Timeline

Lifetime: 1832 - 1899 Passed: ≈ 125 years ago

Title

Writer

Country/Nationality

Horatio Alger, Jr.

Books by Horatio Alger, Jr.

Ragged Dick Cover image

Ragged Dick

Adventure Fiction Children's Literature
19th century Social Mobility Friendship Determination Honesty Hard work Rags to Riches Ambition Urban Life Bootblack Street urchin American Dream Self-improvement New York City Opportunity

Horatio Alger, Jr. was well known for his best-selling series of books highlighting “the American Dream” of poor boys making good and becoming rich and successful through “luck and pluck”. Ragged Dick was the first in this niche, and follows the adve...

Fame and Fortune Cover image

Fame and Fortune

Adventure Fiction Novel
19th century Redemption Social Mobility Justice Friendship Success Honesty Hard work Rags to Riches Wealth Ambition Perseverance Boarding House Business Morals American Dream New York City Opportunity False Accusation Promotion Coworker Jail Exoneration

Richard Hunter, formerly Ragged Dick, continues to advance in the world through luck and excellent morals. He, along with his friend Henry, moves into a better boarding house and then finds a promising job. He is framed for theft by a jealous co-work...

Adrift in New York Cover image

Adrift in New York

John Linden is a very wealthy man. The people who should inherit his property are his nephew, Curtis Waring, his niece Florence Linden, and his long lost son - if alive. John thinks it would be best if Florence and Curtis were married, and makes it a...

Cousin's Conspiracy Cover image

Cousin's Conspiracy

Ernest Ray is a young boy who sets out to reclaim the inheritance that was unjustly with held from his father and given to a cousin. (Introduction by Abigail Rasmussen)

Helping Himself, or Grant Thornton's Ambition Cover image

Helping Himself, or Grant Thornton's Ambition

Helping Himself, or Grant Thornton's Ambition deals with the grit and determination of Grant, a 15 year old farmer's boy whose father is dead and in order to pay his minister father's debts, and to help his mother deal with their abject poverty young...

Timothy Crump's Ward Cover image

Timothy Crump's Ward

A poor family is surprised with an infant on their doorstep on New Year’s Eve with a note and monetary support requesting them to raise the child. Eight years later, the child is stolen and the family is put into more trouble trying to find her. This...

Grand'ther Baldwin's Thanksgiving, with Other Ballads and Poems Cover image

Grand'ther Baldwin's Thanksgiving, with Other Ballads and Poems

Horatio Alger, better known for his juvenile fiction, also penned some great poetry. His Ballads, including the 8 war poems and his odes, are collected in this volume. - Summary by Carolin

Mark the Match Boy or Richard Hunter's Ward Cover image

Mark the Match Boy or Richard Hunter's Ward

In this third installment from the “Ragged Dick” series by Horatio Algers, Jr., the reader is reacquainted with some old friends and meets young Mark Manton. Mark is a match boy plagued by bad luck and an even worse guardian. But, with new friends, h...

Rough and Ready OR Life Among the New York Newsboys Cover image

Rough and Ready OR Life Among the New York Newsboys

Join Rough and Ready for his adventure on the streets of New York City. Working as a newsboy, Rough and Ready tries to support himself and his sister on his meager earnings. Unfortunately, their stepfather is seeking to kidnap little Rose, getting an...

Ben, The Luggage Boy; Or, Among the Wharves Cover image

Ben, The Luggage Boy; Or, Among the Wharves

Ben, after running away from home, must find a way to survive on the streets. According to the preface, the book was based on a true story told to the author by a real boy named Ben. - Summary by Elsie Selwyn

Rufus and Rose, or The Fortunes of Rough and Ready Cover image

Rufus and Rose, or The Fortunes of Rough and Ready

Here are the adventures of Rufus, an older brother caring for his sister after leaving their drunk stepfather - captured by counterfeiters - will his honesty, hard work, and luck win out? Nineteenth century New York City is the perfect backdrop for t...

In Search of Treasure Cover image

In Search of Treasure

Guy Fenwick is a bright boy of 16 who lives with his clergyman father near New Bedford, Massachusetts. Guy receives permission from his father to examine the contents of an old chest in the attic where Guy discovers clues to the location of a pirate...

Dan, the Newsboy Cover image

Dan, the Newsboy

Dan and his mother are poor, so he begins selling newspapers on the streets of New York City. His perseverance, hard work, and honesty are qualities that help him through various challenges. (Summary by Dale Barkley)