A major historical event, some may argue, is best told by those who lived through it.
Exodus, by Leon Uris, is one of the best selling novels of all time.
Exodus is the story of the birth of the modern state of Israel, told through the eyes of several different characters. The main characters are Ari Ben Canaan and Kitty Fremont. Ari is son of Barak Ben Canaan and his wife, Sarah. Barak survived a pogrom as a boy where his father was killed. Avenging his father’s death, Barak killed the man who was responsible for starting the pogrom. Fearing for his life and his brother’s life, Barak and his brother escaped Eastern Europe and made their way to what was then Palestine. Kitty Fremont is the widow of an American serviceman who was killed in World War II. Wanting to help out the refugees and survivors from Nazi Europe, Kitty arrives in Palestine as a nurse. She and Ari slowly fall in love, but events surrounding them may pull them apart for good.
I’ve heard about this book, but this is the first time I have ever read it. What struck me about this book, was the historical detail of struggle to obtain peace and security in pre-1948 Israel. Even when I know much of the history, to experience it from a personal perspective hit home in a way that floored me as a reader.
I recommend it.
Writergurlny 