Every Friday, Marilyn Knapp Litt, who blogs at ClassicKindle.com, brings us her recommendation of a free classic book to discover (or rediscover) on Kindle. Find more of Marilyn’s recommendations at her blog, ClassicKindle.com, a guide to the best free and inexpensive classic literature for the Kindle. You can also get Marilyn’s blog on Kindle and I recommend that you “Like” the Classic Kindle Facebook page as well so you don’t miss anything. Here’s Marilyn’s post:

Ben-Hur; a tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace or as I was taught growing up in Indiana, Ben Hur by Lew Wallace, a famous American Civil War general. This 1880 novel was the best selling American novel until displaced by a book about the Civil War – Gone with the Wind published in 1936.

Lew Wallace was one of many celebrated Indiana authors, a state that at one time seemed to produce more authors than any other. (Can you tell I am a proud Hoosier?)

“I am a Bethlehemite,” said Joseph, in his most deliberate way. “Is there not room for–”

“There is not.”

“You may have heard of me–Joseph of Nazareth. This is the house of my fathers. I am of the line of David.” These words held the Nazarene’s hope. If they failed him, further appeal was idle, even that of the offer of many shekels. To be a son of Judah was one thing–in the tribal opinion a great thing; to be of the house of David was yet another; on the tongue of a Hebrew there could be no higher boast.

I hope I am not giving away the story to say that he finds somewhere to spend the night.

Later on (this is a long book,) we come to young Ben

“Well, Messala always had his share of the disagreeable quality. When he was a child, I have seen him mock strangers whom even Herod condescended to receive with honors; yet he always spared Judea. For the first time, in conversation with me to-day, he trifled with our customs and God. As you would have had me do, I parted with him finally. And now, O my dear mother, I would know with more certainty if there be just ground for the Roman’s contempt. In what am I his inferior? Is ours a lower order of people? Why should I, even in Caesar’s presence; feel the shrinking of a slave? Tell me especially why, if I have the soul, and so choose, I may not hunt the honors of the world in all its fields? Why may not I take sword and indulge the passion of war? As a poet, why may not I sing of all themes? I can be a worker in metals, a keeper of flocks, a merchant, why not an artist like the Greek? Tell me, O my mother–and this is the sum of my trouble–why may not a son of Israel do all a Roman may ?”

The book is known as a popular success and not a critical success. Does that make it a bad book? You decide . . .

Click here to get your free copy of Ben-Hur; a tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace