This new publication of Ragged Dick and Risen from the Ranks offers not only an annotated edition of two popular Alger novels, but also presents a detailed study of the author and his American idea of success. Gary Scharnhorst has written widely on Horatio Alger, Jr., and in his introductory essay he lucidly discusses the author's life, his 'fiction formula,' and his literary reputation. Both the casual reader and the historical scholar will appreciate Scharnhorst's appendices, which include primary materials (such as contemporary book reviews) and other significant documents. The works of Horatio Alger, Jr. have been reprinted numerous times by modern publishers, but no edition comes even close to providing the wealth of resources available in Professor Scharnhorst's fine book. - Jack Bales, University of Mary Washington Library
What a nice way to reintroduce readers to the novels of Horatio Alger Jr., who began writing for young people just over 150 years ago. Scharnhorst pairs the author's most famous story of a New York bootblack with another popular story involving a country boy who models his life on Benjamin Franklin and succeeds without going to the city. Scharnhorst's fine introduction examines the similarities, differences, and dissonances between the stories and demonstrates ways in which the meaning of Alger's moral tales morphed in successive generations until the author became 'a victim of mistaken identity.' Supplemental materials acquaint readers with the author's own reflections, views about children and success, and contemporary reception-from ads to reviews to parodies. -Carol Nackenoff, Richter Professor of Political Science, Swarthmore College