Other editions of book Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger

Ragged Dick is the story of a young bootblack living and working in the streets of a post-Civil War New York City. It follows his rise from a street kid to the respectable middle class. The original publication, released as a six volume series, came to depict a time of post-war struggle through the eyes of its young victims, vagabond children. Originally written as young-adult moral tales using the classic rags-to-riches theme, Ragged Dick is also Algers' timeless snapshot into an all but forgotten period in American history, and the ever relevant struggle for economic and social status. Horatio Alger was born on January 13, 1834 in Chelsea, Massachusettes. Alger began writing in earnest and being a published author at the age of 17. After graduating from Harvard, Alger obtained a position in ministry in a Unitarian Church, but was dismissed on scandalous and incriminating charges. Around 1866, Alger moved to New York, a time that marked the beginning of a very successful writing career. Around this time, the Ragged Dick series was being published as a serial, and in 1868 it was published as a complete novel. In New York City, Alger took a special and personal interest in the street children and became a frequent visitor to their popular haunts. Perhaps this is what gave him a clear insight into their trials and tribulations and aided in creating the simple yet timeless story of Ragged Dick. Eventually, Alger took two street children into his home and informally adopted them.

“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. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

“Ragged Dick” was contributed as a serial story to the pages of the Schoolmate, a well-known juvenile magazine, during the year 1867. While in course of publication, it was received with so many evidences of favor that it has been rewritten and considerably enlarged, and is now presented to the public as the first volume of a series intended to illustrate the life and experiences of the friendless and vagrant children who are now numbered by thousands in New York and other cities. Several characters in the story are sketched from life. The necessary information has been gathered mainly from personal observation and conversations with the boys themselves. The author is indebted also to the excellent Superintendent of the Newsboys’Lodging House, in Fulton Street, for some facts of which he has been able to make use. Some anachronisms may be noted. Wherever they occur, they have been admitted, as aiding in the development of the story, and will probably be considered as of little importance in an unpretending volume, which does not aspire to strict historical accuracy. The author hopes that, while the volumes in this series may prove interesting stories, they may also have the effect of enlisting the sympathies of his readers in behalf of the unfortunate children whose life is described, and of leading them to co-operate with the praiseworthy efforts now making by the Children’s Aid Society and other organizations to ameliorate their condition.

Fourteen-year-old Dick Hunter lives on the streets of New York in the 1860s. His parents are dead, and he has been on his own since the age of seven. He shines shoes to earn a living. He sleeps in boxes. He jokes about having a mansion on Fifth Avenue and about owning shares of Erie Railroad stock. But he cannot imagine ever being more than a bootblack who spends every cent he earns and lives hand-to-mouth--until by chance he meets Frank Whitney. Ragged Dick; or, Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks is arguably the best known of Horatio Alger’s American rags-to-riches stories. Published in 1867, it promotes the values of hard work, thrift, honesty, integrity, and bravery. Alger paints 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. As a veritable "diamond in the rough," Ragged Dick is as innately virtuous as he is streetwise and cocky—and his story still makes a great read.

Ragged Dick, by Alger Jr., Horatio - Akasha Classics, AkashaPublishing.Com - Join Horatio Alger for one of his original 'rags-to-riches' stories which have been captivating readers since they first appeared in print. Ragged Dick is a street urchin in lower Manhattan, shining shoes for a living. He hasn't had many breaks in his young life, but he is determined not to let that stand in his way. His street smarts, decency, and drive serve him through a series of adventures - defeating con artists, standing up to bullies, coming to the aid of others in need - which enable him to better himself. Will he achieve his dream of becoming a gentleman? Fun for children and adults alike, Ragged Dick is an adventure story with heart.

“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.

"A fourteen year old homeless boy, Dick, tries to make an honest living in the streets of 1860s New York as a bootblack. He is determined to stay honorable, though he is tempted many times to easy pickings and a life of crime. When a regular customer is impressed by Dick's integrity and invites him to his mansion, this marks a turning point in the life of the young street-smart teenager.Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger Jr was first published in 1868. It represents a typical coming of age story in which a child attains the maturity of adulthood through circumstances in which important choices are made. It was the first in a six-series set written by the prolific American writer, best known for his stories of young boys who overcome poverty and social disadvantages to become assimilated in the great American middle class. Many of Alger's stories follow a well-known theme and formula but were extremely well-received and popular among readers of a previous generation. Ragged Dick was an instant best-seller and achieved huge attention from old and young readers and critics alike. Alger went on to write more than a hundred novels, though his later works were more sensational and characterized by violence and murder, and not found very suitable for young readers.Horatio Alger was dismissed from service as a Unitarian minister under suspicious circumstances, though nothing was proven against him. He began working as a volunteer in New York's slum areas, helping to provide assistance to young homeless people. Around this time, he started writing articles in journals and finally moved into novel writing. Ragged Dick first appeared in the journal Student and Schoolmate, a magazine for young boys and girls, as a 12-part serial and copies of the magazine sold out almost instantly. It caught the American imagination and skilfully portrayed the hard, coarse, brutal and unforgiving life of the New York slum as no other book had before. Genteel, educated readers had perhaps never encountered the situations depicted in Ragged Dick. This novelty was probably what accounted for the book's success. It was later adapted to stage and as a musical opera called Shine!Besides novels, Alger wrote poetry, essays and articles for various magazines. His work in rehabilitation and assistance to the underprivileged kids of New York is well-known. He left several unfinished books which were completed according to his last will and testament by Edward Stratemeyer, the creator of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series.An interesting read for young and old alike!"

Fourteen-year-old Dick Hunter lives on the streets of New York in the 1860s. His parents are dead, and he has been on his own since the age of seven. He shines shoes to earn a living. He sleeps in boxes. He jokes about having a mansion on Fifth Avenue and about owning shares of Erie Railroad stock. But he cannot imagine ever being more than a bootblack who spends every cent he earns and lives hand-to-mouth—until by chance he meets Frank Whitney.Note: This Townsend Library classic has been carefully edited to be more accessible to today's students. It includes a brief author's biography and an afterword that provides important context about the work.

This is a simplified version of Horatio Alger's novel of a kind, energetic orphan who shines shoes and lives on the street in 1868 New York. Dick faces all kinds of situations and adversity but is always ahead of the game and the con artists. After spending a day with a boy from out of town, he rethinks his life and decides to get an education, to quit the gambling houses and to move up in society. He lives in a tough city, but always manages to stay afloat. The story is a great look at American history as it really was.