From the 1860's through the 1890s, Horatio Alger wrote hundreds of novels to teach young boys the merits of honesty, hard work, and cheerfulness in the face of adversity. As Carl Bode points out in his introduction, Horatio Alger filled a void in American literature and met scant competition both in the nature and the number of his works. Like his heroes, Alger rose to the top by chance, coincidence, and hard work.The hero of Ragged Dick is a veritable "diamond in the rough"—as innately virtuous as he is streetwise and cocky. Immediately popular with young readers, the novel also appealed to parents, who repsonded to its colorful espousal of the Protestant ethic. Struggling Upward, published nearly thirty years later, followed the same time-tested formulas, and despite critical indifference it, too, had mass appeal.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Ragged Dick: Struggling Upward

Literature & Fiction

HORATIO ALGER, JR.

Contemporary

PRENTICE/HALL

Ragged Dick and Struggling Upward

Classics

Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Strive and Succeed or The Progress of Walter Conrad

Literary

Legare Street Press

Paul the Peddler or the Triumphs of a Young Merchant

Thompson & Thomas

A poor family in New York takes in a baby girl left on their doorstep, who rapidly wins their hearts. One person knows that the child is actually an offspring of a socialite, and kidnaps the child for evil purposes. Jack, a youngster and step brother follows the trail of the kidnapper.

Jack's Ward

Reference

Foreign Language Study & Reference

Pavilion Press

Paul the Peddler

Poor Frank Manton works as an office boy, but the boy has to support his family on a child's salary. His job is lost due to nepotism, but a kidnapping and other events change the landscape.

Silas Snobden's Office Boy

A poor New York newsboy called "Rough and Ready" struggles to support his sister while protecting her from their abusive stepfather. Aka: His Fortunes and Adventures. In the Ragged Dick Series.

Rough and Ready

Horatio Alger Jr. was well known for his popular novels detailing the lives of young boys working as bootblacks, newsboys, buskers, and peddlers who attempted to rise up from humble and impoverish backgrounds. Ragged Dick, Or: Street Life in New York plays toward these themes through the telling of a poor boy, Ragged Dick, who works as a bootblack and attempts to better himself through hard work, determination, and moral behavior. Ragged Dick not only fends off street bullies and con-men through his cunning skills and tricks, but legitimately betters himself through deliberate action, school, and consideration. A great moral story for children and young adults.

Ragged Dick; Or Street Life in New York

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

The Cash Boy

Humor & Satire

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