Adrift in New York
'Adrift in New York' Summary
Alger was born in a relatively well to do family with strong roots in the Church. His ancestors were early New England settlers who were among the founding fathers of America. Alger Sr. was a Unitarian minister who hoped that his son would follow him into the ministry, but financial troubles soon compelled young Horatio to abandon these plans. He finished school and went up to Harvard, where he did extremely well academically. By this time he had begun writing and was submitting poems and short pieces to local newspapers and magazines. After college, he returned home with few work prospects. Circumstances forced him to take up an editing job which he hated. In less than a year, he left to begin teaching at a boys' boarding school. He continued writing novels, which were told from a woman's point of view. He drifted between different careers, and finally retired to New York, where he wrote his first bestseller, Ragged Dick. A life of relative ease and wealth began and he adopted several street boys whom he guided into successful careers. He continued to write almost formulaic novels centered round the rags-to-riches theme.
Adrift in New York was extremely popular in its time, like most of Alger's novels. At one time, Alger's fame rivaled that of Mark Twain's in the American imagination. Though hardly known or read now, Alger's novels are interesting and make a very pleasant read.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1904Authors
Horatio Alger
United States
Horatio Alger Jr. was an American writer of young adult novels about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of middle-class security and comfort through good works. His writ...
Books by Horatio AlgerDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Fame and Fortune by Horatio Alger, Jr.
Richard Hunter, formerly Ragged Dick, continues to advance in the world through luck and excellent morals. He, along with his friend Henry, moves into...
That Office Boy by Francis J. Finn, S.J.
That Office Boy is a wholesome and engaging story about Michael Desmond, an office boy who gets involved in a piano contest. The story follows Michael...
Basil, or, Honesty and Industry by Charlotte Grace O'Brien
Basil is a poor boy who learns the value of honesty and hard work. He also discovers the importance of his relationship with God. Through his trials a...
Unravelled Knots by Emma Orczy
Unravelled Knots is the third and final installment of the Old Man in the Corner stories by Baroness Orczy. After a break of several years, Polly retu...
Slayer of Souls by Robert W. Chambers
The story follows the enigmatic figure of Laurence Oliphant, a man haunted by a dark past and plagued by terrifying visions. As Oliphant delves deeper...
The Quest for the Rose of Sharon by Burton Egbert Stevenson
It is an exciting adventure novel for young readers. The book was first published in 1909 and has since become a classic in the genre of adventure fic...
The Forest Lovers by Maurice Henry Hewlett
The story revolves around a young knight, Richard Lanfranc, who falls in love with a mysterious forest-dwelling woman named Alisande. The Forest Lover...
The Pirates of Penzance by W. S. Gilbert
The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera's...
Haunted Room by Charlotte Maria Tucker
In Charlotte Maria Tucker's "Haunted Room", Mr. Trevor inherits a sprawling estate called Myst Court, a place steeped in whispers of a haunted room....
The Arrow of Fire by Roy J. Snell
When fifteen-year-old Alex stumbles upon an ancient medallion buried deep within the embers of a long-forgotten fire, he unwittingly sets off a chain...
Reviews for Adrift in New York
No reviews posted or approved, yet...