2. Horatio ALGER Ragged Dick Horatio ALGER (1834–99), American writer of boys' stories, born in Mass. Wrote over 100 books for boys, the first, Ragged Dick was published in 1867. By leading exemplary lives, struggling valiantly against poverty and adversity, Alger's heroes gain wealth and honor. His works were all extremely popular.

3. Family Life  Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts  Birthday: January 13, 1832  Son of Horatio Alger Sr. and Olive Augusta Fenno.  Father Horatio was a Unitarian Minister and farmer

4. Education  Home-schooled by his father until age of 10 due to near- sightedness and asthma.  At age 10 was accepted to Gates Academy in Marlborough, Massachusetts where studied until age of 16.  At 16 accepted to Harvard College.  Attended Harvard Divinity School.

5. Jobs held  Author : most famous for being an author; wrote over one hundred books for boys.  Journalist : contributed to small New England weeklies such as American  Union and Yankee Blade.  Teacher : did not enjoy; ill-suited.

6. LLeft the ministry and moved to New York City to pursue a career in juvenile fiction writing. CCreated his best work-Ragged Dick. NNoted for its “rags to riches” story. FFirst appeared in Student and Schoolmate. LLed to contract with publisher A.K. Loring which resulted in 118 other novels based on the same plot.

7.  3 recurrent elements to his novels:  (1) Heroic element : usually a poor boy betters himself through hard work and succeeds.  (2) Chance : many characters find luck in some form.  (3) Nature of Chance : almost always deals with a wealthy man giving to a poorer boy.

8.  Ragged Dick: or Street Life in New York  The Cash Boy  Joe the Hotel Boy, Or Winning Out by Pluck  Paul Prescott's Charge: A Story for Boys  The Errand Boy: or, How Phil Brent Won Success  A Fancy of Hers  Driven from Home  Bound to Rise  Paul the Peddler: or the Fortunes of a Young Street Merchant  Facing the World  Strive and Succeed  ….and many, many more