Leon Uris Books

I have read several books lately that deal with Polish history and World War II. The other books such as Poland by James Mitchener and Mila 18 by Leon Uris gave me a broad view of Poland and Nazi occupation. The horror stories and general atrocities are sickeningly endless.

In QB VII I got a sense of the individual pain endured by victims of the war. The court room setting and the witness accounts of brutality by a famed doctor are riveting and grotesque. This book narrowed down the insanity of the Nazi regime to a finer grain when I read of how the maimed survived and explained of the immense strength people had to relive the past and tell the tales again to bring people to justice on the witness stand.

The reasoning behind the operations is nothing short of a horrifying joke and many amazing truths come out in the British trial.

Some parts of the book I thought were a bit of a soapbox melodrama and I am only referring to the back drop of the lives of the journalist Cady and the doctor accused, the courtroom drama is head on and you get a front seat during an important procedure.

If you are interested in a bird's eye view of a great courtroom battle and how perhaps some people were involved either in big or small roles in the German hate fest then read this book. It is of course ghastly in description in some parts but you get a feel for the fight for survival in the concentration camp, Jadwiga. It is a tale of heroes and cowards, one you won't soon forget it.

Having read Exodus a few weeks ago, I really enjoyed this fictionalized account of the libel lawsuit brought against Uris after the publication of Exodus. In the first third of the QB VII, we meet Dr. Adam Kelno, who has cleared his name as a war criminal after his term as a prisoner/doctor at a notorious concentration camp and his subsequent flight to the remote jungles of the British Empire to escape further scrutiny. The second third of the book explores the life of Abraham Cady, Uris's alter ego. We are not only introduced to Cady's childhood, war experiences, and family, but also to his career as a writer and his inspirations. He has some successes and failures, but the huge success of his book "Holocaust" makes him an international figure, and a hero among the Jews. However, in the last third of QB VII, Dr. Kelno is made aware of the mention of his own name in "Holocaust" and the book's insinuation that he conducted thousands of medical experiments on Jews in the concentration camp in which he was a prisoner/doctor. This provokes him to file the lawsuit against Cady and thus begins an emotional courtroom drama.

Uris does a great job explaining the structure of the British legal system and the trial is an affecting and often disturbing recount of the horrors of concentration camp life. The testimonies are raw and the dialogue is great. This in-depth look at the medical experiments that took place during the Holocaust is at times graphic and unnerving, but Uris writes it so well. Anyone who enjoyed Exodus must read QB VII and anyone who likes courtroom dramas would be thrilled with the intensity of this book.

Very predictable story. The writing is a little out of date by today,s usage. It is still a decent read even if it is a little long.

This was another Leon Uris classic that I could not put down. I considered it an expose rather than a mystery story as some of the other reviewers. I had no trouble in determining guilt. This was a very clear case of Crime and Punishment. It was more fuel for the Holocaust. And it was once again another Leon Urus classic.

This fast-paced, in depth courtroom drama based upon the atrocities of the holocaust kept me asking many questions, and sympathizing with both sides, even to the last page, and afterwards.

QB VII is a great book that keeps the reader asking, "Is he guilty, or is there another explanation?"

I like books like this, because they allow the reader to be there, to see, feel, and think through the details of the plot, and to develop greater critical-thinking skills.

Uris combined legal drama, history, and the risk of media exposure into one story that will remain valuable for many years to come.

If you're a Leon Uris, espionage, or historical fiction fan, or if you love a don't-want-to-put-it-down story, this is for you. Deals with Cold War era, post Bay-of-Pigs espionage with French and American interests in Cuba. Leaves you shaking your head at the descriptions of the inner workings of international policies and how espionage really works. Realistic, educational descriptions of what Cuba was like at the time. Characters are intriguing and entirely human with both strengths and weaknesses developed. Hyper-tense page turner. One of his easiest books to read. A definite must read.

This is far and away my favorite Leon Uris novel. Unlike many of Uris' other works, this book is crisply written, the story moves at a fast pace, the ending is climactic, and the characters are vivid. The protagonist, Andre Devereaux, is unforgettable.

This is a novel essentially of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It also deals with postwar French foreign policy under De Gaulle (thinly disguised as "Le Croix" in the novel). The novel is told from the perspective of Devereaux, a French intelligence officer. Devereaux must deal with his knowledge of the Soviet activities in Cuba as well as Soviet penetration of the French government.

This is a fine novel. Unlike many of Uris' other novels, it does not bog down, and the characters behave like real people. There are no idealized characters--each person is shown complete with flaws and foibles. Recommended.

This intriguing novel is set against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 . It revolves around four remarkable people : Michael Nordstrom , the American Chief of ININ , Inter-NATO Intelligence Network ; Boris Kuznetov , top Russian KGB defector ; Andre Devereaux , the chief of the French Secret Service SDECE and the captivating and beautiful Cuban aristocrat Juanita De Cordoba (who heads a resistance network against the Tyrannical Castro regime)
We are taken form the streets of Paris and Copenhagen to Washington DC to the hell-on earth that is Castroite Cuba soon after the 1959 Revolution that swept the Communist regime to power
Great intrigue is underway as one of the NATO allies is being manipulated to act in Soviet interests and one man is determined to stop this before the free world is destroyed
While John F Kennedy is simply referred to as the young President one can be certain that the Imperial President of France Pierre De La Croix is based on none other than Charles De Gaulle as only one man (former leader of the Free French during World War II) dominated France during the 1960's

.

Topaz did not strike me to be as good as either Mila 18 or Exodus but a far better than average read for fiction.
I read the book just recently and was stuck by the many parallels that could be imagined between the Cuban missile crisis and now.
The work itself was very interesting and intriguing. But, I did not find the dramatically moving passages that were common in the other Uris books I had read. I am sure a big part of that had to do with the subject matter.
I would suggest this book to anyone but especially to those who do not remember the Cold War.

What a wonderful novel this is. Again Leon Uris is able to make a good story great...this time we are brought into the world of espionage between, the Soviets, Americans and France. In a nut shell there is a great conspiracy brewing i.e. the Cuban Missile Crisis...but Uris goes a step further by saying that maybe the entire Crises was a hoax...dreamed up to get France to leave NATO and weaken the alliance....or is it? I must admit he is really able to keep the story moving along and does a great job creating mystery and intrigue. As you read you are never sure who is telling the truth and who is not...It really makes you bite your nails and question what you think is going on....that is a good story to me.
I feel they should re-release this novel because it is very indicative of our times now. A good read.

Exodus is the story of the greatest miracle of our time : the rebirth of a nation. It tells the story of Jews coming back after centuries of abuse , torture and murder , to carve an oasis in the sand with guts and with blood"

That was how Leon Uris describes his famous novel Exodus about the re-birth of the State of Israel. In Exodus Revisited , he returns to the places and people that first inspired Exodus.

In this pictorial essay , first published in 1960 , and illustrated with over 250 photographs by Dimitrios Harissiardis , Uris examines the vibrant young nation, with an ancient and glorious but often tragic past.

As a land of contrasts , from the deserts of the Negev to the lush valleys of the Galil , from the tough and wonderful young Sabras to the ultra-Orthodox Jews of Jerusalem and Safed , Uris takes us on a journey through Israel's glorious past , hopeful present and divine future.

"The dispersed Jews , destroyed as a nation, suffered unspeakable persecution in most of the world. They never stopped looking towards their ancient homeland , with the prayer that ended , 'Next year in Jerusalem".

From the remains of Hazor , an ancient city that was conquered by Joshuah , to the fortress of Masada, where 286 Jews held back the might of Rome for three years , until , betrayed they all perished : men , women and children. The Jewish nation was destroyed and the Jews dispersed to the four corners of the earth.

To the battlegrounds where the poorly armed Jewish community of 'Palestine' held off the armies of five Arab nations in the War of Independence , and where to this day the people of Israel have lived in the sights of Arab hate and violence , longing only for the day when their children can live in peace.

It portrays the brave young soldiers of Israel whose determination is that 'We shall not perish again'.



It is a digest of Jews living as a free people in their own land , the State of Israel, re-risen like a phoenix from the ashes of the holocaust

To Israel's most precious possession of all. Her beautiful , bright eyed and inquisitive children.

It is important to see the beauty of Israel, at a time when the media do not portray all that is wonderful about this land and it's people , choosing instead to engage in prejudice and hate-filled invective , unfairly demonizing the Children of Israel , in the same way Hitler and Goebbels did.



"Israel is the light of a new dawn. As in ancient days , she is again a bridge from the world of darkness to the world of light.

I found an old copy of this in the library, but the library no longer has it. (They sell old books from time to time). Leon Uris returned to Israel with a Greek photographer. It is basically an album of black-and-white photos with some interesting history.
I liked the book, since I like Jewish and Israeli history, and I really appreciate "old" photos. Most of the information seems to come from people with whom he spoke, so I doubt the accuracy of all the history. For example, one person he photographs comes from--if I remember this right--the only family that has lived in Jerusalem since maybe the Roman destruction.
The photos though are priceless. I know the book is out of print, as is the case with many books on Israeli history. Too bad.

It is sad to see so much bias and propaganda against the arab culture. Not only this book degrades the arab culture and religion, it also potrays the jewish culture as so advanced and open-minded... when both are so untrue.
I cannot judge for the historical facts mentioned in the story, but I can say that although the fiction part of the story is good, it is very poorly written.

Hard to follow with all the Arab names and places since I've never traveled to that part of our world!

Because I've read so many Leon Uris' books, I knew that this one would be just as interesting as "QB VII," "Battle Cry," "Exodus," "Mila 18", and the others.

At first, as I read this story, I couldn't wrap brain around the Middle Eastern "jargon."

We hear of so much in the news, but if we can't define the words, can we appreciate what is happening, and the history of those countries? Can we make better choices? Can we make our own minds up about what is happening? And, are we more likely to get to know the growing number of Middle Easterners who now call our country their home?

And, so, of course, I stopped to get a definition of:

Bedouin - Nomads in Jordan
Haj - The moslin pilgrimage to Mecca, which is the 5th pillar of Islam
Sunni - The largest denomination of Islam. They believe tht the first 4 Caliphs are the true successors of Mohammed. Osama bin Laden is a Sunni Muslim
Shiites - The other denomination of Muslims. They believe that only the heirs of the 4th Caliph, Ali, are the legitimate successors of Mohammed.
Sheik - Chief
Muktar - Elected village head.
Ayalon - Is in the Southern part of Israel.
Jihad - a holy war
Fellah - a peasant
Muezzin - the person who calls everyone to prayer

Once I had a handle on the words that are part of the Middle Eastern history and conflicts, it was easy to "listen" if you will, to this story, told primarily through Haj Ibrahim, Ishmael, Gideon Asch, Hagar and Nada.

This is a story about many Arabs, not all, refusing to accept the world and life in the present tense, and not only their stuggles with Jewish people, but also their ability to get buy in from any group that wants to partner with them for their cause.

I was especially stuck by Nada's story about the obligation of every woman in this culture, to force young girls to be "castrated" so that they don't express their desires and priorities.

This made me wonder if this is also part of the polygamous cultures in the United States.

While "The Haj" is fiction, the history is a real story about the Arab-Israeli conflict, told primarily through a Palestinian-Arab Family, yet written by Leon Uris, a Jewish prolific author.

Read it. You will grow.

URIS LAYS IT ALL OUT. IF YOU CARE ABOUT LEARNING WHAT WE ARE REALLY UP AGAINST IN THESE DIRE TIMES, THEN THIS IS FOR YOU. YOU WILL NEVER AGAIN BE AN ARROGANT IGNORANT LIBERAL AFTER GAINING THE KNOWLEDGE THIS SHOCKING NOVEL WEAVES FOR YOU RIGHT UP TO THE VERY END.

This book gave me a deeper understanding of Middle Eastern politics, Palestinian culture, and Islam. It greatly foreshadowed the current situation in the Arab world, and I think everyone should read it to develop a better comprehension of life in the Middle East. The story follows the life of a local leader, Haj Ibrahim and his family, namely his smart and diligent son Ishmael, during a period of great upheaval in Palestine. The arrival of the Jews and their attempt to establish Israel is at the heart of the conflict, but I didn't realize just how corrupt the reigning governments were. It is not only Arab against Jew, but Arab against Arab as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are forced from their homes. Uris also details the fervor in which the Moslems decry and attack their enemies and how easily they are whipped into a frenzy over their beliefs. There is a strong contrast between the Jews, who live by love and forgiveness and who are willing to live in peace with the Arabs, and the Palestinian Moslems who live by hate and want nothing more than to murder and destroy Israel and every last Jew.

The story of Haj Ibrahim and Ishmael is often uplifting in their determination to survive and return to their home village. The Haj is a fierce but resolute leader who challenges the status quo in the name of progress regardless of threats and intimidation. Ishmael is an extremely bright and resourceful boy who rises in his father's esteem despite being the youngest of his sons. But it is Ishmael's voracious appetite for learning that contradicts his father's wishes and creates inner conflict in Ishmael; does he remain a dutiful son or does he aspire to find a better life for himself? Other peripheral characters add great depth to the story. There is Gideon Asch, a powerful Jewish leader whose village is adjacent to Ibrahim's. Ibrahim develops an unlikely friendship with Gideon and determines that the Jew is the only one he can really trust. Ishmael's sister Nada is a strong and often disobedient girl who wants nothing more than to challenge her role as a subservient woman. She develops into a defiant young woman, who sacrifices her virtue in a blatant affront to her father. Other likeable characters include Ishmael's mother, Hagar, the Arab archaeologist Ishmael and Ibrahim befriend, and the young mechanic who temporarily becomes a part of their family. Of course, there are numerous detestable characters and enemies and villains abound.

Throughout all of this, though, there is constant war. There are battles being waged against the Israelis, there are conflicts between governments, and there are uprisings within the refugee camps. There is constant violence and hatred that is enforced by the stringent code of Islam. It is unsettling to think people live their entire lives without hope.

I have really come to enjoy Uris's novels and The Haj makes a great companion to Exodus. The ending of The Haj is quite abrupt and very depressing, but Uris's skill as a writer delivers the final excruciating punch well. I cannot emphasize enough that everyone should read this book to enlighten them on the culture of Islam and the mentality of the Middle East.

I was disappointed that the first 52 chapters reviewed and repeated what he had written in Trinity. I should have started at chapter 53. I was determined to get through both books and I did. I have read almost all of Uris' books and want to read them all. bb

The 200 or so pages in this novel that Leon Uris devotes to the battle of Gallipoli Peninsula in WWI are very well-written and extremely interesting. I have to wonder if Uris originally planned to write an entire book about Gallipoli but didn't have the energy left in his old age. He knew he'd make a pile of money with a sequel to his popular book "Trinity" so he stuck the Gallipoli story into the sequel.
The first 300 pages of this book are a rehash of Trinity and I skimmed over them very quickly. The parts after Gallipoli are mildly interesting but not worth spending a lot of time on.

I read this book quite awhile ago, and picked it up agin to skim through. This is a wonderful epic saga of the Larkin family. It spreads across about 25 years, and frrom Ireland, to New Zealand to Australia to Egypt. It also encompasses the First World War. We also see a young Winston Churchill who can almost single-handedly be blamed for the Gallipoli fiasco. This is a book that takes you by the throat and won't let go until you turn the final page. I think it is a true classic and is a fitting finish to the also truly wonderful "Trinity".

My only regret with this book is that I think I read it out of order. I believe that Trinity was the first of a two part story. But even by itself it stands as a really compelling story. I wasn't prepared for the places it would take me. It was surprising but nice to be transported to New Zealand. And the story of a very bloody battle (Gallipoli) which I had no previous idea of. I first thought that Leon Uris would only be an author of middle east books (having read Exodous and The Haj). But it was a pleasant surprise to find he is a master story teller.

Trinity was based upon Uris's Irish experiences. While living in Dublin, he had written a photo-essay entitled Ireland, a Terrible Beauty. Trinity was a chronicle of a Northern Irish farm family from the 1840s to 1916, whose fate is connected with two other families, one representing the British aristocracy and the other coming from Scotland. The central characters are a young Catholic rebel and a Protestant girl, who try to find their own place in the country divided by religion and wealth. The story of the Larkin family continued in The Redemption. In these works Uris developed further one of his central themes, the restorative capacity of love and forgiving. Also the situation in the Northern Ireland, from Ireland to New Zealand, Egypt, and Gallipoli.

First off . . . I love Uris' work. I was enthralled by both Battle Cry and Exodus. I am eager to read The Haj, Trinity, and QB VII, et al. But -- I had a bad experience with The Angry Hills, and was affirmed by reading that other reviewers also said.

For the locale of this WWII cloak & dagger book, Uris chose Greece. (Uris clearly likes Greece). Plot: Visiting American author is trapped by the German takeover, and secret British information falls into his hands. He MUST get it to the proper authorities, blah, blah, blah. A Colonel Klink-like character is hot on his trail. He deals with a couple of Greek hotties along the way.

This is a boring book. It was a labor to finish it, and I shouldn't have (but I'm like that). I suggest pass on this one.

Michael Morrison is a midlist novelist, at a time when such writers can actually make a living. He and his wife, Ellie, always planned on a trip to Greece, someday when they could afford it, to collect a small inheritance that was due her. Just when that trip finally seemed possible, Ellie died; and Mike has been recuperating ever since. The only reason he's made the journey to Greece at last, as German troops threaten to invade that ancient country, is that otherwise war may prevent him from ever claiming Ellie's inheritance. With his children safe in the care of his own parents, here he is in Athens. Although the United States remains neutral, World War II has already begun; and the British - to Mike's horror - withdraw their forces on the very day he expects his local attorney to finish processing the paperwork the bank requires. Instead of leaving on his scheduled flight with Ellie's money in hand, Mike finds himself saddled with a list of people whose names British intelligence desperately wants to know. He's forced to masquerade as a New Zealand enlistee in the British army, captured by the Germans, and pursued by agents from both sides. Those agents know who he really is, what he's carrying, and what it's worth. Will Mike Morrison ever see San Francisco and his children again?

This short (for Uris) novel was his second published book. The ordinary man thrown into a situation for which he has no preparation, forced to choose sides in a war not yet his, is a theme so familiar it could seem hackneyed. Uris handles it, though, with the genuine understanding of one who fought that war in real life. The characters are stock ones, mostly, but the book's length really doesn't allow them time to develop more depth. All in all, a quick, entertaining read that's nowhere near as dated as I thought it might be.

While the book is an entertaining war novel it is dispointing by Uris standards and does not compare to such greats as Exodus,Mila 18,Trinity,the Haj and Armageddon Mike Morisson is similar to Uris' other American heroes -Gideon Zadok in Mitla Pass and Sean O Sullivan in Armageddon.Spoiled men used to the good life who show great courage in battle but lack any moral courage.They take love for granted and cruelly hurt the women who love them.They are highly egocentric and unlike Ari Ben Cannan in Exodus,Andre in Mila 18 and Connor in Trinity,the American heroes have little real commitment to any cause If you looking for an entertaining war read go for it but dont expect profound literature

I have just finished The Angry Hills and I thought it was a fine (247 PGS.) little book. This is a departure from the standard Uris, whose use of heavy handed subject matter along with 600 plus pages makes his novels very though provoking and dramatic. This novel is a quick lite read that is a nice adventure novel during the second World War.
In this novel an American Widower is in Greece to settle his late wife's estate, on the eve of the Italian invasion. Just after the invasion he is entrusted to get a list of names out of the country for the British army, but immediately he is soon pursued by Nazis agents and Greek ex-patriots. This is was nice and lite for my tastes and I think if you go into it with this attitude you will not be disappointed.

While conducting business in Greece during WWII, American writer Mike Morrison is trapped by the German advance. When he comes into possession of a secret list of Greek patriots who are pretending to be collaborators, he must go on the run to escape the enemy forces that have been assigned to retrieve the information. This is the only book by Leon Uris that I have read. I was under the impression that he was a writer who researched his subjects meticulously. Perhaps this was one of his first books, because there is very little local color here, nothing that one couldn't glean from watching movies and skimming a few travel books. Worse than that, the characters and situations are cliché from start to finish, and the prose is dull. It reads like a treatment for a typical 50s WWII flick.

This book was the next book from Leon Uris directly following his highly successful book, Battle Cry; it was his second book and was published in October, 1955. The book did not reach mass market paperback until February, 1972, by Bantam, no doubt due to his being a popular, established author by then, and recycled material could always be sold to a hungry reading public.

We are told by Mr. Uris that all of the story, other than identities, comes from a first-person diary written during the war by his uncle. Taking that as 'fact' we begin to feel an eye witness account is set before us.

As one who reads WWII history, this book is of some interest in that it offers a fictional picture of what was actually going on inside Greece as the BEF tried to escape their Grecian 'Dunkirk': many got away to either Crete or Lybia, while many others did not.

Though this is fiction, or is it, we glimpse activity seldom found in WWII histories of this area and its fighting. In the manner presented, the book reminds me of an Alistair MacLean adventure tale. And though this falls way short of the "great novel" the publisher advertises, it still makes interesting reading. It also shows a fairly new author, with one very successful book behind him, now writing his second. We see a young Leon Uris honing his craft.

A movie was later made of this book starring Robert Mitchum, Stanley Baker, Elizabeth Mueller, and Gia Scalla, among others. Though far from the best book Leon Uris issued, the book does have its own intrinsic value. I did not have the problem reading it as some of the other reviewers, something you will have to judge for yourself.

Semper Fi.

I would like to believe that if he'd lived long enough to complete the editorial process, the author would have been able to bring his plot threads together with his usual skill. He died before editing was completed, though. This book starts well, with all the promise of a typical Uris story. Big, brawling, filled with colorful characters and faraway places...but once Amanda Kerr walks on stage, downhill things go from there. She's not credible as a character, nor is Zachary O'Hara, the tale's protagonist.

The rest simply doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The plot takes off in different directions, but never quite comes together anywhere until a conclusion that brings in a "family secret" which fails to justify that conclusion's assumptions. Still, some of the secondary characters are loads of fun in the manner of Uris at his best. There are authors in print who don't write as well in their prime years as Uris did at the last, with fate not allowing him to finish the job here. Mildly recommended to Uris fans. Otherwise, give it a miss, please. I would hate for anyone to sample this book first, and draw conclusions about the author's talent based solely on it. He was much, much better.

Uris' death, three months prior to this book's publication, not only cut short the career of a great novelist, but also another sequel.

I loved his novels Trinity, Redemption and QBVII. They were great stories spun in the tradition of historical novels. His story-telling ability and character creation communicate the humanity of the age and culture about which he writes.

O'Hara's Choice is no exception. Patriotic Duty and family loyalty duel in this tale set in the Gilded Age that followed the U. S. Civil War. Leon Uris was a great writer. He had the ability to create characters who communicate the age and times in which Uris set his novels.

The worst part of coming to the end of this book is the nagging awareness that this is the last Uris novel the reader will read.

Having always heard great things about Uris's writing I was excited to read this work about the US Marine Corps. And while it started out well the book falls flat with sappy interludes and silly situations. I had hoped for a story of the United States after the Civil War though the development of the Corps. Unfortunately what I got was a implausible love story told in flowery overemotional language that more suited a Romance novel.

I would definitely not recommend this book.

Unfortunately, old age (or laziness) finally caught up with Leon Uris. His final two novels, "A God in Ruins" and "O'Hara's Choice," rank as the two poorest novels that I have read in the past 5 years. Not only were the plots sketchy and improbable, but the main characters were contrived, stereotypical and forgettable. His attempt to push a certain modern political agenda through his books conflicted with events of those times - and in the process alienated many of his faithful readers who enjoyed his previous agenda-neutral historical novels. You would be best served to read all of his earlier works - which I found masterful and riveting - and forget these two books that only show the sad decline of a once-great author.

Trinity may not be Leon Uris's best book, but personally it's my favorite book. That being said, I'm not out to trash Uris, but O'Hara's Choice is a waste of time. I'll leave character development and plot intracacies to other reviewers, my focus is the story itself. As the book unwound, I was reasonably well captivated. I wondered along the way how much actual Marine history played into the story, in terms of the fight to keep the Corps alive. (Interested enough to research that later.) The problem is that the story wasn't compelling enough to have an ending that wasn't supported by the events that lead up to it. 390 pages of showing someone's emotions progressing in one direction so the reader can be tricked with a "Gotcha!" at the end. Well that's fine, if the 'gotcha' seems plausible, but in this book it absolutely didn't.

SLIGHT SPOILER - The ending reminded me of 'The Partner' by Grisham, which had the same problem. I don't read Grisham anymore, because to me that was a big let down. The last two pages were not reasonably supported by the first 390 or so, and to me, that makes for a bad book.

The reviews on Amazon for this book are harsh. This was the first Leon Uris book I've read, so I have no preconceived notions with which to compare, but I thought book was pretty good. The characters are somewhat interesting and the story isn't awful. So, there you go. A ringing endorsement.

One of most poorly written books I have read. It jumps from place to place with seemiinly nothing to really bind it together. A real disappointment from this author.

I can't believe that the same author who wrote THE HAJ AND MILA 18 wrote this book. It is scattered and sophomoric and I'm most disappointed. Perhaps he was "getting on" in years or health and just needed the money.

This book of fiction includes many historical events and facts. It is about politics from WWII (FDR and Truman) to the 2008 presidential campaign. If Uris is a seer, the president won't be female, thank Goodness, but our first Jewish-born man to take over the Oval Office.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in 'Nature' that "man is a god in ruins..." Not just any man but one with an inflated ego who will not allow himself to admit defeat. That describes the current U. S. President. The Democrats candidate is governor of Colorado, Quin O'Connell, who was adopted by Irish-Catholic parents in 1948. America is tired of wars, death and retaliation leading to destruction of this country if it is allowed to continue. We need a peacemaker.

In 2008, the nation's first black FBI director to complement the first black Secretary of State decides to expose the backgound of the Democrat frontrunner, on orders from his boss. As they orchestrate college riots, like during the Vietnam War, with their infiltrators called claverns to bomb areas, it starts to look like the "Keystone Cops." When to hold and when to fold, executive order to put "Joy Streets" into motion to desecrate synagogues and cemeteries. Anti-semitism in this country resembling that in Germany and Poland during the Holocaust. This time the black muslims and skin heads will be used to put the blame on the clan. IN Memphis, they expect one thousand as a show of force.

It could have been an other Holocaust all over again, but our country is now more civilized and overcame. Perhaps they have not overcome, but we have. It was time for a change, a time to return to our roots.

I was so excited to find a Leon Uris book that I had not read, th I was eager with anticipation. I got about halfway through the book before I became so disgusted that I had to put it down. I thought, "is it that I'm prejudice because don't agree with his politics which are so blantanly displayed in the novel, or is this book as incredibly poorly written as I feel it is?". I checked on this sight (too bad I didn't do that first) and saw that my opinion was indeed echoed by many other reviewers. I love Leon Uris and have read all of his previous novels - some twice. Do not waste you time on this drivel. It is poorly written, the characters are unrealistic and it is frankly, boring.

For those of you who have never read Uris, I suggest you stick with his other novels. As many others have said, I question whether he actually wrote this garbage.