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Joe the Hotel Boy is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Horatio Alger is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Horatio Alger then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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Frank's Campaign, or, Farm and Camp is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Horatio Alger is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Horatio Alger then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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Cast Upon the Breakers is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Horatio Alger is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Horatio Alger then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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Phil, the Fiddler is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Horatio Alger is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Horatio Alger then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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Do and Dare - a Brave Boy's Fight for Fortune is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Horatio Alger is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Horatio Alger then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

So inspiring!Talk about inspiration!
In my opinion, these books of Alger's are better today than back when first written!His powerful and inspirational works have been described as rags to riches stories, illustrating how down-and-outs, poor or broke men and women, even kids, can achieve the American Dream of wealth and success through hard work, courage, determination, enterprise and concern for others.

I loved this book!

Each of his many wonderful and captivating stories involves Alger's main character achieving extreme wealth and the eventual eliminationof their "old ghosts" or enemies.While Alger is noted as a significant figure in the history of American cultural and social ideals is message still needs to be heard more today, in our present economic situation.

If you have ever felt down, or low, or that you will never move forward get yourself a couple of these powerful books!

Talk about inspiration!

So inspiring!

It's all about Mindset!And it still is!
My family has really gotten hooked on Alger.These wonderful stories are so powerful today in this economic climate.Back when they were written, there were no stimulus packages, no welfare as we know it, no food stamps, no income tax!Yet, today there is still such despair, that I feel it's very much the same....

So having said that, this book is great for two reasons:

1) its shows a method and mindset for success!It's not just a story, but the story explains the thinking and mindset of the hero who overcomes terrible odds to find success.The mindset explained is as powerful then as it is today.

2) while the story is fiction, the hero figures out a way to succeed - it of course depends on factor 1 above, his mindset, but, once we see how his mind works, he thinks of a plan to become successful - and what I like is the principles that are used are not like typical fiction, but of ways and means that anyone could use to become successful, good business ideas that are still on target for today!

This book is great for readers of any age, young or old, as long as you need a lift, and you want something powerful and good in your life, you will enjoy this great work by Alger!

A great cure for (the) depression!
Horatio Alger - I am addicted to his books! I can see why he sold so many in his day, because they are great stories! Some think of them as old but I don't - in fact the principles that he espouses are alive and well today and will be as long as people like Madoff stay in jail. These stories are delivered with a punch, thrills, and excitement. I'm reading them all, and just enjoyed this one about a young boy and his mother, running a country post office, until a miser tricks them out of it....the story follows their progress as they travel and succeed by hard work, goal setting, and other success principles that Alger espouses.

Alger will help you rethink your own way to success - he provides step-by-step ways that his hero moves forward, both practical and via a positive mindset or values. Penetrating and impactful as they are alive today as in is time. Good ideas are always valuable!

Great lessons - and a great story!
This review is not for the cynics and others who hate America, (whether they live here or not): There are many of us who still believe in the 'American Dream'. Who see in America as a land of opportunity, where a person may make what he wants of himself. This is the reason for the success of movies like the Secret, and books like Think and Grow Rich. Haters of this concept don't believe in the philosophy of 'if it's to be; it's up to me' and personal growth- they believe in the 'it's not my responsibility to be successful, it's the governments, or a union, etc' to make things right. For those of us who DO believe in America and what it stands for, we need to relax from time to time, from our dedicated path to success. From time to time, I like to read a novel or two, to unwind, but there are so few are positive, uplifting, and compelling novels that also promote personal growth and success principles. So finding one or two is GREAT NEWS! However I have made a wonderful discover of a new and magnificently published selection of Horatio Alger books, so now we don't just have one or two, but many, many hours ahead of us to relax, recharge and at the same time instill in ourselves the success principles we all know and love!

Truly, Do and Dare is a well worth reading!One of the most exciting Alger books, full of adventure - with villains, assassins, etc, but the story is exciting because of the lessons taught by Alger.Alger shows us how the success happens, with actual ideas from the mining industry that could be applied in any business, even an Internet one!Principles live forever, or they are not principles.Reading Do and Dare today proves that, because nothing written in the book could not happen right now.

An amazing book that you will not only love reading, but will have been proud to have read!

Typical Alger
Alger writes another formulaic story of Herbert -- a sixteen-year-old boy who lives in the country with his widowed mother.Together, they run the post office in the late 1800's.However, their position is taken over byGraham, the local rich man who wants the office to further hiswealth.

Herbert, fearing poverty, works for Graham and his snobby son,who pay Herbert a pittance.However, Herbert, does meet a scholar who istraveling for his health named Melville.Melville, who is rich, is takenwith Herbert and hires him to be his secretary and friend.These wages arebetter than Graham's.Together, the two go to Boston and eventually headwest to Chicago and Colorado.In Colorado they have several westernadventures involving bandits and wooly hunters.Herbert, throughinvesting, comes into a small fortune for himself and is able to reverse heand his mother's misfortunes.

Alger writes in a clear, friendly style. In this book he emphasizes hard work, avoidance of all forms of tobacco,honesty, and gambling.The tale had more meat than many others of his andwas enjoyable.It had violence in it, but as usual, Alger handles it in astyle that has been lost in today's entertainment. ... Read more

Product Description
He removed to New York City in 1866, where he wrote his first book for boys, _Ragged Dick_, which had a wonderful sale. This was followed by _Fame and Fortune_, and many others, of which the best-known titles are: _Andy Grant's Pluck, Adrift in New York, Ben's Nugget, Charlie Codman's Cruise, Chester Rand, Five Hundred Dollars, Grit, Helping Himself, The Young Adventurer, The Young Explorer, The Young Miner, The Young Musician, The Store Boy, The Tin Box, Walter Sherwood's Probation, and Work and Win_.
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THOUGH famine prevails not at all in the city; Though none of starvation have died in the street; Yet many there are now exciting our pity, Who're daily complaining of nothing to eat.
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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 appeals to parents, who responded to its colorful espousal of the Protestant ethic. "Struggling Upward, " published nearly thirty years later, followed the same time-tested formulas, and despite critical indifferece it, too, had mass appeal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

An American classic
While the very words "Horatio Alger" have passed into American English ("his success was a true Horatio Alger story"), Alger's books have gone terribly out of fashion.They are rarely read, which is one reason I decided to give "Ragged Dick" a try.

Most literary types would find this book poorly written, but it is certainly well enough written to tell its tale, and it's very hard to get a few pages into the book without starting to cheer for Ragged Dick, the boot-black.In a lot of ways, the book is surprisingly realistic: robbery and fraud are constant companions on the streets of New York.But so are sudden acts of compassion and generosity.

Readers will find that Alger ceaselessly preaches the gospel of hard work, thrift, self-reliance, education and good moral character.One of Dick's big steps upwards occurs when he decides to attend a Sunday school, which certainly would not meet with approval from our liberal elite, any more than prayer.Our elite would probably be amazed that Dick accomplishes all of his self-improvement without ever once thinking of government help...it simply never crosses his mind.

The most surprising thing, for me, was that I came to like "Ragged Dick" quite a bit.He's got a wicked sense of humor, referring often to his "urgent luncheon date with the Mayor" or his "Erie Canal shares."I'm pretty sure that this explains why the book sold in the millions: Dick is simply a great character.

The books may have gone out of fashion, but they are NOT out of date. :-)

Ragged Dick - "rags to riches"
During 1850s, common stories about "poor city youths, newsboys and bootblacks" who became rich and famous which were popular. (Introduction, p. X) In "Ragged Dick" we have a young boy who is our "hero" or a main character which book concentrates upon. Alger opened up Dick's identity, inspirations, dreams, plans and hopes. Dick was a sarcastic youngster, generous towards friends, gambler and smoker. At the same time, he never steals, neither cheats nor hurt younger boys and this makes him a "noble" young gentleman. "[Dick's] pants were torn in several places, and had apparently belonged in the first instance to a boy two sizes larger than himself. He wore a vest, all the buttons of which were gone except two, out of which peeped a shirt which looked as if it had been worn a month. To complete his costume he wore a coat too long for him, dating back, if one might judge from its general appearance, to a remote tranquility." (p. 4) Throughout the book Alger draws us to see the transfer of a boy who once was Ragged Dick into a respectable young gentleman Richard Hunter. "When Dick was dressed in his new attire, with his face and hands clean, and his hair brushed, it was difficult to image that he was the same boy" Dick changes from being uneducated, dirty and wearing ragged clothes that are too big for him into a "quite handsome...young gentleman, except that his hands were red and grimy". (p. 24) Alger could have made Dick a good looking, rich and educated young gentleman but he chose completely the opposite. This way of writing only made it more realistic since not everyone becomes rich; we work hard to get there.

Throughout the book, Alger opens the identities of all the characters, draws images of the New York City streets, transportation and structures. We learn about the games, cheats, crooks and tricks happening on the streets. (Introduction, p. xi) Alger draws our attention to the juvenile boys' desires for simple things such as: "a steady job, a decent place to sleep, a suit of clothing, respect from others" as well as planning for future. (Introduction, p. xii) There are a lot of details used to make our minds actually see the real pictures of the situations. Some of the details include about the greatest pleasure that Dick is experiencing with his saving's account that keeps on growing very slowly with every week and the first experience of washing his face because "[washing] the face and hands is usually considered proper in commencing the day, but Dick was above such refinement" (p. 4) Dick was unable to wash his hands and face since he was living on the street.

The reason why I think Ragged Dick was a success is because this story was easy to read as well as inspiring. I had been left with a feeling that just as Dick kept telling his friends they can become smart and rich, I could too. I also find it interesting how this uneducated, dirty, sarcastic, young boy over the period of approximately one year turn into this young noble gentleman. Just as Dick wasn't successful in everything he did, we tend to somehow compare ourselves to him. His life is quiet realistic and can be compared to some of our own lives. Although I do believe that Dick was a bit too optimistic then some of us, which is why not all of us will have the same ending.

Two Great Stories, One Little Book
I read this book for my U.S History II class and enjoyed it thoroughly.Although the characters "struggle", both stories were very entertaining and humorous.The story is very sincere and leaves the reader feeling inspired.

Banana's in Pajamas
Ragged Dick I feel is a good book because it talks about life without money, and just the hardships that Dick faced everyday. Like how he was going to earn his money to pay for his meals. If he was lucky maybe a place to sleep. He had a friend Johnny Nolan who was in the same situation as Dick but he would not work as hard or did not have the drive to work to make the money he needed to, to survive. Dick would shine every business mans shoes as much as they wanted him to and run and change bills for them. This all gains trust with Dick and his clients. That he would have trusting customers that would now look for him and not someone that they do not. He would slowly start to have a somewhat stable business.
Dick and his friend Johnny did many things together which made them close friends. But when Dick was going to go make a buck or what ever he could do to make his customers happy with his work, Johnny would go and mess around instead of worrying about his next step in life. He was just floating along doing the least amount of work possible to survive. When mealtime came around Dick being the nice and sharing boy, he would pay for him as well. Not even expecting Johnny to ever pay him back, knowing that Johnny wasn't good for it.
This story grabbed a hold of me from the start and didn't let go of me until the end which was great to have a book that I could read and not worry about falling asleep while reading, an old book.

An entertaining read promoting self-reliance and hard work
If you like underdog rags-to-riches stories and want to believe in an America where hard work and integrity still hold the key to success, then this book is for you.This is a fun book and Alger is a gifted writer.His Ragged Dick character is witty and charismatic, rising up from homeless street urchin to respected bookkeeper by dint of hard work, frugality and focused study.In an age of corporate greed and scandals (this year: Enron, Martha Stuart insider trading, etc.) it is refreshing to read stories where ordinary people transcend their circumstances with honesty, hard work, integrity, and compassion. ... Read more

Product Description
This Halcyon Classics eBook collection contains fifty-seven of Horatio Alger's beloved "rags to riches" stories, including 'Ragged Dick.'Includes an active table of contents for easy navigation.

Contents:

1.Adrift in New York
2.Andy Grant’s Pluck
3.Ben, the Luggage Boy
4.Ben’s Nugget
5.Bound to Rise
6.Brave and Bold
7.The Cash Boy
8.Cast Upon the Breakers
9.Chester Rand
10.A Cousin’s Conspiracy
11.Do and Dare
12.Driven from Home
13.The Erie Train Boy
14.The Errand Boy
15.Facing the World
16.Fame and Fortune
17.Five Hundred Dollars
18.Frank and Fearless
19.Frank’s Campaign
20.From Canal Boy to President
21.From Farm to Fortune
22.Hector’s Inheritance
23.Helping Himself
24.Herbert Carter’s Legacy
25.In a New World
26.Jack’s Ward
27.Joe the Hotel Boy
28.Joe’s Luck
29.Luke Walton
30.Making His Way
31.Only an Irish Boy
32.Paul Prescott’s Charge
33.Paul the Peddler
34.Phil, the Fiddler
35.Ragged Dick
36.Randy of the River
37.Risen from the Ranks
38.Rufus and Rose
39.Sam’s Chance
40.Slow and Sure
41.The Store Boy
42.Struggling Upward
43.The Telegraph Boy
44.Timothy Crump’s Ward
45.The Tin Box and What it Contained
46.Tom, the Boot-Black
47.Try and Trust
48.Walter Sherwood’s Probation
49.The Young Acrobat
50.The Young Adventurer
51.The Young Bank Messenger
52.Young Captain Jack
53.The Young Explorer
54.The Young Miner
55.The Young Musician
56.The Young Outlaw
57.Robert Coverdale’s Struggle
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Only Horatio Alger Biography
The book details the life of Horatio Alger the best it can be known.Alger made an effort to see that all his papers and correspondence were destroyed by his sister upon his death.Consequently, little is known about his life.Previous biographies have relied on bogus sources for information.This is the only one that does a thorough independent job of looking at the life and work of Alger. ... Read more

Product Description
Part of a series of rags to riches stories of boys achieving the American dream of wealth through hard work, these works can also be seen as helpful in understanding the development of American cultural and social ideals. ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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"I''ve settled up your father''s estate, Benjamin, said Job Stanton. You''ll find it all figgered out on this piece of paper. There was that two-acre piece up at Rockville brought seventy-five dollars, the medder fetched a hundred and fifty, the two cows--" ... Read more

Product Description
Tom, The Bootblack - or, The Road to Success is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Horatio Alger is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Horatio Alger then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
The best books by Horatio Alger, Jr. in one (With an active table of contents):

Ragged Dick, Street Life In New York With The Boot Blacks,
Do and Dare, A Brave Boy's Fight For Fortune,
Helping Himself,
Struggling Upward, Luke Larson's Luck,
Walter Sherwood's Probation,
Paul Prescott,
Randy of the River, Adventures of a Young Deckhand

... Read more

Product Description
"Ragged Dick is a well-told story of street-life in New York, that will, we should judge, be well received by the boy-readers, for whom it is intended. The Hero is a boot-black, who, by sharpness, industry, and honesty, makes his way in the world, and is, perhaps, somewhat more immaculate in character and manners than could naturally have been expected from his origin and training. We find in this, as in many books for boys, a certain monotony in the inculcation of the principle that honesty is the best policy, a proposition that, as far as mere temporal success is concerned, we believe to be only partially true. However, the book is very readable, and we should consider it a much more valuable addition to the Sunday-school library than the tales of inebriates and treatises on the nature of sin, that so often find place there."--Putnam's Magazine, July, 1868. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book! A Must read for boys
My son, who is only 6 loved hearing me read this book to him at night.Ragged Dick is a classic tale of adversity and accomplishment.All done in the age before video games.

This, and the sequel, are books for the shelf to be pulled and read again at various ages for the boy will understand more and more as he grows. ... Read more

Product Description
The struggle of a boy forced to make a living for himself. Set in New York City when street boys abounded. Shows the benefits of honest moral character, encouraging young people to strive for success without compromising principles. Part of the A Beka Curriculum reading requirements. Originally written in 1893 ... Read more

Product Description
The Horatio Alger myth has worked itself deeply into American culture. Even those who have never read one of his stories and many who could not identify him have come to believe that honest, industrious adolescents can easily rise from poverty to respectability. That conviction has reinforced notions of capitalism and the Protestant work ethic. It has also strengthened a sense of naive optimism that in America things will always get better.

The two stories here, one of which violates convention by featuring a heroine rather than a hero, invite a close examination of how Alger's fictional protagonists win out. Readers will discover that the often used phrase rags-to-riches does not describe the career of the typical Alger hero, whose progress is rather from adversity to a solid and respectable place in society. A critical introduction examines the ratio of reality to sentimentality in Alger's work. And since the author intended the stories to be not time-bound but applicable and determinative in all circumstances, the tales invite speculation as to how relevant they are to the changed economic and social circumstances of later times. ... Read more