A great human interest story that teaches what not to do in the stock market and saves you from losing money.

This Dover edition is the only Alger book that is avialable at moderate cost and is unmarred by a sick introduction. Highly recommended for any one over ten including any adults who have not read Alger.

Your great grandfathers read them by the fistful. Even your grandfathers probably read at least a few of them. But the days when Horatio Alger was one of the most widely read authors in America have long since passed. Alger's message--that by dint of hard work, decent morals, good manners and a hefty serving of luck, any American boy can rise from rags to riches--is so clearly anathema to the literati that his dismissal by the critics and the continuing refusal to treat his work as anything other than simple-minded boosterism was virtually foreordained.

However, you would think that Alger's novels would warrant greater scrutiny simply for their obvious cultural impact. It is not an overstatement to say that it is likely that every significant man of business, politics, literature and academia in America in the early decades of this century had read the works of Horatio Alger. How can you hope to understand these men and the America that they forged if you ignore the one author who was most likely a formative influence on them? More than that, it is certainly the case that except for a couple of decades of despair brought on by the Great Depression, it is, has been, and seems sure to remain, the uniquely American idea that anyone can succeed. It is amazing the number of times you will hear folks from foreign countries speak about how this perception of unlimited possibilities is something that you only find in America (Howard Evans on Booknotes one night springs to mind). This after all is why we are the one nation that welcomes immigrants. Other countries assume that immigrants will just get on the dole and stay there; we assume they will not only succeed, but will flourish. Alger is certainly not the originator of these belief, but his millions of books must have contributed something to this entrepreneurial spirit that informs the national soul.

Besides that, they are just fun. There is something refreshing about Alger's straightforward, unmannered writing style. The mere absence of all of the modern stylistic devices that so often make reading modern novels a chore, makes reading the books a pleasure. Besides, who doesn't get a vicarious thrill reading about a good boy making good. And, beneath the outer layers of poverty, Alger's heroes are enormously appealing; here's his description of Richard "Ragged Dick" Hunter:

Dick's appearance as he stood beside the box was rather peculiar. His 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 antiquity.

Washing the face and hands is usually considered proper in commencing the day, but Dick was above such refinement. He had no particular dislike to dirt, and did not think it necessary to remove several dark streaks on his face and hands. But in spite of his dirt and rags there was something about Dick that was attractive. It was easy to see that if he had been clean and well dressed he would have been decidedly good-looking. Some of his companions were sly, and their faces inspired distrust; but Dick had a frank, straight-forward manner that made him a favorite.

There is a reason that the term "Horatio Alger story" lives on in our lexicon. The concept touches something deep within our psyche, confirming something that we desperately want to believe about individuals and about the type of world and society that we live in.

Let the critics ridicule them, but when we stop believing in the power and the truth of the Alger myth, we will cease to be a great nation.

GRADE: B

Horatio Alger made an instant classic when he wrote this book. Fast-moving, you can finish the book in one sitting. These two stories will reach all youth and even adults. Perfect book for those comming of age. A definite 5-star book!

This book was great. it was about a boy who came from the streets of New York City who had to fend for himself. Even though he was very poor and lived on the streets he was very kind and always tried to help people out. this is a excellent book for it reminded me of people who come to New York city not having anything but at the same time possessing everything! he had dreams but thought he would never achive them. Ragged Dick was a powerful and complelling book. I couldn't put it down cause I wanted to read more of the boy's adventures through the streets of NEW York. it has left a warm place in my heart forever!

The beginning is very effective in my opinion because of Alger's use of dialogue. The dialogue in the opening lines has a dramatic effect on character development throughout the entire book. In fact that initial exchange in the beginning reveals itself continually throughout the story. Another technique that this writer skillfully uses is a varying point of view. An example of this is when the rough voice sounded gentler, asking, "Have you got any money to buy your breakfast?" The reply that is given to the voice from both Algers and Dick is,"No, but I'll soon get some." This direct first person attitude becomes something that drives the writing and thus, Dick. But what I find particularly significant abut this exchange is Alger's juxtaposition of this first person text to the insertion of third person fully omniscient text. What follows becomes naturally tangled with the telling of the story, which Algers does with both skillful description and detail alike. As a reader I was grabbed and poised for the adventure that is sure to follow. I was specifically captivated with the narration that enters the story because if its strong voice. If you want to read the book on-line and then buy it from Amazon.com, which I recommend you do, check it out at the University of Virginia Library.

Although many scoff at his work today, Horatio Alger Jr. remains the quintessential boys' author of the 19th century. "Ragged Dick" serves as a model for all his other stories as we follow Dick through his rise from rags to riches (or at least middle class respectability.) Alger's talent as a storyteller can not be denied as the reader is carried along from page to page, eager to find out what will happen to the eponymous hero next.
Why the author of the forward to this volume has chosen to continue to spread the myth of Alger's homosexuality/pedophilia is puzzling. The debunked and almost universally discredited biography by Alfred Mayes first started this canard in the early part of the 20th century and succeeding biographers have parroted Mayes' lies. Mayes himself admitted, in print, that the entire biography was a hoax from start to finish.
Alger should be remembered for his stories which paint a vivid picture of 19th century New York City street life and for the tremendous humanitarian work he performed for homeless children of New York City.

This may be a good book but the foreword is written by a fellow named Trachtenberg who not only claims Mr. Alger was a pedophile [unsubstantiated] but then he challenges the idea of upward mobility. Apparently Mr. Trachenberg achieved his own success through being born with a silver spoon, nepotism, or his ethnic associates. There is only Alger book available at a moderate cost. It is "Struggling Upward," which is one of the best and most famous.

Horatio Alger Jr continues the story of Paul the Peddlar (not reviewed) in this short fictional piece of poor young men struggling to make a living on the rough streets of New York City. Paul, a fifteen year-old boy, has come a long way from his bootblack past and is now the proud owner of a tie store, where he makes $15 a week to support his younger brother and his widowed mother.

Through the course of the story, Paul meets up with Julius, another poor young man who lives with a common criminal. Julius wants to be good and doesn't want to grow up like his benefactor (who takes more than he gives). As it turns out, Julius's guardian wants to rob the plush house that Paul is safe-guarding. Julius struggles with whom his alliances belong to and eventually confides in Paul. This saves Paul and his family from trouble and accredits Julius with being honest.

Most of Alger's books are formulaic and this one is no exception. However, they are always a joy to read, even if they can be a bit corny. The message is the same, though: hard work, honesty, frugalness, and respect will earn one's fortune in life.

I enjoyed reading this book for several reasons, the first being that it was easy reading. I was a junior in college and all the books that I was used to reading were in some sort of foreign language that I could not understand. Ragged Dick was a very simplistic, yet interesting book that I could not put down. The second reason that I enjoyed it was because it talked about real issues during that point in history. Ragged Dick had to struggle in order to get the things that he needed to survive, but in the end it was his manners and his personality that enabled him to prosper as much as he did. I read the book twice and it was still good to me. There are some people that believe that Alger writes about the same things over and over again (depression, poverty) but there are so many other authors that do and still get rave reviews.

i think everyone should read at least one horatio alger book, since he so helped shape american morals at the turn of the last century. his very name is a constant catch-all for the american rags-to-riches machine. i inherited my grandfather's set, and, even though one can call these books formulaic, moralistic rot, they capture a spirit and a time in simplistic, bold language that is readable, entertaining, and a fresh peek at cultural history through a primary source. Add to this that i am a teacher who is having my 8th grade boys read it (yes, in part for a laugh), but they are digging it. More than i could have anticipated. Read one paired with Nathaneal West's "A Cool Million," which parodies alger, for a real bully debate about americanism.

Reviewer: Dan Gross from New Jersey
Reviews on: Ragged Dick and Mark The Match Boy

Ragged Dick is a story about a boy going from "rags to riches". This story focuses on the life of Richard Hunter, a poor bootblack from New York City. It is a classic story about a young boy without parents who works hard and is honest. The honesty and hard work pays off for him when he does deeds for people in high places.

In Ragged Dick Richard Hunter's honesty brings out the best of people. The wealthy people give him extra attention for his deeds and notice his honesty. For example, he receives money for a shoe and cannot get change so within a few days of the business interaction, he goes to the work place of the man and gives him the change. It also represents respect for his elders.

Story number two of the series is Mark The Match Boy. This too has good morals starting from the youth. This story displays the innocence of a boy coming into the real world. Mark is a boy who is deprived of love. He has no living mother and no family. The purity, which he displays to Richard Hunter, is charming. In this story thievery motivates the conflict. The story display Mark as a by who is similar to The Catcher in The Rye as where Holden Caulfield does not let his sister be corrupted by the real world, Richard is doing this to Mark.

These two stories should be read by not only the youth, but by everyone. They focus on universal morals such as honesty and trust. I can say nothing negative about this book because it is well written, to the point, and very appealing. Not only is it motivating, but also it brings out the best in people and it could change your view on the less fortunate population.