Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a novel by Lew Wallace, published by Harper and Brothers on November 12, 1880, and considered "the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century". It became a best-selling American novel, surpassing Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) in sales. The book also inspired other novels with biblical settings and was adapted for the stage and motion picture productions.
First edition, 1880
Lew Wallace, Union general, circa 1862–1865
A 1901 poster for a production of the play at the Illinois Theatre, Chicago
A Ben-Hur chocolate label from 1906
Lewis Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, governor of New Mexico Territory, politician, diplomat, artist, and author from Indiana. Among his novels and biographies, Wallace is best known for his historical adventure story, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880), a bestselling novel that has been called "the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century."
Wallace c. 1865
Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace
Lew Wallace in 1903
Wallace's statue in the U.S. Capitol