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In a New World; or, Among the Goldfields of Australia
In the nineteenth century, two sixteen-year-old American boys try to strike it rich in Australia's gold mining region.
Serialized 1885–6; published as In a New World, 1893; reissued as Harry Vane, ca. 1910?
Serialized 1885–6; published as In a New World, 1893; reissued as Harry Vane, ca. 1910?
- GenresChildrens
217 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1886
4 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Horatio Alger Jr.
447 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 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 4, 2019
Entirely insane in that pleasing late-career Horatio Alger manner. None of what happens makes sense, and as per usual, the locations in the books beyond New York State have virtually no detail, and are place that exist so that the boys can run into people that they know under unlikely circumstances. Their other purpose is to supply places for those who wish to do the boys wrong to meet and distill plots that are always overturned by unlikely circumstances. You just have to embrace this, In a New World is another of those Alger stories where the boys live in a world largely populated by revenge obsessed crooks bent to self destruction with a drive to take whatever small goods the hero may have. These are the same crooks who, once disarmed demand their weapons back, as is only right. In this weird tale all is made well, as could be predicted, by a chance discovery of a monster nugget of gold that frees him and his friends of any worries. Also, as usual, the hero rescues a benefactor who puts him on the path to respectability that he can strut before his earlier detractors. Harry's appearance in the last chapter is in fact a lingering sauntering
SUCK IT HATERS!!!!
to his greedy would-be guardian and family that also marks the welcome death (!!!!) of his friend's drunken step father.
This is the second in a two book series, the first novel being equally insane; kind of resembling a traditional Alger story at the onset, but then turning into a shipwreck tale where only our hero, his magician employer, a ships boy that he befriended, and a Park Avenue clothes horse survive.
I cannot recommend them enough. It boggles the mind that the heroes of these stories were ever considered suitable role models, as they were for generations of American boys.
This is the second in a two book series, the first novel being equally insane; kind of resembling a traditional Alger story at the onset, but then turning into a shipwreck tale where only our hero, his magician employer, a ships boy that he befriended, and a Park Avenue clothes horse survive.
I cannot recommend them enough. It boggles the mind that the heroes of these stories were ever considered suitable role models, as they were for generations of American boys.
April 6, 2020
"Fletcher and Linton are too thick together to suit me," answered the Yankee. "Looks as if they was in league together."
"Do you think they have arranged a meeting?"
"That's just what I do think."
"But they have gone in different directions," objected Jack.
"Bless your simple heart, my boy, that's done on purpose," said Obed. "Can't they fetch round together without our knowing it?"
"I didn't think of that," Jack admitted.
"We are almost starved!" said Harry tragically. "Are we not, Jack?"
"I am quite starved," said the young sailor.
"Then I must get you some supper," said the girl in a hospitable tone.
"Thank you," said Harry earnestly. "Will you let me know your name?" he asked.
"My name is Lucy."
"My grandmother's name was Lucy," said Jack.
"Then you may look upon me as your grandmother," said the girl demurely.
A sequel to Facing the World by the same author, In a New World is similar to its predecessor in many ways, though the settings are pretty different. In the first book, model boy Harry Vane meets a cast of caricature-like characters and is subjected to peril as he travels on the Nantucket, a ship bound to Australia. He finds friends and prevails in the end. It's a fun read.
In this book, Harry Vane and his new friend, Jack the sailor boy, set out for an Australian mine in search of fortune. They meet a rough Yankee, who is suspiciously alike to the rough Yankee character from the first book (Stubbs...Why didn't they just use the same character?), and they face perils and fend off bushrangers together. It's a fun read. Though the best thing about these books by far is that they're free to read on Gutenberg.
"Do you think they have arranged a meeting?"
"That's just what I do think."
"But they have gone in different directions," objected Jack.
"Bless your simple heart, my boy, that's done on purpose," said Obed. "Can't they fetch round together without our knowing it?"
"I didn't think of that," Jack admitted.
"We are almost starved!" said Harry tragically. "Are we not, Jack?"
"I am quite starved," said the young sailor.
"Then I must get you some supper," said the girl in a hospitable tone.
"Thank you," said Harry earnestly. "Will you let me know your name?" he asked.
"My name is Lucy."
"My grandmother's name was Lucy," said Jack.
"Then you may look upon me as your grandmother," said the girl demurely.
A sequel to Facing the World by the same author, In a New World is similar to its predecessor in many ways, though the settings are pretty different. In the first book, model boy Harry Vane meets a cast of caricature-like characters and is subjected to peril as he travels on the Nantucket, a ship bound to Australia. He finds friends and prevails in the end. It's a fun read.
In this book, Harry Vane and his new friend, Jack the sailor boy, set out for an Australian mine in search of fortune. They meet a rough Yankee, who is suspiciously alike to the rough Yankee character from the first book (Stubbs...Why didn't they just use the same character?), and they face perils and fend off bushrangers together. It's a fun read. Though the best thing about these books by far is that they're free to read on Gutenberg.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews