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Tattered Tom #1
Tattered Tom: Or, the Story of a Street Arab
A homeless girl lives by her wits on the streets of New York until it is discovered that she’s the long-lost heir to a fortune. In the preface of this book, Alger alerts his readers that Tattered Tom is a girl. She wears a skirt but defends herself admirably against everyone, including her abusive guardian, Margeret.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1871
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About the author
Horatio Alger Jr.
448 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 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 6, 2012
Oh, this is my favorite of all of Horatio Alger's rags-to-riches tales. Like all the stories in the Tattered Tom and Ragged Dick series of novellas, it has a wonderful story and a great ending. But this one has such an marvelous and unexpected twist, I didn't see it coming. I lost track of my copy of this one book, and I've looked for it over the years. Not an easy one to track down at an affordable price.
July 23, 2009
Not only is this a fine piece of literature, but the illustrations are well worth the price of admission. One particular diecut, entitled "Chloroforming Young Paul," is my favorite piece of art, ever.
September 23, 2022
Truyện này kể về cô bé Tom giẻ rách, là con gái nhưng vì sống lang bạt trên đường phố để kiếm tiền cung phụng cho 1 bà già nghiện rượu nghiện thuốc, nên luôn mong mình là con trai cho mạnh mẽ, có thể đánh nhau. Cô bé sống cù bất cù bơ, không được giáo dục, còn bị bà đánh đập đối xử tệ bạc, nhưng vẫn giữ nguyên tính cách thẳng thắn, gan dạ, dứt khoát, thông minh, nhanh nhẹn. Cô được gặp người thuyền trưởng tàu viễn dương rất tốt bụng và thương cảm cô bé. Ông nhờ em gái chăm sóc cô bé, chi trả mọi phí tổn. Sau 1 quãng thời gian, cô bé lại bỏ nhà ra đi vì bị vu oan. Trải qua một vài ngày sau, số phận twist theo hướng thật vi diệu, cô bé tìm gặp được mẹ ruột. Cô bị bắt cóc và bà mẹ mới phát hiện ra người chủ mưu nên nhờ luật sư đi kiếm tìm. Happy ending, tuy nhiên cái kết nhanh quá khiến người đọc hơi hụt hẫng.
Phần đầu truyện mình thấy hấp dẫn tầm 4.5*. Do đoạn kết như tóm tắt mà giảm xuống 4*.
Phần đầu truyện mình thấy hấp dẫn tầm 4.5*. Do đoạn kết như tóm tắt mà giảm xuống 4*.
September 12, 2021
Nice and interesting story by Horatio Alger.
I've read He wrote such stories to attract attentions of wealthy people to ragged children, to come up with their problems.I hope he could made it whenever.
It was heart breaking but at the same time gave motivation to people specially to children.
Tommy, although she was a girl but everybody called her Tommy. Her courage, confidence, always relying only on her skills amazed me.
Whith this skills she could move on positively.🙏
I've read He wrote such stories to attract attentions of wealthy people to ragged children, to come up with their problems.I hope he could made it whenever.
It was heart breaking but at the same time gave motivation to people specially to children.
Tommy, although she was a girl but everybody called her Tommy. Her courage, confidence, always relying only on her skills amazed me.
Whith this skills she could move on positively.🙏
January 1, 2022
Ngày đầu tiên của năm mới, chọn Tom Giẻ Rách và đọc một lèo từ đầu tới cuối. Tom hay cô bé Jenny có tố chất khiến tôi ngưỡng mộ. Hài hước, gây cấn, cảm động. Nhưng có lẽ tác giả bỏ ngỏ nội tâm và tình cảm của vị thuyền trường và Tom khi gặp lại nhau sau 15 tháng làm tôi hụt hẫng. Tôi đã hy vọng nhiều hơn thế, vị thuyền trưởng đáng được nhắc đến và kể đến nhiều hơn ở cuối cuốn sách này. Trân Trọng tình cảm của ông!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2023
This is one of the few Horatio Alger novels that isn’t included in the 70-volume megapack. I had to pay 99 cents for the Kindle version on Amazon, but it was well worth it. In spite of the title, it’s about a young girl of the streets. When we first meet her, she’s sweeping sidewalks and basically begging. Like all the Alger heroes, however, she makes her way up in the world, and it’s fun to follow her adventures.
August 9, 2023
This book is awesome!! The character development is good, it is sooo gripping! I read it in 1 day, and for the next rereads I read it in 2 days, max. It’s so addictive!
October 25, 2024
The Germans have a proverb: “Kleidung machen Leute,” which roughly translates as “Clothes make the man.” “Tattered Tom; or, The Story of a Street Arab,” an airy novelette, attempts to prove the truth of that statement. Tom is a feisty, street-smart urchin, clothed in rags and making a sketchy living as a crossing’s sweeper … He begs pennies, and lives with his drunken “granny” … But Tom has a secret: despite appearances, he is really a girl … Oh … Oh … I just love simple-minded goodness … Written in 1871, just a year after the death of Charles Dickens, this book has a great deal in common with “Oliver Twist” …
by
Charles Dickens
by
Charles DickensDisplaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews