Book Description
Master storyteller Leon Uris, internationally acclaimedauthor of such bestsellers as Exodus, Topaz, QB VII,Trinity, the Haj and Mitla Pass,continues the epic story of the Irish struggle for freedom inRedemption. A dramatic saga set against the backdrop of growing unrest in Ireland and a world on the brink of the First World War,Redemption weaves together a cast of unforgettable characters that form the heart and soul of three extraordinary Irish families.hey love freedom more than life,and they will fight to the death to win it.

From the magnificence of New Zealand's green mountains, to the bloody beaches and cliffs of Gallipoli, to the streets of Dublin and the shipyards of Belfast,Redemptionfollows three Irish Patriots on their odysseys of freedom and passion- in a monumental tale of the men and women who loved, fought, and died for the chance to be free.Download Description

Master storyteller Leon Uris continues the epic story of the Irish struggle for freedom. Amidst growing unrest in Ireland and a world on the brink of the First World War, three Irish families who love freedom more than life will fight to the death to win it. "Uris is to the twentieth century what Charles Dickens was to the nineteenth." -- Associated Press.

Master storyteller Leon Uris, internationally acclaimedauthor of such bestsellers as Exodus, Topaz, QB VII,Trinity, the Haj and Mitla Pass,continues the epic story of the Irish struggle for freedom inRedemption. A dramatic saga set against the backdrop of growing unrest in Ireland and a world on the brink of the First World War,Redemption weaves together a cast of unforgettable characters that form the heart and soul of three extraordinary Irish families.hey love freedom more than life,and they will fight to the death to win it.

From the magnificence of New Zealand's green mountains, to the bloody beaches and cliffs of Gallipoli, to the streets of Dublin and the shipyards of Belfast,Redemptionfollows three Irish Patriots on their odysseys of freedom and passion- in a monumental tale of the men and women who loved, fought, and died for the chance to be free. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

sequel to Trinity-Redeemtion
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

Continued saga from novel "Trinity."
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.

A Good Story
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.

Gallipoli novel derailed?
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.

A wonderful ending to Uris' book Trinity.
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". ... Read more

Book Description
It was a time of crisis, a time of tragedy--and a time of transcendent courage and determination.  Leon Uris's blazing novel is set in the midst of the ghetto uprising that defied Nazi tyranny, as the Jews of Warsaw boldly met Wehrmacht tanks with homemade weapons and bare fists.  Here, painted on a canvas as broad as its subject matter, is the compelling of one of the most heroic struggles of modern times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (67)

When you read this, YOU ARE THERE!
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".

Fantastic, moving and powerful.
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.

Inside the Uprising
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.

Incredibly powerful
I received this book as a gift. At time of reading, I had no knowledge of Uris as an author. I am a British national now residing in the US. I have no religious belief.

The book gripped me to the extent that I read it through the night, getting no sleep. I was gripped by a need to know what would happen next to the characters, whose names I still clearly remember 15 years after reading the book. The enormity of the terror within the ghetto was built very subtly. The reality of the characters' situation only hit me when I closed the book after turning the final page -- then I cried. No other book I have read, before or since, has come close to creating the emotional impact of this masterpiece.

Irrespective of your beliefs or sentiments or prejudices, this work is a must-read.

Inspiring
I read this book first when I was in 6th grade (It's dense, I wouldn't necessarily say you can convince a 6th grader to read it)

I never left my living room for a week - I poured through it and read it twice.Though the details are lost with me now, the images and dreams about fighting for a cause have been inspiring for me.Today when I feel inundated by the world, I look back and think of the protagonists that went against the flow, offered resistance when their peers spoke of complacence.This novel for me is about courage and honor, understanding what is right and fighting for it.I look forward to ordering it here and reading it again, ten years later. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Partisan but Readable.
First of all let me state that this novel plot is ideologically biased.
That is no surprise; Leon Uris (1924 - 2003) was a Jewish writer with Pole and Russian parents that had suffered harsh circumstances in their lives.
He was in love with Israel and the meaning of having a Country that may be claimed by any member of the community anywhere all over the world.

Nevertheless it is a very interesting book to read.
Why?
Well here are some clues:
Starting from post-WWII scenery (1946) placed in Cyprus refugee-detainee camp, Uris trace and describes many historically events:
Show the birth of Zionism, started by the shock produced by Dreyfuss' Trial in a sensible visionary journalist.
Give vivid reconstruction and picture of Jews' life conditions in Russia before WWI and the same for Jews everyday life in Poland before and pending WWII.
Describe different emigrations phases of Jews into Palestine.
Portray the struggle of Jewish colonists against great odds.
Depict the stark reality of displaced Jews in the aftermath of WWII.
The story follows many family threads converging into Palestine-Israel from 1880 till 1950.
All this matters renders the novel a good read for anyone interested in Middle East affairs.

A very sensible issue of great relevance these days is shown in this novel. It is how a community reacts in front of their own extremist members (the Macabee in the book) and the complex decisions they should take. Furthermore taking into account that many of them are close relatives, and then strong contradictory feelings erupt.

Main characters as Ari Ben Caanan, Barak his father, Dov Landau, Dr. Libermann and Akiva amongst other have unmistakable real historically persons as models.

Uris' prose is not so great. His style is more related to a journalistic chronicle. He is better describing facts and situations than giving deepness and complexity to his characters.

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

The Hobo Philosopher
This is a classic on the establishment of the State of Israel. This book started me on a Leon Uris binge. I was particularly fascinated by the way the author was able to capture vivid sexual passion and love in such a dignified manner. Very, very well done. Very beautiful, very passionate, very dramatic and you get the bonus of history absolutely free.
Leon Uris impressed me as a writer and still does. He is of classical proportions. If you just like to read good writing, Leon is a good place to start.
He is of course a passionate defender of the Jews and the State of Israel. This book may have been the stimulus behind my interest in "The Jewish Problem". ... Read more

Book Description
Exodus is an international publishing phenomenon--the towering novel of the twentieth century's most dramatic geopolitical event.  Leon Uris magnificently portrays the birth of a new nation in the midst of enemies--the beginning of an earthshaking struggle for power.  Here is the tale that swept the world with its fury: the story of an American nurse, an Israeli freedom fighter caught up in a glorious, heartbreaking, triumphant era.  Here is Exodus --one of the great best-selling novels of all time.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (151)

the creation of israel descibed
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.

Excellent Novel
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.

Long and boring
I have had this book in my line-up for quite some time.Every time I looked at it as a possible read I just got a sense that it would be uninteresting.Well, I have to say that my fears were warranted.This book is almost as long and arduous as the plight of the Israelites.The story itself would be better off without the huge section of dull history stuck in the middle.I did become involved in the characters to a point, but never got a true feeling of realness in them.They just never completely developed.I do have to say that I came out with a better sense of the problems that the Israelites have had to face and I am sure that was the author's purpose.

Exodus
This time I read the book, my 4th to be exact, it was still as amazing as the first time.It was and remains my favorite book.

The Ode to Promise Land
One of the most powerful books of the last century, Leon Uris "Exodus" (1960) is anexiting and deeply moving novel which was written by a talented and passionate man. The best, the most inspirational parts of the book are the depictions of the historical events dealing with the origins of ghetto system, pogroms in Russia, the long and fascinating journey of two brothers from a small Russian town to Palestine by foot, the ideas of Theodor Herzl, the birth of kibbutzes in Palestine, and enormous labor of kibbutznicks to make the land fertile, to grow plants and trees where the desert, rocks, and swamps had been.Uris was also able to find the compelling words, images, and characters to reflect on the tragedy of European Holocaust, on the dramatic story of United Nations voting for partition of Palestine in 1947 and on the war of the infant state of Israel against its multiple and hostile neighbors for the right to exist and be an independent country. Itook the book with me in my trip to Israel a year and a half ago and reading it while be able to see the places it describes with such passion and love, to see the land that is called "promised land" or "Holy land" WAS one of the most emotional and unforgettable experiences in my life. ... Read more

Book Description

From the acclaimed author who enthralled the world with Exodus, Battle Cry, QB VII, Topaz, and other beloved classics of twentieth-century fiction comes a sweeping and powerful epic adventure that captures the "terrible beauty" of Ireland during its long and bloody struggle for freedom. It is the electrifying story of an idealistic young Catholic rebel and the valiant and beautiful Protestant girl who defied her heritage to join his cause. It is a tale of love and danger, of triumph at an unthinkable cost -- a magnificent portrait of a people divided by class, faith, and prejudice -- an unforgettable saga of the fires that devastated a majestic land . . . and the unquenchable flames that burn in the human heart.

Customer Reviews (99)

What a great read
Trinity
I read this book when I was doing a lot of international travel.
I first carted the HARD cover version around the world then finally decided to read it on a flight to Singapore.OMG.What a great read.
Out of the corner of my ear one night not long ago, I heard someone talking about a book they read on Ireland that had them riveted and I just knew it was this book.What a great read.We both thought so.

Uris' Masterpiece
I'm re reading this magnificent tender tragedy again for the third or fourth time.
I have read most of Uris' earlier works as well, but in Trinity he seems to have tapped into a torrent that only the greatest writers have supped at.
This book, dealing with the Catholic/Protestant/British conflicts of the last several centuries, is written with an Irish accent in a way that very few writers could succeed at. This story follows the lives of three different families through the historic voilence, love, hate and tenderness of those times in Ireland, and it is an enthralling read.
The reader must allow a little change from other writing styles to get into the book, but once under way, this book grips you, and grips you more and more.You will be enraged and in tears by turn, but you won't put this masterpiece down, I promise.
I have left out descriptions of the plot details.You will get them directly from the master writer when you read this grand opus.

The hobo Philosopher


For a time in my life I read everything that Leon Uris wrote. This book was a stretch. I am half Irish and this was pushing the point a bit. Leon had married a Irish girl so I suppose this peeked his interest. And when we link this defense to the justification of the State of Israel well it becomes more understandable. But whether or not it is reasonable is another story entirely.
With the state of Israel we go back to before Jesus and with this account we find we are claiming property rights back to the 1640s. This is hard to take. It is kind of like Marlon Brando and "let's give it all back to the Indians". I enjoyed the book and the beautiful writing but the philosophy was certainly fiction. I didn't send any money to the IRA after reading this book.

An enjoyable and historical read
My husband is of Irish decent.I read this novel years ago and bought the book for him.He couldn't put it down.When he was done, I reread it and enjoyed it all over again.The storyline is interesting and in the process one learns about the conflict between Catholics and Protestants.

Very insightful
This book was, for the most part, an enjoyable, entertaining and educational read.The characters were well drawn, with both the "good guys" and the "bad guys" having having both good and bad qualities.It is impossible not to admire most of the antagonists at one point or another, even though they may act despicably at other times.The story gives not only a historical background of Ireland of the late-nineteeth, early-twentieth centuries, but provides insight into how the conflict there affected the political and military aspects of the First World War.All in all, there was much to be admired here.

The only real problem I had with the book was that the ending felt tacked on.There were seven hundred pages of meticulous planning, background, and plotting that were followed by one hundred pages of action movie narration.The conclusion is pretty much foregone fron page one, and the whole novel works toward that fated end, and when it comes, as we know it must, it feels a little bit cheesy.

But on the whole, for a fan of good historical fiction, this is a worthy read. ... Read more

Book Description
In Queen's Bench Courtroom Number Seven, famous  author Abraham Cady stands trial. In his book  The Holocaust --born of the  terrible revelation that the Jadwiga Concentration camp  was the site of his family's extermination--Cady  shook the consciousness of the human race. He also  named eminent surgeon Sir Adam Kelno as one of  Jadwiga's most sadistic inmate/doctors. Kelno has  denied this and brought furious charges. Now  unfolds Leon Uris' riveting courtroom drama--one of the  great fictional trials of the century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

QB7Review
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.

The Hobo Philosopher
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.

Great Human Condition Story
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.

Hard to top other's thoughts
When I say I loved this book, it is because it is a gripping story in the hands of a master story teller, not because the subject is easy or comfortable. It is a thinking person's book. Highly recommended.

They don't write books like this anymore
The main idea of this book was to let a Nazi doctor know that he was worth "a halfpenny, the lowest coinage of the realm."

Uris again managed to tell a story with utmost neutrality. In spite of several testimonials from Nazi death camp survivors, it's difficult to pass judgement on Dr Kelno's character. In spite of his good works after the war, Dr. Kelno cannot escape his past.

Eventhough Dr. Kelno also suffered under the Nazi regime, one cannot ignore the survivor's unspeakable testimonials: the barbaric tests they were subjected to, the harrowing deaths they witnessed, the insanity and they agony they experienced every day. And yet, Uris continues to write this novel with cold neutrality, never taking sides. That alone is an outstanding achievement when a story is about such a controversial subject.

Too bad the movie is so corny. Read the book instead!


... Read more

Book Description

Battle Cry is the riveting Marine epic by the bestselling author of such classics as Trinity and Exodus.

Originally published in 1953, Leon Uris's Battle Cry is the raw and exciting story of men at war from a legendary American author.

This is the story of enlisted men – Marines – at the beginning of World War II. They are a rough–and–ready tangle of guys from America's cities and farms and reservations. Led by a tough veteran sergeant, these soldiers band together to emerge as part of one of the most elite fighting forces in the world. With staggering realism and detail, we follow them into intense battles – Guadalcanal and Tarawa – and through exceptional moments of camaraderie and bravery. Battle Cry does not extol the glories of war, but proves itself to be one of the greatest war stories of all time.

Customer Reviews (46)

This was a gift--
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.

Battle Cry
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.

Leon Uris' "Battle Cry"
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, withterminology 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.

A must read about WWII.
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!

ONE OF OUR BETTER WAR NOVELS
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. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Veteran bestselling author Leon Uris (Exodus, Trinity)stays true to form with A God in Ruins, delivering yet another vast and vigorous novel about politics and history, right and wrong, love and loss. This time his country of choice is the United States, on the eve of the 2008 presidential election.

The incumbent, Thornton Tomtree, is running against the Catholic governor of Colorado, Quinn Patrick O'Connell. Thornton, who grew up playing in his daddy's Providence junkyard, made billions on a computer invention before becoming president. Brainy, calculating, and stiff, he lacks both charm and scruples--qualities that the honest and open Quinn, an ex-Marine, has in spades. Though set in 2008, A God in Ruins has its roots firmly in the past. In order to flesh out his characters, Uris casts his net all the way back to World War II, highlighting some of the more dramatic moments in Thornton and Quinn's lives as they move inexorably from youth towards a run for the White House. In the process, Uris takes up some of the attention-grabbing political issues in America from the second half of the 20th century: gun control, terrorist attacks, and Clinton's sex scandals.

Uris can always be counted on to inject the political with the personal, and Quinn is the perfect vehicle for this when his presidential bid is threatened at the eleventh hour by potentially damning information about his past. A lively supporting cast of characters--from Quinn's delicious wife Rita to Thornton's conflicted right-hand man Darnell--adds spark to this emotional story. At one point, when the campaign has reached a fever pitch, Thornton says about Quinn, "Our jingle-jangle rope-a-dope cowboy is going to be a handful." So is Uris's engaging book, which positively spills over with simple heroism and hot-button political issues. --Katherine Anderson Book Description

Spanning the decades from World War II to the 2008 presidential campaign, A God in Ruins is the riveting story of Quinn Patrick O'Connell, an honest, principled, and courageous man on the brink of becoming the second Irish Catholic President of the United States. But Quinn is a man with an explosive secret that can shatter his political amibitions, threaten his life, and tear the country apart--a secret buried for over a half century--that even he does not know... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (155)

a dismal failure
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.

Disappointing
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.

A What-If Account of American Politics.
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.

What a disappointment
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 wasteyou 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.

Pure rubbish.
This novel is an incredible disappointment.I finally gave up and pitched it away after reading about a third of the book.The plot and characters are flat and predictable.The background research is deplorable.After tossing it away, I consulted Amazon to see how other readers had received this book.It appears that the majority are as appalled as I am.Who would have known that this was the creation of Leon Uris?I read my first Uris novel fifty years ago (Battle Cry) and enjoyed many more since then, but Uris was clearly in decline when he churned out this dreck. ... Read more

Book Description
Leon Uris retums to the land of his acclaimed  best-seller Exodus for an epic  story of hate and love, vengeance and forgiveness and  forgiveness. The Middle East is the powerful  setting for this sweeping tale of a land where revenge  is sacred and hatred noble. Where an Arab ruler  tries to save his people from destruction but  cannot save them from themselves. When violence  spreads like a plague across the lands of  Palestine--this is the time of The  Haj. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (102)

should be required reading for everyone
one of my favorite books. a fictional but historically accurate insight into the creation of Israel and the plight of the Palestinian people. Leon Uris succinctly sums up the root of the problem in the middle east. The Arabs are their own worse enemy.

Here's a direct quote that speaks to this from the book:

The basic canon of Arab life. It was me against my brother. Me and my brother against our father. My family against my cousins and the clan. The clan against the tribe. And the tribe against the world. And all of us against the infidel.

Time to read The Haj
Leon Uris is among my favorite authors. With my interests in both WW II and in Ireland, I read most of his good books decades ago. But I'd never gotten around to reading this one because I was rather less interested in Arab culture at that time.

Now here we are with the war in Iraq, Syrian interference in Lebanon, and much more going on in the Middle East. I was ready. I picked up The Haj and was glad I did. I found it just as engaging as anything I've read by this author; featuring rich settings populated with fascinating characters, and well grounded in careful research. And on top of that, the book is remarkably relevant in terms of current events.

GET A GRIP FOLKS!
THIS IS HISTORICAL FICTION.. A NOVEL!!! Not unlike Herman Wolks "Winds of War" or War and Rememberance.

enlightening

I haven't yet finished this book.It does verify what I experienced living in an Arab country for two years.Some Arabs are taught to hate other cultures since an early age.I had a member of a royal family in a class I taught.She hated Hindi's.I asked why, she only said, "Because."I know she heard it from her family and friends that Indians and Hindis are the servants and do work unfit for an Arab.

This book won't solve problems, but will help to gain some insight into the mind of an Arab (since when would God send a prostitute for use to a believer to show him something???)

timely book
Leon Uris has captured the mind of the people we are fighting and those we are trying to help. Thouigh it is a novel, it lends a great deal of insight into why the Arab nations are where they are today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Mitla Pass- one of the most uncompromising works of Uris
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.

wonderfully written book!
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!!!

leon uris' great job on mitla pass
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.

Another multifaceted saga by Uris
Another fantastic human historical drama from LeonUris Gideon the Writer isstruggling 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 andpictureresque

Another multifaceted saga by Uris
Another fantastic historical human historical drama from LeonUris Gideon the Writer isstruggling 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 andpictureresque ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Another classic by leon Uris....
Great book about Berlin after the War.It certainly sheds light on an interesting period in time.It makes the Russians look really bad.It makes you proud of what mankind can do if they really want to.Highly recommend this book.

Cold War Fact/Fiction - Enthralling!
Leon Uris is a brilliant writer!This is #4 on the top best seller list for the year I was born, 1964.Gripping, edge-of-your-seat novel!Of course, since this is based on the Cold War (end of of WW II), there is a lof of fact in it as well.My opinion is that this should be a book that should be required reading in high school.Great work of fact/fiction entwined.I was never reallytoo knowledgeable about this time era but I am really glad I read this book & am more educated because of it.A must read!

Another Timeless Classic
When Friday night turns into Saturday, and you have been up all night to finish a book, but sorry that it came to an end, then you know that you have read a classic. That is how I feel about Armageddon by Leon Uris.

It is set near the end of World War II in England and continues in Germany through the Berlin Airlift.The development of the characters is superb, their stories exciting.

Nevertheless, I found some of the assumptions about Germans quite incredible, even a little absurd. Uris describes their love of the forest as an almost mystical Teutonic reverance, which I never observed despite living amongst Germans of all backgrounds, and having travelled extensively through their forests above several tons of tracked aluminum.

Uris also describes Americans in a way that we would like to think of ourselves, which is, in a word, righteous. Unfortunately, if that ever existed during the Berlin Airlift, it is not in evidence today.

But against the backdrop of the airlift which was America's most spectacular strategic, tactical and propaganda victory ever against communism, the characters from the pilots, to the Germans, to the leaders of all sides, come to life in realistic and dramatic fashion.

Uris is a masterful storyteller, and this is entirely top notch writing. You cannot help but hope that the lives of his characters and their love triumph in the ordeal of rebuilding a nation from it's total collapse.

This is one of those rare books that I can take from my shelf, turn to any page, and find in any one of them, the shear pleasure of reading.

The earliest rumblings of the Cold War
This book opens in England in 1944, with the Allies preparing for the invasion of France.An elite team of soldiers looks beyond the invasion to the end of the war, and begins preparations for the occupation of a conquered Germany.Filled with a variety of colorful, yet believable characters, Uris provides a sweeping portrayal of the challenges facing the Allies as they struggle to rebuild a peaceful Germany after the war.The majority of this book focuses on Berlin, and the emerging conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.These former allies find themselves at odds over the future path of Germany, and gradually the U.S. comes to realize that the Soviet Union isn't interested in a free and democratic Germany.The tensions escalate until the Soviets blockade Berlin in a final attempt to drive the Western Allies from the city.The final quarter of the book describes the heroic efforts of the American pilots who flew supplies into Berlin in one of the most remarkable airlifts in history.This book provides a detailed glimpse at the earliest moments in what would come to be known as the Cold War, and helps to explain how Germany changed from being an enemy to an ally.

It is a novel after all.
All americans are good, brave, understanding, funny, hard-working, incapable of greed (they almost deserve to have been born in America, the greatest country in the world by far). Russians are pig-headed, predictable, cruel, brutal and very easy to surprise. Germans are all nazis, so much so that they call temselves nazis in private, when that is a derogatory term! Their only redeeming opportunity is to be as American as they can. But they are Nazis after all...The "kill your dog now" episode is laughable, to say the least. The English are stodgy and dependable. The French talk alot and do nothing useful (except when they do what the Americans say).
One MUST remember that this novel was written in 1963. The "airlift" description is quite good. So, take into account when it was written, get totally one-dimensional, and enjoy it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

An inferior Uris work
I went to the The Angry Hills listing with a plan on what I was going to say about this book, and, was affirmed by reading that other reviewers have already said it.

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).

The LEAST of the Uris novels I have read.I suggest pass on this one.

Familiar, but entertaining nevertheless
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.

Departure for Leon Uris
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.

Dull and cliched
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.

An entertaining war read but disapointing by Uris standards
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 andunlike Ari Ben Cannan in Exodus,Andre in Mila 18 and Connor in Trinity,the American heroes have little real commitment to any causeIf you looking for an entertaining war read go for it but dont expect profound literature ... Read more