Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

by Lew Wallace, Lewis Wallace, W M Johnson

Book Overview

An immediate best-seller on publication, Ben Hur remains a dazzling achievement by any standards. A thoroughly exhilarating tale of betrayal, revenge and salvation, it is the only novel that ranks... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0895774038
• ISBN13: 9780895774033
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Reader's Digest Association
• Length: 558 Pages
• Weight: 2.38 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Amazing Quality + Amazing Book!!

I got a used good book and it was in better shape than I expected. It was like new and packaged very well!

Don’t Buy This Edition!

I’ve long wanted to read Ben-Hur, but when I ordered this edition I was sorely disappointed in the quality of the book. It is FULL of typos and formatting problems.

A true classic.

I am very interested in Classic writing and as a young person (teen) I read many of the favorites. This was one of them. The movie is fantastic. A few others are The Robe, The Great Physician, Demetrius, the Gladiator....it follows The Robe. Of course, there are other genre classics and I loved all I ever read.

A once in a lifetime read!!

I decided to read only well-written and important works during this Millenial Year (2000). I picked up the 'Focus on the Family' publication of Ben Hur as I was exiting our library. I did not know I had just picked up the novel of my life. This book is suplative in every way-wonderful plot, incredible characterizations, historically accurate, and even life changing. General Lew Wallace wrote this incredible work in 1880, and I don't believe this novel could be written by today's writers. There are some of the most perfectly written sentences I have ever read, every line comparable to fine wine that must be sipped slowly for best effect rather than gulped like present-day works. It took me a full month of pleasure to finish this fine work. It can be enjoyed by Christian and non-Christian alike, and will cause those who believe to believe even stronger, while those unfamiliar or doubtful of the Good News of Christ will be quickened spiritually. This book is gigantic in scope and life changing in effect. By the way, I've never seen the movie, but I'm going to check it tonight

A pure classic worth the Time and Money

This novel written by Lew Wallace in the 1870's, and published in 1880 is nothing short of a timeless classic. It's timeless because it has been a big seller ever since it was published 124 years ago. Because the story is rich in character, people from all walks of religion and life can appreciate this story set in a time of global religious turmoil. Ben-Hur is the story of a Jew's life-long quarrel with his counterpart and nemesis Messala, amid the Roman occupation of ancient Palestine and among the rise of the Christian Religion.Brief Synopsis: As childhood friends-become-enemies, Judah and Messala always had a burning desire to over achieve each other. As tensions grew with the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood, the two parted ways only to meet one day under a very peculiar and dark circumstance. As a Roman Prince strode through the streets on his horse, followed by his royal guards and gang, Judah, on his home's rooftop, came flying out to see what all the hype was about. Upon his looking down at the Prince from the rooftop, Judah could scarce get close enough to the magical prince. As though kicked over by the foot of fate, a parcel of the rooftop was sent tumbling down toward the horseman sending his beast to run amuck. Then Roman Guard, Messala, in his final attempt to spite Judah Ben-Hur, quickly pointed his finger in the direction of the innocent Judah casting a glow of malice over him. Ben-Hur became nothing, and his life was reset anew, forever to surrender his soul to his captors. Now a slave, Judah, of the house of Hur, must redeem his life, and that of his family's name. He must rise above slavery and into poverty where he must begin his life anew. Quick is the rise of a true hero, one who knows defeat but cherishes freedom. Read Ben-Hur to find out how Judah's life long quest of redemption leads to salvation and conversion to Christianity and how the restoration of his name and life comes on the day Christ Himself is crucified.Ben-Hur is the story of freedom, and how quickly it can be torn away from us. This story teaches you that you must forever and always be mindful of, and merit, your good fortune. To those interested in the history of Christ and the religious standoffs of the times, I would strongly suggest reading this novel.

one of the most beloved American novels

In one of the most unique parlays in human history, Lew Wallace was not only a significant Union General during the Civil War, he also wrote one of the best selling novels in all of literature. After the war, posted to a deadly dull Western fort, Wallace began writing to fill the empty hours. Prompted by a casual discussion about the life and times of Jesus, he set this great story of revenge against the backdrop of Christ's mission.Judah Ben-Hur is a Jew of Jerusalem. Arriving at manhood, he has become estranged from his childhood friend Messala, a Roman noble. The two exchange bitter words and when Ben-Hur later accidentally dislodges a roof tile which strikes a Roman official, Messala has him sent to the galleys and his mother and sister, Tirzah, sent to a leprosy infested prison cell. As he is being led to the ship on which he will be enslaved, Ben-Hur is offered a drink of water by an unforgettable stranger. Onboard ship, Ben-Hur befriends the Roman admiral Arrius and, after saving his life, is made his heir and a citizen of Rome.Several years later, wealthy and well educated, Ben-Hur returns to Judea to look for his mother and sister and wreak his revenge on Messala. Vengeance comes when he vanquishes Messala in a chariot race, but his family, freed from their squalid cell and suffering from leprosy, hide from him. Meanwhile, Christ has come to Jerusalem preaching to increasing crowds and Ben-Hur, recognizing the kindly stranger who once helped him, becomes a leader of a group of armed guards bent on protecting him. His devotion becomes all the more complete after Christ heals Tirzah and his mother. But when the time comes, Ben-Hur heeds Christ's wishes and does not intervene. He does manage to return the long ago favor and give Christ a drink and remains to bear witness to the crucifixion. The story concludes with the increasingly wealthy Ben-Hur using his riches to fund the catacombs of Rome from which Christianity would emerge to conquer the Empire.It is no mystery why this is one of the most beloved of all American novels. The savage revenge theme, worthy of The Count of Monte Cristo, intertwines with the story of Christ to produce a story that is thrilling, uplifting and timeless.GRADE: A+

The five stars are not for the Wordsworth Edition

Reader Beware: The Wordworth edition of Ben Hur is actually abridged, though the cover says it is not. It is a repreint of an edition they did not know is abridged. Unless you want an abridged copy of a book that isn't all that challenging, buy a different version! Ben-Hur is a great book, o9therwise