Published in 1958, the 600-page "Exodus" was a sensation as millions read Mr. Uris' detailed, heroic narrative of European Jewry from the turn of the century to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. The novel was translated into dozens of languages and even distributed secretly in communist countries.
" 'Exodus' has been the Bible of the Jewish dissident movement in Russia," Mr. Uris told the Associated Press in a 1988 interview. "It's referred to as 'The Book.' "
Some Israelis, however, thought Mr. Uris had been too kind to them. Israeli historian and author Tom Segev said that Mr. Uris drew a picture of Israel and Zionism that was glorified beyond reality, and that "it was more harmful than helpful."
Mr. Segev, whose books include "One Palestine, Complete," said Mr. Uris "turned Zionist history into a myth that was more Zionist than the Zionists themselves thought."
Energetic and unafraid, Mr. Uris was as much an adventurer as a writer, traveling tirelessly and sometimes risking his life. In researching "Exodus," he logged thousands of miles and ended up reporting on the 1956 conflict in the Middle East.