General Lew Wallace is certainly most famously known for being the author of the novel – Ben Hur. This novel was made into the “old-time Hollywood” classic of 1959 – with Charlton Heston and the chariot race. But there is so much more to Lew Wallace, with his Civil War career and a number of historically important government positions after the war. Wallace was a true Renaissance man – with interests in many areas and had a constant intellectual curiosity. But he had some challenges to overcome, including being a poor student in his younger years and also issues as commander of one of the Civil War battles. My connection with Lew Wallace was that my great-grandparents were close friends of Lew and Susan Wallace for at least 10 years and lived across the street from the Wallace homestead in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Included at the end of the podcast, is a recording of my grandmother, telling of a visit with Lew Wallace in 1904. Most of this podcast will be an interview with Larry Paarlberg, director of the Lew Wallace Study and museum. He’ll provide an in-depth interview, way beyond just dates and facts. Website for the museum: ben-hur.com
