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Luck and Pluck #6
Bound to Rise
Part of a series of rags to riches stories of boys achieving the American dream of wealth through hard work, these works can also be seen as helpful in understanding the development of American cultural and social ideals.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1873
About the author
Horatio Alger Jr.
454 books96 followersHoratio Alger, Jr. (January 13, 1832 – July 18, 1899) was a prolific 19th-century American author, most famous for his novels following the adventures of bootblacks, newsboys, peddlers, buskers, and other impoverished children in their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of respectable middle-class security and comfort. His novels about boys who succeed under the tutelage of older mentors were hugely popular in their day.
Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the son of a Unitarian minister, Alger entered Harvard University at the age of sixteen. Following graduation, he briefly worked in education before touring Europe for almost a year. He then entered the Harvard Divinity School, and, in 1864, took a position at a Unitarian church in Brewster, Massachusetts. Two years later, he resigned following allegations he had sexual relations with two teenage boys.[1] He retired from the ministry and moved to New York City where he formed an association with the Newsboys Lodging House and other agencies offering aid to impoverished children. His sympathy for the working boys of the city, coupled with the moral values learned at home, were the basis of his many juvenile rags to riches novels illustrating how down-and-out boys might be able to achieve the American Dream of wealth and success through hard work, courage, determination, and concern for others. This widely held view involves Alger's characters achieving extreme wealth and the subsequent remediation of their "old ghosts." Alger is noted as a significant figure in the history of American cultural and social ideals. He died in 1899.
The first full-length Alger biography was commissioned in 1927 and published in 1928, and along with many others that borrowed from it later proved to be heavily fictionalized parodies perpetuating hoaxes and made up anecdotes that "would resemble the tell-all scandal biographies of the time."[2] Other biographies followed, sometimes citing the 1928 hoax as fact. In the last decades of the twentieth century a few more reliable biographies were published that attempt to correct the errors and fictionalizations of the past.
Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the son of a Unitarian minister, Alger entered Harvard University at the age of sixteen. Following graduation, he briefly worked in education before touring Europe for almost a year. He then entered the Harvard Divinity School, and, in 1864, took a position at a Unitarian church in Brewster, Massachusetts. Two years later, he resigned following allegations he had sexual relations with two teenage boys.[1] He retired from the ministry and moved to New York City where he formed an association with the Newsboys Lodging House and other agencies offering aid to impoverished children. His sympathy for the working boys of the city, coupled with the moral values learned at home, were the basis of his many juvenile rags to riches novels illustrating how down-and-out boys might be able to achieve the American Dream of wealth and success through hard work, courage, determination, and concern for others. This widely held view involves Alger's characters achieving extreme wealth and the subsequent remediation of their "old ghosts." Alger is noted as a significant figure in the history of American cultural and social ideals. He died in 1899.
The first full-length Alger biography was commissioned in 1927 and published in 1928, and along with many others that borrowed from it later proved to be heavily fictionalized parodies perpetuating hoaxes and made up anecdotes that "would resemble the tell-all scandal biographies of the time."[2] Other biographies followed, sometimes citing the 1928 hoax as fact. In the last decades of the twentieth century a few more reliable biographies were published that attempt to correct the errors and fictionalizations of the past.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 11, 2020
Not much to set it apart from other stories of its kind, but I did like the way the hero's parents were attentive and involved, rather than uncaring or absent. There were a few twists I didn't see coming, and I found myself really invested in wondering how our young hero was finally going to earn the money he needed to pay off his father's loan. Of course, the bad guys were as thoroughly bad as the hero was thoroughly upstanding, but I liked the lessons about hard work and not sitting around and waiting for something to be handed you.
Content--mentions of theft and lying; one character is billed as a "magician" (illusionist/ventriloquist); some rudeness and insults; mentions of drinking and smoking
Content--mentions of theft and lying; one character is billed as a "magician" (illusionist/ventriloquist); some rudeness and insults; mentions of drinking and smoking
May 14, 2017
Great inspiring book
Hard work, honesty, frugality, continuous learning and improving oneself, taking risk, patience, and perseverance, was, is, and will be always the vital ingredients for enduring success!
Hard work, honesty, frugality, continuous learning and improving oneself, taking risk, patience, and perseverance, was, is, and will be always the vital ingredients for enduring success!
April 25, 2020
I really found myself absorbed while going through this very undifferentiated work which calibre another creature with hard work, honesty,fedility and lot many enthralling qualities which Harry walton
Own,and blossom as young scion do.
One more which caught my eye sight,was there Harry walton parent who were found to be more supportive as parents do requisite.
Humor, agony, sagacity were also it's fine ingridenet which are not ought to be left upon. It's a really outstanding work by author..
Own,and blossom as young scion do.
One more which caught my eye sight,was there Harry walton parent who were found to be more supportive as parents do requisite.
Humor, agony, sagacity were also it's fine ingridenet which are not ought to be left upon. It's a really outstanding work by author..
February 11, 2026
Read the copy from Project Gutenberg but that doesn't have a listing so using this edition.
I got it out of curiosity of Alger's work and, having tried can say it's not for me.
I found it slow and plodding and the dialogue dull. The whole thing read like a court transcript.
YMMV. If you like boy's adventure stories from long ago, give it a shot.
I got it out of curiosity of Alger's work and, having tried can say it's not for me.
I found it slow and plodding and the dialogue dull. The whole thing read like a court transcript.
YMMV. If you like boy's adventure stories from long ago, give it a shot.
December 11, 2013
(Elective reading, satisfies pre-1920 juvenile fiction)
Summary: Benjamin Franklin is an influential figure, even to very young people. Young people like Henry, for example, who wish to help their families make it through rough financial times. This book, a coming-of-age novel to its core, follows Henry on his quest to save his family from a dishonorable man's steep loan to them through hard work and thrift.
Response: Oh my goodness. This was amazing.
I really loved this book. Perhaps I am the kind of woman who simply loves the values taught in juvenile literature from "way back in the day," but this really is quite an amazing book. I was very lucky to get an actual original copy from the BYU library, so nothing was edited or anything like that. I learned a lot as I read (there is vocabulary riddled through it that I didn't quite know! I LOVE learning!), and I took all sorts of notes as I read.
This book is an incredible way to teach amazing lessons that most students do not receive, such as frugality, honesty, the way life is not necessarily fair but is still good, how to recognize good company from bad, and helping those you love in the ways they need. It is an empowering book in all the right ways. Honestly, this book pushes young people to become valuable citizens and upstanding people without pushing it down anyone's throat.
This truly was a joy to read. It was so simple, yet so complex. I loved it.
Summary: Benjamin Franklin is an influential figure, even to very young people. Young people like Henry, for example, who wish to help their families make it through rough financial times. This book, a coming-of-age novel to its core, follows Henry on his quest to save his family from a dishonorable man's steep loan to them through hard work and thrift.
Response: Oh my goodness. This was amazing.
I really loved this book. Perhaps I am the kind of woman who simply loves the values taught in juvenile literature from "way back in the day," but this really is quite an amazing book. I was very lucky to get an actual original copy from the BYU library, so nothing was edited or anything like that. I learned a lot as I read (there is vocabulary riddled through it that I didn't quite know! I LOVE learning!), and I took all sorts of notes as I read.
This book is an incredible way to teach amazing lessons that most students do not receive, such as frugality, honesty, the way life is not necessarily fair but is still good, how to recognize good company from bad, and helping those you love in the ways they need. It is an empowering book in all the right ways. Honestly, this book pushes young people to become valuable citizens and upstanding people without pushing it down anyone's throat.
This truly was a joy to read. It was so simple, yet so complex. I loved it.
January 10, 2016
Read this some time back, now catching up on reviews.
This was a quick read. I expected a non-fiction treatise on the principles of success, but instead it's a fable - a tale of hardwork and enterprise to seek success, and not be seduced by short-term gains and temptations.
It was fun, but the bloody book stops just when he starts work in a publishing house. It would be good, you know, if the book ACTUALLY ENDS PROPERLY.
This was a quick read. I expected a non-fiction treatise on the principles of success, but instead it's a fable - a tale of hardwork and enterprise to seek success, and not be seduced by short-term gains and temptations.
It was fun, but the bloody book stops just when he starts work in a publishing house. It would be good, you know, if the book ACTUALLY ENDS PROPERLY.
June 17, 2010
Bound to Rise is an easy read intended for young boys. It centers around a fourteen-year-old boy named Harry who leaves home in search of work. He is determined to pay a debt his father was forced to incur. By hard work and perserverance as well as his moto "Live and Learn" Harry overcomes challenges to meet his goal and returns victorious.
December 8, 2015
OLD TIME JUVENILE FICTION. This book is an old time novel, I could tell the style was for adolescents and the main character is also an adolescent. Harry is 14 wand he leaves home to search for work. I enjoyed the story because my grandpa did the same thing that Harry did. The title and story suggest it is a coming of age story.
September 14, 2012
This was a free download from Audible.com of a classic written in the 1870's. It took a bit getting used to the cadence and speech patterns from the time period but was interesting. Worth a listen.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews