The Wooing of Malkatoon is a narrative poem about young Othman who explores secrets of love and women. “Commodus” is a tragic historical play about the Roman Emperor Commodus and Maternus, soldier of a daring boldness, who collected bands of robbers into a little army in order to murder Commodus and to ascend the vacant throne. Lew Wallace (1827–1905) was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, politician, diplomat and author, best known for his historical adventure story, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, a bestselling novel that has been called “the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century.” He wrote several historical novels and biographies of American generals.
