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Peter Rugg: The Missing Man
William Austin (1778-1841) was an American author and lawyer, most notable as the creator of the Peter Rugg stories published in the New England Galaxy in 1824-1827. Austin''s stories, constructed as long letters signed with the name Jonathan Dunwell, presented the Rugg story as a long-standing New England legend, about a strong and obstinate man who got lost in a thunderstorm in 1770 and wandered the roads ever afterwards. The stories were so popular and convincing they were readily accepted as a recounting of actual legend. Austin''s original fiction was forgotten, and Peter Rugg became accepted as a figure of popular New England ghost tales.
Illustrated by Edwin B. Kolsby
Illustrated by Edwin B. Kolsby
- GenresShort StoriesClassics
42 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1924
28 people want to read
About the author
William Austin
4 booksLibrarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
American author and lawyer.
American author and lawyer.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 12, 2019
Read this short story in The Oxford Book Of American Short Stories, second edition. (I love that it's placed immediately after Rip Van Winkle; the effect!)
So this is how denial looks like. Peter can't accept the changes of his time; even when he is right in front of his home in Boston, and his child says so (it's interesting he is accompanied by his ten year old daughter), he denies it and declares he must find the true Boston. (The first part, which is especially good.)
It reads incredibly modern, like a newly-written historical fantasy. Easy to see the similarities with the legend of the flying Dutchman, and sure enough, Peter's Holland root is mentioned in the text.
So this is how denial looks like. Peter can't accept the changes of his time; even when he is right in front of his home in Boston, and his child says so (it's interesting he is accompanied by his ten year old daughter), he denies it and declares he must find the true Boston. (The first part, which is especially good.)
It reads incredibly modern, like a newly-written historical fantasy. Easy to see the similarities with the legend of the flying Dutchman, and sure enough, Peter's Holland root is mentioned in the text.
December 25, 2012
“Your estate, indeed, remains, but no home. You were cut off from the last age, and you can never be fitted to the present. Your home is gone, and you can never have another home in this world.”
-- William Austin, Peter Rugg, The Missing Man
William Austin’s words from the short story Peter Rugg, The Missing Man speaks to so many young men and women who are “cut off from the last age,” who’s past generation failed to pass on the wealth from previous generations, who secrets die with the dead, who’s heritage is but only a mystery. Peter Rugg was a man who every one saw, but no one knew. Like other men and women of more contemporary times who have lost their heritage from the failure of past generation have paid the consequences of not knowing “ thy self.” As a result, present and future generations will continue to fail in their attempt to follow the only golden rule, “always be yourself.”
The self is all but a mystery from the time you are born to the time you die. Then what is the end-state in the pursuit of one’s self? More importantly, what is the self? The argument is never clear. But to define the self is to write the self is an original idea of you. You is simple a pronoun to describe an individual. Better yet, the self is more accurately described as a rugged individualist.
Rugged individualism follows the lines of originality. To become original, one must build a foundation of conformity. Conformity in the sense of originality is the antithesis, but without one the other can not survive. Thus, learning conformity before originality is essential to the creation of the individual and ultimately the existence and pursuit of the self.
The greatest of endeavors is the constant pursuit of one’s self . Looking deep within your own transcendences, is to discover a rugged individualist in a world of conformity. No matter the situation, whether in the harshest of confirmatories like the military--where every person wears, speaks, and acts in uniform--one will find at the very core of humanity within the individual’s soul. The soul consciously speaks to him or her with an guiding light of morality.
Individualism obviously comes in so many forms. As mentioned above, individualism is within every person from birth until death. Death in some form is the ultimate act of individualism became it is the conclusion of an individual’s life. In no other way, in no other time, by no other person will live that way again. In some way, that individual life is really characterized as a Missing Man. In other words, the worlds with miss that person for his originality and dedication to the pursuit of individualism in a world of conformity.
-- William Austin, Peter Rugg, The Missing Man
William Austin’s words from the short story Peter Rugg, The Missing Man speaks to so many young men and women who are “cut off from the last age,” who’s past generation failed to pass on the wealth from previous generations, who secrets die with the dead, who’s heritage is but only a mystery. Peter Rugg was a man who every one saw, but no one knew. Like other men and women of more contemporary times who have lost their heritage from the failure of past generation have paid the consequences of not knowing “ thy self.” As a result, present and future generations will continue to fail in their attempt to follow the only golden rule, “always be yourself.”
The self is all but a mystery from the time you are born to the time you die. Then what is the end-state in the pursuit of one’s self? More importantly, what is the self? The argument is never clear. But to define the self is to write the self is an original idea of you. You is simple a pronoun to describe an individual. Better yet, the self is more accurately described as a rugged individualist.
Rugged individualism follows the lines of originality. To become original, one must build a foundation of conformity. Conformity in the sense of originality is the antithesis, but without one the other can not survive. Thus, learning conformity before originality is essential to the creation of the individual and ultimately the existence and pursuit of the self.
The greatest of endeavors is the constant pursuit of one’s self . Looking deep within your own transcendences, is to discover a rugged individualist in a world of conformity. No matter the situation, whether in the harshest of confirmatories like the military--where every person wears, speaks, and acts in uniform--one will find at the very core of humanity within the individual’s soul. The soul consciously speaks to him or her with an guiding light of morality.
Individualism obviously comes in so many forms. As mentioned above, individualism is within every person from birth until death. Death in some form is the ultimate act of individualism became it is the conclusion of an individual’s life. In no other way, in no other time, by no other person will live that way again. In some way, that individual life is really characterized as a Missing Man. In other words, the worlds with miss that person for his originality and dedication to the pursuit of individualism in a world of conformity.
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May 7, 2023This story is a bit repetitive, slow in the middle, and the style it's written in was not my favorite. I have come to the conclusion lately that what I prize most in books and written stories tends to be a particular set of styles and a certain kind of characterization. This story does not really deliver on either of the fronts that really draw me into a story and make me love it. However, the more I think about this one, the more compelling I find it to be. It shares some big similarities with Rip Van Winkle, which was published around the same time, and I think they both speak to the destabilizing circumstances of the American Revolution. There's some stubbornness or temptation, some magic at play, and then all of the sudden you wake up and find yourself in what is literally a different country only it's also this place you (believe you) know so well. Of the two, I think I prefer Peter Rugg, though I tend to like Irving's prose much better. But I think Austin includes some more intriguing elements in the story and it contains more powerful images. It's also darker and and has a more serious tone. I think the reading experience itself was like a 2, but thinking through it is more like a 4.
I read it aloud to Peter, who fell asleep before I got to the end, but apparently it was making at least somewhat of an impression on him because an hour or so into his nap, he rolled over and mumbled in his sleep, "That's Peter Carpet and Mr. Rugg."
I read it aloud to Peter, who fell asleep before I got to the end, but apparently it was making at least somewhat of an impression on him because an hour or so into his nap, he rolled over and mumbled in his sleep, "That's Peter Carpet and Mr. Rugg."
July 1, 2024
Solid 3.5 but I’m rounding down (there is no logic to this choice). Conceptually it was a really interesting short story, and more so if you sit with it, but it didn’t really hit for me
September 28, 2024
This felt like a vaguely interesting fever dream. I enjoyed the style of writing, the content was not for me.
January 26, 2014
This is actually two stories presented as one. Apparently, the second (and a few other sequels) were written due to popular demand, after the success of the first. You can tell. The first one is truly excellent; the other simply very good, but not quite as inspired. A cursed coachman travels the world with his young daughter, just trying to get home to Boston.
October 23, 2013
Whoa. Kinda scary. Wasn't really expecting it. This is a ghost story.
September 3, 2018
A “gap” read until I decide what book to read next.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews