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Driven from Home, or Carl Crawford's Experience 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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One Saturday afternoon in January a lively and animated group of boys were gathered on the western side of a large pond in the village of Groveton ... Read more

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1903. Alger is the original rags-to-riches guy, often credited with inventing the strive-and-succeed spirit that inspired boys to work hard and advance themselves in order to achieve the American Dream. This theme resonates throughout his numerous writings. In this book Alger tells the tale of Bernard Brooks, a fifteen year old orphan, who is sent to Ezekiel Snowdon's rural boarding school by his New York guardian, Cornelius McCracken, who has secretly appropriated money from the young man. To escape being beaten Bernard runs away from the school. After leaving the school he meets many characters along his travels who he helps with their troubles. Bernard attempts a reconciliation with his guardian, but is rebuffed. Now he must overcome the obstacles thrown in his path by his guardian and others to reclaim what is rightly his. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing. ... Read more

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This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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It was a small apartment with a few plain tables unprovided with cloths, for the class of customers who patronized it were not very particular. Our hero's breakfast was soon before him. Neither the coffee nor the steak were as good as can be bought at Delmonico's; but then it is very doubtful whether, in the present state of his wardrobe, Dick would have been received at that aristocratic restaurant. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Child's Book?
This is a realistic book about a young boy doing "good" and in turn he has many lucky breaks. It is supposed to be a child's book, but I don't know how many children would voluntarily read this. I read it for my Children's Literature class and I loved it! It deals with a less severe form of didactism, which is a nice change. It is a fast read also.

Timeless lessons
This book is a book about timeless virtues and friendship.It is book about rising to find one's place in society.With newer books today attempting to push political special interests, this is a personal message.The story shows how one can rise with a simple positive character and persistence.These stories should be brought to the forefront in today's education.A simple warm and inspirational story for young and old alike.I wish I had the power and will to bring these to all middle schools and other young people.

Rags To Riches: The Classic Horatio Alger Myth
Published in 1867, RAGGED DICK was both Horatio Alger Jr.'s first and most popular work.Like all Alger's novels, it is extremely diadactic and exists to promote specific values: hard work, thrift, honesty, integrity, and bravery.Given this, one would expect it to be a dry read, but Alger takes pains to paint his story in bright colors: the novel swirls with shops, crowds, and a range of characters, and while it could not be called exciting in any modern sense it nonetheless remains unexpectedly readable to this day.

The title character is Richard Hunter, better known as Ragged Dick, an orphan living on the streets of New York and scraping a living as a shoe shine boy.Although he is quick witted and has a basic morality, he lacks direction--but when he is employed to act as a guide to the city to Frank Whitney, a boy of his own age, he is impressed with Frank's manners and education and determines to better himself.Dick later meets Henry Fosdick, an educated youth who has fallen on hard times through no fault of his own, and Fosdick agrees to tutor Dick.They take a room together and, with the aid of kindly Mr. Greyson and a sudden twist of fate, are soon on the road to financial security and social respectability.

Throughout Alger's career critics frequently complained that the ultimate success of his heroes actually depended more on pure luck than upon any of the values Alger so carefully preached.This is certainly true of RAGGED DICK; although he faces considerable adversity, at his worst moments he is always fortunate enough to find a sympathetic older man who is willing to reward him--and some times spectacularly so.This may arise from the fact that Alger himself tended to be fortunate in precisely this way throughout his life, and when success came to him, he made an effort to help boys in exactly the way that his many novels describe.

This may not have been entirely altruistic.While his defenders dismiss it as so much gossip, various records pertaining to Alger's brief work as a Unitarian minister indicate that he was removed from the ministry due to questionable relationships with teenage boys, and other documents include comments by Alger which seem to support this.Interestingly, however, once fame placed him in the public eye no further scandal arose, and it may be that he was able to subliminate his sexual interests into artistic ones.Still, it would be very easy to turn a Freudian eye upon his novels, which inevitably involve a young boy being rewarded in some form or fashion by an older man.

Whatever the case, RAGGED DICK--and indeed all the Alger novels--are perfectly harmless so far as young readers are concerned, and the quality of writing is very good indeed.Teenagers brought up on what passes for youth-fiction these days will likely to find it tough going, but most adult readers will find it a mildly amusing return to innocence.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Appealing!
Great writing and an excellent read.Truly a delight.I highly recommend it.

Ragged Dick
i have read Ragged Dick in paperback recently and found it to be a very well written book that is fast paced and easy to relate to as wellas understand.i highly recommend Ragged Dick;to all school children,as well as adults. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction / General; Fiction / General; Fiction / Literary; Juvenile Fiction / General; Juvenile Fiction / Family / General; Juvenile Fiction / Law ... Read more