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The Young Salesman
The Young Salesman is a classic novel written by Horatio Alger Jr. It tells the story of a young man named Harry West who dreams of becoming a successful salesman. Harry is determined to make a name for himself in the business world, and he works hard to achieve his goal.The book follows Harry's journey as he travels from town to town, selling his wares and learning the tricks of the trade. Along the way, he meets a variety of interesting characters, including fellow salesmen, business owners, and potential customers.Despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks, Harry remains focused on his goal and never gives up. He learns to be resourceful, creative, and persistent, and he eventually achieves the success he has been working towards.The Young Salesman is a timeless tale of hard work, determination, and the power of the human spirit. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in business, entrepreneurship, or personal growth.1896. Alger is the original rags-to-riches guy, often credited with inventing the strive-and-succeed spirit that inspired boys to work hard and advance themselves in order to achieve the American Dream. This theme resonates throughout his numerous writings. When Scott Walton�������s father dies, he leaves him with the names of two relatives in America. Penniless, Scott must travel to New York City to meet his uncle, Ezra Little. Mr. Little grudgingly hires Scott, paying him only room and board. While he is staying with his uncle, he meets an older relative of the family, the kind Seth Lawton, who comes to visit. When Mr. Little�������s son, a spoiled young boy, steals his mother's pocketbook and implicates Scott. Anxious to be rid of Scott, Mr. Little fires him and asks him to leave his house. Luckily, Scott is soon able to get a job as a traveling salesman. When Scott is sent to Buffalo on business he is able to buy a bankrupt wholesale firm's goods for his company at a discount. For this, the company gives him a commission and a promotion. Now able to support himself, Scott is even more ecstatic when he learns Lawton�������s secret that cements his future. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
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First published April 1, 2005
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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 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 18, 2019
The Young Salesman is one of many short books from Horatio Alger Jr. My dad makes me read Horatio Alger books but I have began to like these books. I personally like books like this one where it is about young boys during the 1850's - early 1900's as they progress in life even though they have hardships. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
October 20, 2007
Alger wrote over a hundred and thirty of these rags to riches dime novels, which rivalled the works of Mark Twain in popularity. Mostly the plots involve a young man in unfortunate circumstances, who by dint of hard work, honest effort, and the fortuitous aid of male friends, achieves the security and prosperity of what would come to be known as the American Dream.
As an English professor of my aquaintance has recently taught me to look for subtext arising from the writer's own life, it is interesting to note that there are an abundance of older male-younger male relationships in the book, and no romantic sub-plot. In fact the only women we meet are mothers or downtrodden widows. Which is likely significant in that Alger was dismissed from his church for serious and well substantianted charges of molesting several boys, and avoided scandal only by promising never to seek another position in the church.
Given the facts of Alger's involvement with boys and young men through most of his life, the unintentional humour arising from the combination of a reasonably dirty mind and archaic language is delightful. The story itself, while trite by today's standards, is a good starting place to get a feel for the zeitgeist of the late 19th century.
As an English professor of my aquaintance has recently taught me to look for subtext arising from the writer's own life, it is interesting to note that there are an abundance of older male-younger male relationships in the book, and no romantic sub-plot. In fact the only women we meet are mothers or downtrodden widows. Which is likely significant in that Alger was dismissed from his church for serious and well substantianted charges of molesting several boys, and avoided scandal only by promising never to seek another position in the church.
Given the facts of Alger's involvement with boys and young men through most of his life, the unintentional humour arising from the combination of a reasonably dirty mind and archaic language is delightful. The story itself, while trite by today's standards, is a good starting place to get a feel for the zeitgeist of the late 19th century.
January 27, 2021
This is a good book for school. Not only is it challenging, it is exciting and fun. The endings of Horatio Alger's books are always very satisfying. I really recommend schools and parents have there children read this book and the others by Horatio Alger.
January 10, 2011
I picked up this book because one of the major characters shares my first and last name. Beyone this fact, it's only OK.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews