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Do and Dare: A Brave Boy's Fight for Fortune
Short The happiest men are those who are usefully employed. Don’t forget that, and never sigh for the opportunity to lead an idle life.
- GenresYoung Adult
182 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 1884
18 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Horatio Alger Jr.
445 books97 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 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 28, 2010
Ah, it is so refreshingly to visit America of times past where everyone was a two-dimensional puppet and spoke in hideously stilted dialogue. Why can't we return to this simpler time where the morals were actually spoken just in case anyone missed them just barely veiled in the action of the novel?
Seriously, I don't know why I keep reading Alger's books. It's some sort of demented fascination. The writing is horrible, though I do understand it was meant for young boys. Still, I'm not sure what it was really supposed to say. Everyone always says Alger's central theme was hard work and prudence inevitably lead to riches, but it seems to me to be more about luck. Sure, it's only the just and upright, but it's still all luck even if they're the only ones who get it (befriending rich man, joining in on just the right mine, saving a rich man's son, etc.). I would suspect the moral more to be the upright will be divinely rewarded even in this life more than hard work leads to success.
In short, mildly entertaining schlock.
Seriously, I don't know why I keep reading Alger's books. It's some sort of demented fascination. The writing is horrible, though I do understand it was meant for young boys. Still, I'm not sure what it was really supposed to say. Everyone always says Alger's central theme was hard work and prudence inevitably lead to riches, but it seems to me to be more about luck. Sure, it's only the just and upright, but it's still all luck even if they're the only ones who get it (befriending rich man, joining in on just the right mine, saving a rich man's son, etc.). I would suspect the moral more to be the upright will be divinely rewarded even in this life more than hard work leads to success.
In short, mildly entertaining schlock.
June 3, 2018
This is a nineteenth century, moralistic juvenile tale with the message that working hard and being honest will lead to bourgeois success. Good and evil are clearly defined and the former always prevails over the latter. At most, the book is light reading and somewhat entertaining.
May 3, 2021
A Horatio Alger “rags to riches” story with a Western twist. A young boy, Herbert Carr, has nothing going for him except his diligence, honesty, and cheerfulness. He and his mother get shafted out of their job at the village post office, but Herbert happens to befriend a young man, George Melville, who needs to hire a companion. George has serious health problems and he needs an able-bodied kid who can help him get places he needs to go. Together they travel west to Colorado, where George buys a cabin in the mountains, hoping the clean air will restore his health. They ward off outlaws and have the kinds of adventures that city-weary boys of the 1880's would have expected in a book about the West. Herbert invests in a gold mine and becomes rich. Of course this is what we expected all along, but it’s still a pretty satisfying outcome.
August 29, 2021
A real "morality" tale. The author keeps himself in the forefront--you can almost envision him sitting down with a young boy and sharing a lesson. Certain events are told to help share the "moral" of the story, rather than being well thought out. For example, our heros are bringing one character (who is definitely a bad man) to the authorities. However, on the trip to the nearest town he was suddenly shot in the temple by an unknown assailant. (It definitely fits the narrative that bad people get their just rewards as a moral, but nothing about the event is explained further than it was here.)
I've always wanted to read a Horatio Alger book, so I'm happy I've checked that off my list...but I have no need (or desire) to read another one.
I've always wanted to read a Horatio Alger book, so I'm happy I've checked that off my list...but I have no need (or desire) to read another one.
May 5, 2020
You know I mearley read one manuscript by 'Horatio alger' henceforth which gave wings to my fancy towards children literature .
In story boy name herbert pace out of family in order to construct his fortune from waynbrooe to Boston , to California where he helped his comrade who was feeble nature . He in every now and then try to coax herbert that if you do posses helth which means wealth, thenceforth you can withstand in circumstances of our life.
Stories line of this very book also have resemblance to other most of his work.
I presume you must at least read this .
In story boy name herbert pace out of family in order to construct his fortune from waynbrooe to Boston , to California where he helped his comrade who was feeble nature . He in every now and then try to coax herbert that if you do posses helth which means wealth, thenceforth you can withstand in circumstances of our life.
Stories line of this very book also have resemblance to other most of his work.
I presume you must at least read this .
December 29, 2018
Everyone should read at least one Horatio Alger story. This was my intro to his writing. I read several others, but I remember neither the titles nor the plots. Here there's no doubt who is good and who is bad. My recall is that the central character was always a boy struggling to pull himself out of poverty. Work hard. Live honestly. Be fair. Success will follow.
My brothers loved these books, and I'm sure they were the ones Alger was targeting, which is the reason for my four-star rating.
And, of course, I recommend reading one of the early editions instead of a modern reprint or an ebook.
My brothers loved these books, and I'm sure they were the ones Alger was targeting, which is the reason for my four-star rating.
And, of course, I recommend reading one of the early editions instead of a modern reprint or an ebook.
October 17, 2012
A quick easy read. Interesting look at the rags to riches story Horatio Alger was known for. It was rather preachy, but then I expected that. Characters were slightly less wooden than I expected, though still inhabiting the realm of the unlikely.
Ah, living in a time when you worked 14 hours a day, six days a week for the princely sum of between $1.50 and $10 a week. And having war widow benefits of $8 a month. Though that $10 a week was city type wages where you'd likely spend the vast majority of it just surviving.
Ah, living in a time when you worked 14 hours a day, six days a week for the princely sum of between $1.50 and $10 a week. And having war widow benefits of $8 a month. Though that $10 a week was city type wages where you'd likely spend the vast majority of it just surviving.
August 21, 2011
Loved this book. Good contrast between good guy (Herbert) and bad guy (Eben). Shows very clearly how bad decisions lead to bad consequences. Also showed how Eben finally realized his errors and appeared to repent at the end of the book. Herbert showed compassion and welcomed him back into the community and his friendship.
March 22, 2011
Herbert Carr is a great role model. He is honest, loyal, and hardworking and gets rewarded for his efforts by a wealthy kind friend who is equally admirable.
August 21, 2011
Adventurous book. I liked it.
August 21, 2011
Adventurous book
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews