Ragged Dick and Risen from the Ranks

In Ragged Dick, Horatio Algers most successful book, Alger codified the basic formula he would follow in nearly a hundred subsequent novels for boys: a young hero, inexperienced in the temptations of the city but morally armed to resist them, is unexpectedly forced to earn a livelihood. The heros exemplary struggle to retain his virtue, to clear his name of accusations, and to gain economic independence was the basis of the Alger plot. Hugely popular at the turn of the twentieth century, Algers works have at different times been framed as a model for the American dream and as dangerously exciting sensationalism for young readers; Gary Scharnhorsts new introduction separates the myth of Alger as success ideologue from the more complex messages conveyed in his work.

Ragged Dick is paired in this edition with Risen from the Ranks, another coming-of-age story of a young man achieving respectability. Historical appendices include extensive contemporary reviews, material on the success myth associated with Alger, and parodies of Algers work. See more