Leon Uris was an American novelist who wrote the novel 'EXODUS' in 1958. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1924 and served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. His novel 'EXODUS' is considered one of the most influential books of the twentieth century and has been translated into more than fifty languages. The novel tells the story of the founding of the modern state of Israel and the struggles of its people. Leon Uris died in 2003 at the age of 78.