# Is "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ" by Lew Wallace a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace (Harper & Brothers, 1880) is identified by: Published November 12, 1880.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Published November 12, 1880
- The genuine first-issue title page carries the date '1880' printed on its face (not merely on the copyright page); copies with the 1880 copyright but lacking the date on the title page are later printings, not a distinct second issue
- First-issue text contains the misprint 'be-became' at page 11, lines 37-38, and the dedication reads simply 'To the Wife of My Youth' (this was later expanded, circa 1883-84, to 'To the Wife of My Youth Who Still Abides with Me')
- First printings include twelve pages of publisher's advertisements
- The original binding is cadet-blue-gray cloth with floral clusters in red, blue, and green stamped on the front cover and a vase of flowers on the rear cover, lettering in black
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Brothers
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lew Wallace |
| Publisher | Harper & Brothers |
| Year | 1880 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Published November 12, 1880 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Published November 12, 1880. The genuine first-issue title page carries the date '1880' printed on its face (not merely on the copyright page); copies with the 1880 copyright but lacking the date on the title page are later printings, not a distinct second issue. First-issue text contains the misprint 'be-became' at page 11, lines 37-38, and the dedication reads simply 'To the Wife of My Youth' (this was later expanded, circa 1883-84, to 'To the Wife of My Youth Who Still Abides with Me'). First printings include twelve pages of publisher's advertisements. The original binding is cadet-blue-gray cloth with floral clusters in red, blue, and green stamped on the front cover and a vase of flowers on the rear cover, lettering in black.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ* by Lew Wallace a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ben-hur-a-tale-of-the-christ
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.