Leon Uris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leon Uris
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Leon Uris in 1989
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| Born | August 3, 1924 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | June 21, 2003 (aged 78) Shelter Island, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Quantico National Cemetery |
| Occupation | Author |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical fiction |
| Notable works | Exodus (1958) Mila 18 (1961) QB VII (1970) |
| Spouse |
Betty Beck
(m. 1945; div. 1968)Marjorie Edwards
(m. 1968; died 1969)Jill Peabody
(m. 1970; div. 1988) |
| Children | 5 |
Leon Marcus Uris (born August 3, 1924 – died June 21, 2003) was an American author. He wrote many popular books, especially historical fiction. Some of his most famous novels include Exodus (published in 1958) and Trinity (published in 1976). His stories often explored major historical events and conflicts.
Contents
Life and Writing Journey
Leon Uris was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His parents were Wolf William and Anna Uris. His father was a Polish immigrant who worked as a paperhanger and storekeeper. His mother was a first-generation Russian American.
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Leon Uris loved writing from a young age. He reportedly wrote a small play when he was only six years old. He went to schools in Norfolk, Virginia, and Baltimore. However, he never finished high school. He even struggled with English classes.
Serving in World War II
When he was 17, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. This event led him to join the United States Marine Corps. He served in the South Pacific from 1942 to 1944. He was a radioman and fought in battles on Guadalcanal and Tarawa.
After getting sick with dengue fever and malaria, he was sent back to the U.S. While recovering, he met Betty Beck, a Marine sergeant. They got married in 1945.
Becoming a Bestselling Author
After leaving the military, Uris worked for a newspaper. He spent his free time writing stories. In 1950, Esquire magazine bought one of his articles. This encouraged him to focus more on writing.
His first major success was Battle Cry (1953). This novel was based on his own experiences as a Marine in the Pacific. It became a bestseller, meaning it sold a lot of copies. He later helped turn it into a movie. He also wrote The Angry Hills, a novel set during wartime in Greece.
Famous Novels and Their Impact
His most famous book is likely Exodus, published in 1958. Uris spent two years researching this novel. He interviewed many people to learn about the history of Israel. He even sold the movie rights early to help pay for his research.
Exodus became a huge worldwide bestseller. It was translated into many languages. In 1960, it was made into a popular movie starring Paul Newman. The book tells the story of Palestine from the late 1800s to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.
This book was very important to Russian Refuseniks. These were people in the Soviet Union who were not allowed to leave. They secretly copied and shared Exodus by hand. The story was even told orally in prison camps.
Uris's 1967 novel Topaz was also made into a movie. The famous director Alfred Hitchcock directed it. Other important books by Uris include:
- Mila 18: About the Warsaw ghetto uprising during World War II.
- Armageddon: A Novel of Berlin: About the end of World War II in Berlin.
- Trinity: About Irish nationalism. Its sequel was Redemption.
- QB VII: A courtroom drama based on a real-life libel trial. It was a #1 bestseller.
- The Haj: Set in the Middle East.
Leon Uris also wrote screenplays for movies like Battle Cry and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Personal Life
Leon Uris was married three times. His first wife was Betty Beck. They had three children together.
His third wife was Jill Peabody, a photographer. They had two children, Rachel and Conor. Jill also helped him with some of his books. She provided illustrations for Ireland: A Terrible Beauty and worked on Jerusalem: A Song of Songs.
Later Years and Legacy
Leon Uris passed away from kidney failure at his home in Shelter Island in 2003. He was 78 years old. His writings and papers are kept at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas. This collection includes many of his novels and screenplays. He was survived by his five children and two grandchildren.
Selected Titles
- Battle Cry, 1953
- The Angry Hills, 1955
- Exodus, 1958
- Exodus Revisited, 1960 (GB title: In the Steps of Exodus)
- Mila 18, 1961
- Armageddon: A Novel of Berlin, 1963
- Topaz, 1967
- The Third Temple (with Strike Zion by William Stevenson), 1967
- QB VII, 1970
- Ireland, A Terrible Beauty, 1975 (with Jill Uris)
- Trinity, 1976
- Jerusalem: A Song of Songs, 1981 (with Jill Uris)
- The Haj, 1984
- Mitla Pass, 1988
- Redemption, 1995
- A God in Ruins, 1999
- O'Hara's Choice, 2003
See also
In Spanish: Leon Uris para niños
- List of bestselling novels in the United States
