Leon Marcus Uris (August 3, 1924 – June 21, 2003) was an American author of historical fiction, best known for his bestselling books Exodus (published in 1958) and Trinity (published in 1976).

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Jewish-American parents Wolf William and Anna (Blumberg) Uris, his father was a Polish-born immigrant who was a paperhanger before becoming a storekeeper. William spent a year in Palestine after World War I before immigrating to the United States, deriving his surname from Yerushalmi, meaning "man of Jerusalem." Despite facing many challenges, Uris emerged as a prominent novelist, known for the depth of research that went into his novels. His entry into professional writing was catalyzed in 1950 when Esquire magazine purchased an article from him, encouraging him to write his first novel, Battle Cry, which became a bestseller, followed by The Angry Hills. His visit to Israel, spurred by his interest in the creation of the new State, led to the writing of Exodus, a novel that was later adapted into a film starring Paul Newman in 1960.

Uris also wrote Mila 18, based on the Warsaw Ghetto, and Topaz, which inspired Alfred Hitchcock's eponymous film. His significant contributions to literature and his ability to weave intricate stories based on historical events have left a lasting legacy.