Lew Wallace 
Ben-Hur, A Tale of the Christ 

First published in 1880, this epic novel follows much of the life of Judah Ben-Hur, a man living in the time of Christ. Wallace intertwines the lives of Judah and Jesus of Nazareth, beginning the novel with the events of the Nativity and later following the downfall and ensuing hardships of Judah’s life. The events depicted in the Gospels of the New Testament concerning Jesus are carefully threaded throughout Judah’s story, ultimately finding both Jesus and Judah at the Crucifixion, though in different capacities. The incredible historical spectacle that is Judah of the House of Hur’s life is a demonstration of fortitude and faith, a classic story of redemption for a whole family. Wallace wrote this remarkable work as an inspiration of faith, and it became one of the most popular novels of the nineteenth century in America.