Product Description

A spiritual tale of the quest for love, the recovery of identity and patrimony, Ben-Hur never fails to delight in its detail and realism. As David Mayer's introduction makes explicit, Ben-Hur is marked by traces of contemporary issues and American Victorian concerns and tensions which shed important light on social and cultural history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1284320 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 560 pages

From Booklist
Veteran Shakespearean actor Jason reads this classic tale relaying Merlin’s tutelage of young Arthur. Devoid of music or sound effects, the audio allows listeners to step back and savor Jason’s conversational reading. His atmospheric, melodious British accent makes it seem as if White himself is telling the story over a spot of tea. Jason represents characters ranging from bizarre beasts to outlandish eccentrics. He masterfully expresses the wry humor and charming chivalry of White’s 1938 homage to Thomas Mallory’s epic Arthurian legend. Includes a booklet with historical background and text notes. A wonderful family listening experience, especially for Potter and Pullman fans wishing to experience the roots of British fantasy. Grades 4-8. --Mary Burkey

Review
?Compared with other romances . . . Ben-Hur easily passes them all, by a vitality which has a touch of genius.? ?Carl Van Doren -- Review

Review
“Compared with other romances . . . Ben-Hur easily passes them all, by a vitality which has a touch of genius.” —Carl Van Doren

Customer Reviews

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.

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

Still Powerful After 120 Years
In 1880 Union General Lew Wallace was stationed at a Western outpost when he began writing Ben Hur to dispel the boredom of his job. General Wallace who fought in some of the major campaigns of the Civil War was also questioning the meaning of his faith when the novel was written.

There are few who do not know the basic premise of this novel and fewer still who have not seen the monumental MGM film based on it. This story chronicles the life of Judah Ben Hur and his desire for revenge against the Roman Messala and all of Rome for the wrongs done him and his family.

In plot the story is simple enough. Ben Hur has been wrongly convicted of an attempt to kill the Roman Governor of Judea and sentenced to death on the Roman galleys. His fortune has been stolen and his family locked away in a dungeon. Ben Hur survives the galleys and defeats his enemy in the now famous chariot race at the Circus at Antioch.

If this were the end of Wallace's story we would have been left with a decent story of revenge and nothing more. However, Wallace incorporates into his story (bookends it really) with the story of the Passion of Jesus.

Wallace uses the coming of Jesus to examine the issues of his own faith. To analyze the dual nature of Jesus as King and Redeemer. To Ben Hur and the fiercely nationalist Jews of his time the world was waiting for a King to come to overthrow the power of Rome. Ben Hur sees this king as an element of his revenge against Rome and uses his restored fortune to build an army in support of the king.

By the end of the novel Ben Hur realizes that the King was not to come to overthrow Rome but to be a Redeemer of souls. That the kingdom to be created was not to be one of this world.

Wallace's narrative takes some time to get used to. It is sluggish and detail oriented. Literally everything is described. If you are looking for a fast read this book is not for you. If you are looking for a novel in the grand scale which also works as a powerful religous meditation give this one a try. The book was a great best seller when it was written and it can still be powerful 120 years later.