Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ and nbsp;is a novel by and nbsp;Lew Wallace, published by and nbsp;Harper and Brothers and nbsp;on November 12, 1880, and considered "the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century". and nbsp;It became a best-selling American novel, surpassing and nbsp;Harriet Beecher Stowe's and nbsp;Uncle Tom's Cabin and nbsp;(1852) in sales. The book also inspired other novels with biblical settings and was adapted for the stage and motion picture productions. and nbsp;Ben-Hur and nbsp;remained at the top of the US all-time bestseller list until the 1936 publication of and nbsp;Margaret Mitchell's and nbsp;Gone with the Wind. The and nbsp;1959 MGM film adaptation and nbsp;of and nbsp;Ben-Hur and nbsp;is considered one of the greatest films ever made and was seen by tens of millions, going on to win a record 11 and nbsp;Academy Awards and nbsp;in 1960, after which the book's sales increased and it surpassed and nbsp;Gone with the Wind. and nbsp;It was blessed by and nbsp;Pope Leo XIII, the first novel ever to receive such an honour. and nbsp;The success of the novel and its stage and film adaptations also helped it to become a popular cultural icon that was used to promote numerous commercial products. The story recounts the adventures of and nbsp;Judah Ben-Hur, a and nbsp;Jewish and nbsp;prince from and nbsp;Jerusalem, who is enslaved by the Romans at the beginning of the first century and becomes a charioteer and a Christian. Running in parallel with Judah's narrative is the unfolding story of and nbsp;Jesus, from the same region and around the same age. The novel reflects themes of betrayal, conviction, and redemption, with a revenge plot that leads to a story of love and compassion.