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

Romance Adventure Fiction
Family New York Love Poverty Inheritance Social Class Friendship Wealth Opportunity Moral Dilemma Choice Self-reliance

Adrift in New York tells the story of Florence Linden, a young woman forced to choose between inheriting a fortune and marrying her wealthy but unloved cousin, Curtis. When she discovers a plot to steal her inheritance, she forms an unlikely bond wit...

Cousin's Conspiracy Cover image

Cousin's Conspiracy

Adventure Fiction Children's Literature
Family Inheritance Justice Struggle Conspiracy Fraud Wealth Cousin Triumph Underdog Young boy Reclaim

Cousin's Conspiracy follows the journey of Ernest Ray, a young boy who sets out to right a wrong. His father was cheated out of his rightful inheritance, and it was given to a conniving cousin. Armed with determination and a strong moral compass, Ern...

Helping Himself, or Grant Thornton's Ambition Cover image

Helping Himself, or Grant Thornton's Ambition

Adventure Fiction Novel Business Self-Help
Poverty Success Determination Ambition Hardship Wall Street Grit Debt Clerk Broker

Grant Thornton is a fifteen-year-old farm boy whose father has recently passed away, leaving his family in abject poverty. Grant is determined to help his mother pay off their debts and put food on the table, so he decides to postpone his college edu...

Timothy Crump's Ward Cover image

Timothy Crump's Ward

Adventure Fiction Fairy Tale Children's Literature
Family Love Mystery Rescue Faith Kidnapping Hope Adoption Morals Orphan Reward Happy Ending

Timothy Crump's Ward follows a young girl, mysteriously left on the doorstep of a poor family on New Year's Eve. The family, despite their struggles, lovingly raise the child. However, their happiness is shattered when the child is stolen, leaving th...

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

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

Poetry History Children's Literature
Family 19th century History War Tradition Culture Patriotism Odes Ballads Poetry American Thanksgiving

This collection of poetry by Horatio Alger, Jr., showcases his talent beyond his well-known juvenile fiction. The book features a range of ballads and poems, including those reflecting on American history, patriotic themes, and personal reflections....

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

Mark the Match Boy or Richard Hunter's Ward

Adventure Fiction Children's Literature
Friendship Success Determination Hard work Rags to Riches Self-improvement Opportunity Orphan Second chance Street life Guardian Match boy

In "Mark the Match Boy," Horatio Alger Jr. continues the narrative of his popular "Ragged Dick" series. Mark Manton, an orphaned match boy, faces a bleak existence under the cruel supervision of his guardian. With little hope for a better life, he fi...

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

Rough and Ready OR Life Among the New York Newsboys

Adventure Fiction Children's Literature
Poverty Adventure Education Kidnapping Friendship Rags to Riches New York City Newsboy Street life Thieves Street smarts Swindlers

Rough and Ready, a young newsboy, navigates the tough streets of New York City to support himself and his younger sister. He faces numerous challenges including poverty, a manipulative stepfather seeking to abduct his sister, the difficulties of obta...

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

Ben, The Luggage Boy; Or, Among the Wharves

Adventure Fiction Children's Literature
Poverty Friendship Survival Boys Urban Self-reliance Street life Homelessness Runaways

The book follows Ben, a young boy who runs away from home and must learn to survive on the streets. He finds work as a luggage boy at a wharf, and befriends a group of other boys who are also living on the streets. Together, they face the challenges...

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

Rufus and Rose, or The Fortunes of Rough and Ready

Adventure Fiction Children's Literature
Crime Luck Success Honesty Hard work Sister New York City Orphan Brother Runaway Counterfeiting Mentor

Rufus and Rose, or The Fortunes of Rough and Ready follows the journey of Rufus, an older brother who flees an abusive stepfather to protect his younger sister, Rose. They find themselves in the bustling streets of 19th-century New York City, where R...

In Search of Treasure Cover image

In Search of Treasure

Adventure Fiction Children's Literature
Family Adventure Honesty India Respect Righteousness Sea voyage Treasure hunt Bullies Pirate treasure Bombay Business acumen

In 'In Search of Treasure', Guy Fenwick, a bright young man, discovers clues to a pirate treasure hidden on a remote island in the Indian Ocean. With a burning desire to help his financially struggling father, Guy embarks on a journey to Bombay, wher...

Dan, the Newsboy Cover image

Dan, the Newsboy

Adventure Fiction Children's Literature
Poverty Friendship Success Honesty Life Hope Hard work Perseverance New York City Newsboy Dreams Challenge

Dan, the Newsboy is a classic children's novel by Horatio Alger, Jr. It tells the story of Dan Carter, a poor boy who sells newspapers on the streets of New York City. Despite his difficult circumstances, Dan is a hard worker and is determined to mak...