About this item
Highlights
- Ben-Hur surpassed the fabulously popular Uncle Tom in the 19th century and was beloved for its attempt to faithfully represent the life and times of Jesus, and the person of Jesus himself.
- Author(s): Lew Wallace
- 454 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Classics
Description
About the Book
The 1880 Ben-Hur was beloved for its faithful representation of the person of Jesus.
Book Synopsis
Ben-Hur surpassed the fabulously popular Uncle Tom in the 19th century and was beloved for its attempt to faithfully represent the life and times of Jesus, and the person of Jesus himself. This is ironic, given that when Wallace began writing the book, he was not very religious. However, his extensive research into the Holy Land and the Bible brought him to the conviction that while his own book was a work of fiction, the Good Book was not. 20th century readers will recognize Ben Hur more from the 1950's movie, and might not even be aware that it had first been a book. Typically, the movie isn't as good as the book, but the movie is also an American classic. Nonetheless, the book's attention to historical detail and its glimpse into America at a particular point in time gives modern readers deeper insight into both Christianity and the United States in the 19th century. This edition is unabridged and faithfully reflects the version as originally published in 1880.