerusalem was an ally and guest of Hitler during WWII. These things are facts and are indisputable. "The Haj" tells a story using the device of historical fiction to relay the often-ugly facts of life for the regular "fellah" (sometimes translated as peasant) in the land the British called Palestine and is now known again as Israel.

The book is well written (good grammar, punctuation, style, etc.) and the story flows. I enjoyed reading about the characters of the story, but often wanted to cry for them. Some of the most poignant moments of "The Haj" occur during the flight of the Haj's (the main character is Haj Ibrahim and the book is the story of him and his family) family during the 1948 war and in refugee camps in Jordan. It was very sad to see how members of the same culture (the Arab culture) and most of the time the same religion (Islam) can be so cruel to each other. This is still an endemic problem in the Arab world (witness how the Arab governments squabble among each other and often fight and kill one another). Some of the depictions of the relations between the largely city-dwelling Palestinian-Arabs and the nomadic Bedouin are among the saddest. There is still a strong hatred between these groups to the present day.

Why read "The Haj?"

Read "The Haj" because this is real information presented in a novel format that you can no longer get from most university classes about the Middle East. Read it to learn what AP and Reuters news services constantly gloss over in their writings used by newspapers around the world. Most of all, read "The Haj" to understand that one of the fundamental truths about problems in the Middle East is that the problems have less to do with Israel and Jews than cultural, political, and even religious problems and divisions in the Arab world. Israel is really a side issue at best (and excuse used by the Arab governments to cover their faults). Autocratic tyrannies (or gangster governments like Yassir Arafat's Palestinian Authority) are the true source of unhappiness in the Arab world. It's easy to understand that truth after reading "The Haj."

You can get this same information from a pile full of academic texts (and I do recommend reading more research about the Middle East after reading "The Haj"), but this is the easiest and quickest way to introduce yourself to the bitter realities of politics in the Middle East.

I highly recommend "The Haj."

Review by: Maximillian Ben Hanan

"The Haj" by Leon Uris is an important book (in print or audio form) for understanding the negative aspects of Arab culture and little known aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict that the great majority of the media won't share with us. Specifically, "The Haj" is historical fiction about a Palestinian-Arab family before and after the 1948 War for Israeli independence (From about 1922 to sometime around the 1960's or 1970's).

Leon Uris wrote this about the book (in the beginning of "The Haj"):

"Many of the events in The Haj are a matter of history and public record. Many of the scenes were created around historical incidents and used as a backdrop for the purpose of fiction. There may be persons alive who took part in events similar to those described in the book. It is possible therefore, that some may be mistaken for characters in the novel. Let me emphasize that all of the characters in the Haj are the complete creation of the author, and entirely fictional. The exceptions, of course, are the recognizable public figures who were associated historically with this period, such as David Ben-Gurion, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Abdullah, Yigal Allon, and others."

There is no question that this book is fiction regarding the details its' story tells, but the story itself is a real one. Arab refugees did stream out of Israel during the 1948 war and Arab leaders telling them to do so (there are taped broadcasts of these calls) was definitely one of the major causes of the plight of the Palestinian-Arab refugees. There was also very definitely a very active terrorist movement among the Arabs in the Middle East, which survives to the present day (witness groups like Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hizbollah, the PLO / Palestinian authority, and others). The Palestinian-Arabs continue to suffer under poor leadership that represses their rights (witness many human rights organizations' reports of extrajudicial killings by the Palestinian Authority, the same autocratic leader, Yassir Arafat, who refuses to transfer the reins of power, and other facts). It is also a well-documented fact that the Mufti of Jerusalem was an ally and guest of Hitler during WWII. These things are facts and are indisputable. "The Haj" tells a story using the device of historical fiction to relay the often-ugly facts of life for the regular "fellah" (sometimes translated as peasant) in the land the British called Palestine and is now known again as Israel.

The book is well written (good grammar, punctuation, style, etc.) and the story flows. I enjoyed reading about the characters of the story, but often wanted to cry for them. Some of the most poignant moments of "The Haj" occur during the flight of the Haj's (the main character is Haj Ibrahim and the book is the story of him and his family) family during the 1948 war and in refugee camps in Jordan. It was very sad to see how members of the same culture (the Arab culture) and most of the time the same religion (Islam) can be so cruel to each other. This is still an endemic problem in the Arab world (witness how the Arab governments squabble among each other and often fight and kill one another). Some of the depictions of the relations between the largely city-dwelling Palestinian-Arabs and the nomadic Bedouin are among the saddest. There is still a strong hatred between these groups to the present day.

Why read "The Haj?"

Read "The Haj" because this is real information presented in a novel format that you can no longer get from most university classes about the Middle East. Read it to learn what AP and Reuters news services constantly gloss over in their writings used by newspapers around the world. Most of all, read "The Haj" to understand that one of the fundamental truths about problems in the Middle East is that the problems have less to do with Israel and Jews than cultural, political, and even religious problems and divisions in the Arab world. Israel is really a side issue at best (and excuse used by the Arab governments to cover their faults). Autocratic tyrannies (or gangster governments like Yassir Arafat's Palestinian Authority) are the true source of unhappiness in the Arab world. It's easy to understand that truth after reading "The Haj."

You can get this same information from a pile full of academic texts (and I do recommend reading more research about the Middle East after reading "The Haj"), but this is the easiest and quickest way to introduce yourself to the bitter realities of politics in the Middle East.

I highly recommend "The Haj."

Review by: Maximillian Ben Hanan

"The Haj" by Leon Uris is an important book (in print or audio form) for understanding the negative aspects of Arab culture and little known aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict that the great majority of the media won't share with us. Specifically, "The Haj" is historical fiction about a Palestinian-Arab family before and after the 1948 War for Israeli independence (From about 1922 to sometime around the 1960's or 1970's).

Leon Uris wrote this about the book (in the beginning of "The Haj"):

"Many of the events in The Haj are a matter of history and public record. Many of the scenes were created around historical incidents and used as a backdrop for the purpose of fiction. There may be persons alive who took part in events similar to those described in the book. It is possible therefore, that some may be mistaken for characters in the novel. Let me emphasize that all of the characters in the Haj are the complete creation of the author, and entirely fictional. The exceptions, of course, are the recognizable public figures who were associated historically with this period, such as David Ben-Gurion, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Abdullah, Yigal Allon, and others."

There is no question that this book is fiction regarding the details its' story tells, but the story itself is a real one. Arab refugees did stream out of Israel during the 1948 war and Arab leaders telling them to do so (there are taped broadcasts of these calls) was definitely one of the major causes of the plight of the Palestinian-Arab refugees. There was also very definitely a very active ... movement among the Arabs in the Middle East, which survives to the present day (witness groups like Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hizbollah, the PLO / Palestinian authority, and others). The Palestinian-Arabs continue to suffer under poor leadership that represses their rights (witness many human rights organizations' reports of extrajudicial killings by the Palestinian Authority, the same autocratic leader, Yassir Arafat, who refuses to transfer the reins of power, and other facts). It is also a well-documented fact that the Mufti of Jerusalem was an ally and guest of Hitler during WWII. These things are facts and are indisputable. "The Haj" tells a story using the device of historical fiction to relay the often-ugly facts of life for the regular "fellah" (sometimes translated as peasant) in the land the British called Palestine and is now known again as Israel.

The book is well written (good grammar, punctuation, style, etc.) and the story flows. I enjoyed reading about the characters of the story, but often wanted to cry for them. Some of the most poignant moments of "The Haj" occur during the flight of the Haj's (the main character is Haj Ibrahim and the book is the story of him and his family) family during the 1948 war and in refugee camps in Jordan. It was very sad to see how members of the same culture (the Arab culture) and most of the time the same religion ... can be so cruel to each other. This is still an endemic problem in the Arab world (witness how the Arab governments squabble among each other and often fight and [destroy] one another). Some of the depictions of the relations between the largely city-dwelling Palestinian-Arabs and the nomadic Bedouin are among the saddest. There is still a strong hatred between these groups to the present day.

Why read "The Haj?"

Read "The Haj" because this is real information presented in a novel format that you can no longer get from most university classes about the Middle East. Read it to learn what AP and Reuters news services constantly gloss over in their writings used by newspapers around the world. Most of all, read "The Haj" to understand that one of the fundamental truths about problems in the Middle East is that the problems have less to do with Israel and Jews than cultural, political, and even religious problems and divisions in the Arab world. Israel is really a side issue at best (and excuse used by the Arab governments to cover their faults). Autocratic tyrannies (or gangster governments like Yassir Arafat's Palestinian Authority) are the true source of unhappiness in the Arab world. It's easy to understand that truth after reading "The Haj."

You can get this same information from a pile full of academic texts (and I do recommend reading more research about the Middle East after reading "The Haj"), but this is the easiest and quickest way to introduce yourself to the bitter realities of politics in the Middle East.

I highly recommend "The Haj."

Review by: Maximillian Ben Hanan

This is my favorite Leon Uris, unless I just read Armageddon. The story of the birth of Israel is given while telling the story of Ari Ben Cannan, a Jewish soldier who once served in the British Army and an American nurse called Kitty Fremont who meets him while serving Jewish orphans from Europe after World War II.

Uris provides a great background to modern Israel and how the Jews who emigrated there in the 19th and 20th centuries took back the land of milk and honey.

The brutal struggle for a Jewish homeland is bitter sweet, telling of the horrors the Jews endured both during World War II and their war of independence.

As always, Uris's characters are flawed, but likeable even more because they are. This is a beautiful story and one that is important today because Israel is still fighting for its right to exist and the Palestinians do not have the homeland they were promised as part of the UN mandate as well.

This tragic and beautiful epic has changed my life and my appreciation for the Jewish people. It is a fictional documentation of the establishment of Israel, but there is so much more to its history and Uris delivers it flawlessly. The main players are introduced through separate narratives throughout the first half of the book: the angelic Karen whose life is saved by a family in Denmark, the wily Dov Landau who survives the Polish ghettos and the horrific Auschwitz, and most importantly, the heroic Ari Ben Canaan and his family who established and shaped the land. Another interesting perspective comes from the American nurse, Kitty Fremont, who finds herself involved in the plight of the Jews and becomes a foster mother to young Karen.

It seems an impossible feat for a race that is hated throughout the world to migrate to a desert wasteland surrounded by Arabs and other hostile forces and THRIVE. Additionally, I had never realized the role the British had in screwing the Jews over in their attempt to live peacefully in Palestine after World War II. There are so many different layers to the story that by the time I finished the book, I had almost forgotten about the initial planning on Cyprus and the blockade of the Exodus. Through nothing short of a miracle (and sheer determination and hard work), the land was reclaimed, the British were intimidated, and immigration began full force. The work these people put in to turning the desert into farmland and the cooperation and equality in which they ran their communities was inspirational. The Arabs remained a constant threat, but Israel was determined to be recognized as an independent nation, and they fought to victory against all odds. The world was forced to acknowledge the fledgling nation and was amazed at its success. So was I.

I was deeply moved by this book. It was both tragic and triumphant. I am amazed at the hardships the Jewish people faced, not only to establish their nation, but throughout history. But through it all, they stand united and truly seem blessed by God.

Mr. Uris uses narrative with the relationship between ordinary Jews coupled with real history to describe the creation of Israel. Whats important in this book is the relationship with Britain, which is not really common knowledge, as far as I know anyway.

This is a powerful novel. You won't be able to put it down. Surely, the author is partisan, but isn't every author? The book is well worth reading. Tom Segev's "One Palestine, Complete" is a non-fictional account of the same topic.

Of all the ineptly written books in the world, this one is amongst the top five. What's worrying is not that Exodus is badly written propaganda, it's that it's badly written propaganda that's still in print several decades after it was first unleashed on the general public. Why does this book have such a large (and growing) band of followers? I've seen/read comic books with more depth.

Every disgusting stereotype about Brits and Arabs was beaten to death.
Another issue I had was with the (lack of) character development; every character (with the exception of Ari Ben Canaan) was just flat and boring. Other characters that Mr. Uris could no longer be bothered with were suddenly killed off (e.g. Ruth and Sharona). Every gentile character was a stooge, half-wit, coward, barbarian, or any combination of the above. How does this get categorised as historical fiction? Aren't books in that genre supposed to be remotely balanced? The real story is not as black and white as is portrayed here.

This book had only one redeeming quality: the stories of characters escaping persecution in Europe. The stories of Dov and Karen before they got to Cyprus were interesting. However, I would seek recommendations on the million other well-written books that deal with that topic.

With regards to Mr. Uris' writing style, he clearly thought that every other sentence was so important that it warranted the use of an exclamation mark! This book was so painfully offensive that I finally put it down at page 238! I read it because someone I love asked me to, but I had to return it! No more! No more!

I read this first years and years ago and still is one of my favorites. I loves it intertwining of historical events with the story of an Irish family. Leon Uris is one my favorite authors and this book does not disappoint.

Yes, this story is a wee bit over-the-top, but what a yarn! For those Americans of Irsh descent, notice we do not say the hyphenated Irish-American, for part of being Irish is being an uber-patriot, and America is now our first love, with our homeland only a distant memory, which is what causes us to devour this book, to be inspired by it and more understanding of our heritage. This is the only book I have read three times, each time about ten years apart, and God willing will read another three times. With each passing understaning "us Irish" a bit better. Erin go brough and America forever!

Just like it says, one second after I finished this great story, I flipped back to the first page and read it again. I could tell that Conor got all of his great spiritual and physical strength from his father and grandfar, Tomas and Kilty. I grew so attached to Conor Larkin I wanted to name my son after him. It seemed like such a good, strong name. Actually, in a way, I did name my son after him. Uris put so much passion and honest feeling in this story, I can't begin to explain how it affected my life. An absolute must read!

Kevin Gerard

Conor and the Crossworlds: Breaking the Barrier
Conor and the Crossworlds, Book Two: Peril in the Corridors

This book was undoubtedly one of the best books I have read. It runs through the latter part of 19th century Ireland with a historically accurate, heart wrenching portrayal of people who found themselves intertwined with their country's fate.
I feel as if even reviewing this book is an pointless endeavour. It is a classic. It is amazing. It might even change your life. In the least it will present themes and feelings wrapped up in history that will teach you more than you bargined for.

This great novel captures the deep feeling of a heroic and sorrow-filled life.

I have met men my entire life who claim this is by far their favorite book. And I know many men who named their first-born son Conor, because of the boy and man depicted in this book.

It's heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.

Uris was a man possessed when he wrote this.

Read this book.


("Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield has written a book with similar eternal themes, and one that I have seen have the same effect on many men who have read it.)

This is a great fictional account of the Warsaw uprising during Nazi Occupation of Poland. I found it to be very educational regarding Jewish history and very inspirational. It is a story of courage in the face of grave danger. It took me a little while to read this book. As I read it, I knew there would be no happy endings however, it was great to witness how a small band of fighters kept the German army at bay. Uris created great characters both evil and good in this book. Recommend.

As always Leon Uris tells a story of love and courage with a backdrop of war, scattered with characters you come to love and care about. Mila 18 was inspired from the backstory of one of his characters in Exodus, Dov. Dov had survived for years in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II and participated in the Warsaw Uprising. Reading this beautiful story, you get to know how badly the Nazis treated the Jews during World War II prior to the "final solution". The dignitiy and courage of the Jews who resisted the indignities forced upon them. The Jewish uprising which forced the Nazis out of ghetto recaptured, for a few weeks, Polish soil from the Nazis.

I read this about a decade ago, while in my mid-thirties. I read a lot, and, to date, this is the ONLY book that ever brought a tear to my eye. It's among the best of "historic fiction".

Uris presents a unique story about a historical event that has been well documented. His tale is heartbreaking and powerful and is a must read for anyone interested in the material. The book never seems preachy or melodramatic and Uris creates characters that you come to care for. The suspense is palpable and when the dust clears readers will be moved and want so much more.

Leon Uris takes us to the gritty inside of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Setting the stage with marvelous characters that capture out hearts and minds, he leads us through the gruesome oppression of occupied Poland,then never lets up through the last gasps of the fight for freedom. Mila 18 will forever be remembered and its story should never be forgotten.

to our son-in-law. His original copy was being held together with rubber bands. We were very lucky to find a copy of this book for him.

Received Book in excellent condition. Great Price, Fast Delivery. My Son is enjoying it. Wonderful Seller. Totally Satisfied in all aspects of Sale and Company and the processing and delivery of my Order.

One of the best books I've ever read. Gives a realistic account of WW II and depicts war as it really is. A classic!

An outstanding piece of WWII historical fiction. Unlike other great works of this genre' (Herman Wouk's "War and Remembrance" for instance), this tale is not told from the perspective of the colonels and generals, but rather as experienced by the U.S. Marine sergeants and privates.

The tale thoroughly and patiently follows a group of young men from the train stations where they left their hometowns, through boot camp and training, and onto the beaches of Guadalcanal and Tarawa atoll where they fell in combat. Uris did not all neglect the issue of back home wives and girlfriends, who are so very important to men isolated so far from home.

His first novel, Uris wrote this from his own experience. He was a WWII enlisted Marine combat veteran in the Pacific. First published in 1953, this book was written while memories were still fresh. In a way, it's a bit dated, with terminology and (superior) social values from an America of yesterday. On the other hand, Marine and Navy veterans will recognize the jargon and behaviors that are still in use today. Tradition.

A reviewer has criticized the slow opening pace. I disagree. The device was used to well acquaint the reader with and help him/her to grow to know and love the players, just as these Marines loved their "buddies".

I noted in the author's epilogue that he strongly and repeatedly disclaimed any connection of the fictional officers in his story (he even names them) to any real life personalities he had served under. Glaringly absent was a similar disclaimer regarding the enlisted men in his story. I infer from this that many of the colorful enlisted characters of the book might be representations of Pfc Uris' actual wartime colleagues. A memorial to them, if you will. Interesting.

Uris used an unusual and successful style technique in "Battle Cry". The tale is sometimes written in third person narrative, and at other times narrated in first person by a veteran sergeant in the battalion named Mac. But it's really about the teenage boys that did most of the fighting . . . sometimes hand to hand. Again, Uris was not in a hurry and patiently let the story play out. At times it is slow and monotonous, as was the wartime Marine life. At other times the action is overwhelming. Writing realistically from life experience, the battle scenes are not an organized test of marksmanship between two opposing teams . . . the fighting is chaos. This is the kind of book that provokes the reader to alternately laughing out loud, cheering, or weeping.

This is not a cheap blood and guts war story. It's a great tale of courage, leadership, brotherhood and humanity - Well told.

I first read this one in the late 1950s and have given it two read since that time. This is one of the better novels of WWII and follows the action of one group of Marines from boot camp through their horrible ordeal in the Pacific. This books is a tribute to the Marine Corps and is as pertinent today as it was in 1953 when it was published. I must admit to being a Uris fan as I love his story telling abilities and his character development. I highly recommend this work.