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Ragged Dick #2
Fame and Fortune
"Fame and " like its predecessor, "Ragged " was contributed as a serial story to the "Schoolmate," a popular juvenile magazine published in Boston. The generous commendations of the first volume by the Press, and by private correspondents whose position makes their approval of value, have confirmed the author in his purpose to write a series of stories intended to illustrate the life and experiences of the friendless and vagrant children to be found in all our cities, numbering in New York alone over twelve thousand.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1868
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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 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 18, 2016
I read this because I needed a book published in the year 1868 for a challenge task. I had read one other by Alger some time ago, but was not necessarily impressed, and had the same feeling here.
I will say that he gave a concise summary of the previous book in the first chapter. One paragraph details the back story, so even if this second book about Ragged Dick is read on its own, you will learn enough about the boy right away to feel comfortable with the character.
Dick was a shoeshine boy who saved a rich businessman's son from drowning. Because of that, he was given a job (at a ridiculously high wage for the day) and a gold watch and a check for....well, way too much money, in my opinion.
Dick was only sixteen, but had been on his own for years, as many boys of the 1800's were. This and other popular books by Alger would have given these boys something to dream about, I suppose. But I think they also would have been dangerous, since very rarely does life turn out the way Alger portrays it.
I pretty much skimmed my way through this one, but it is mostly dialogue and was quite easy to rush through. And one more challenge task done!
I will say that he gave a concise summary of the previous book in the first chapter. One paragraph details the back story, so even if this second book about Ragged Dick is read on its own, you will learn enough about the boy right away to feel comfortable with the character.
Dick was a shoeshine boy who saved a rich businessman's son from drowning. Because of that, he was given a job (at a ridiculously high wage for the day) and a gold watch and a check for....well, way too much money, in my opinion.
Dick was only sixteen, but had been on his own for years, as many boys of the 1800's were. This and other popular books by Alger would have given these boys something to dream about, I suppose. But I think they also would have been dangerous, since very rarely does life turn out the way Alger portrays it.
I pretty much skimmed my way through this one, but it is mostly dialogue and was quite easy to rush through. And one more challenge task done!
October 11, 2023
2021-12-19 Just finished listening to this (LibriVox recording, not this print edition) for the 2nd time this morning. Loved it. Nice sequel to "Ragged Dick."
The attention to good morals, positive outlook, hard work, persistence, and good humor benefits greatly the main character and those he deals with who are not trying to hurt him. Good lessons for anyone to learn early. The author make no bones about good luck having a very positive effect too, but people can squander good luck. It takes the above qualities to capitalize on good luck to help an even better future along.
This book was totally pooh-pooed by my sociology and other professors in college, so it went on my list "to read" for sure. Took me about 45 years to get to it, but I am very glad I did, to see exactly what bothered those statist/nihilist minded professors.
I highly recommend the book and the Librivox recording was a very good audio edition.
The attention to good morals, positive outlook, hard work, persistence, and good humor benefits greatly the main character and those he deals with who are not trying to hurt him. Good lessons for anyone to learn early. The author make no bones about good luck having a very positive effect too, but people can squander good luck. It takes the above qualities to capitalize on good luck to help an even better future along.
This book was totally pooh-pooed by my sociology and other professors in college, so it went on my list "to read" for sure. Took me about 45 years to get to it, but I am very glad I did, to see exactly what bothered those statist/nihilist minded professors.
I highly recommend the book and the Librivox recording was a very good audio edition.
January 9, 2017
This is the warm-hearted conclusion to the abruptly ending and rather preachingly moral children's tale, Ragged Dick, the story of a New York Boot-black. In this tale Ragged Dick, now Richard Hunter, continues "cultivating himself," again meets with a set of lucky circumstances (with some unlucky ones thrown in there, but nothing too terribly shocking or unresolvable) and, in the end, meets with his Fame and Fortune (as the book's title indicates.) All in all it's a nice little read, easily done and enjoyed for it's simplicity and lack of complexity.
October 11, 2016
OK. Here we go again. I love Ragged Dick. Our hero, now known as Richard Hunter, is moving up the corporate ladder so so speak, but he's not lost his light-hearted mischief. He is just so engaging. Too bad Horatio Alger couldn't write the rest of his characters as engaging as Dick. Of course, we know from Page 1 that Dick, will have some problems that he'll overcome with hard work and good luck. But I don't care and I don't care if people laugh about this. I feel inspired!
January 29, 2012
My sister and I listened to this book, the sequel to Ragged Dick. Horatio Alger Jr. has a fun sense of humor.
Here is the LibriVox catalog page to Fame and Fortune: http://librivox.org/fame-and-fortune-... Read by Alys AtteWater and Barry Eads
Here is the LibriVox catalog page to Fame and Fortune: http://librivox.org/fame-and-fortune-... Read by Alys AtteWater and Barry Eads
March 29, 2012
Not quite as good as Ragged Dick, still an engaging and entertaining story.
May 31, 2019
Another excellent and inspirational book by Horatio Alger. This is the sequel to the even better Ragged Dick. Among his many virtues, Alger shows quite a bit of insight into how business works and how people rise in the world. Namely:
(a) he understands that good decisions often come down to being a good judge of character. This comes up when choosing who to work for, who to befriend, who to hire, etc.
(b) he understands that being a good judge of character often comes down to HAVING a good character. People are often attracted to like minded people, so virtuous people have an easier time picking up virtue in others.
These are lessons I learned from life but I would have benefitted from having learned them even earlier, like in childhood. And I didn’t see any of this mentioned in any reviews of his books that I found.
(a) he understands that good decisions often come down to being a good judge of character. This comes up when choosing who to work for, who to befriend, who to hire, etc.
(b) he understands that being a good judge of character often comes down to HAVING a good character. People are often attracted to like minded people, so virtuous people have an easier time picking up virtue in others.
These are lessons I learned from life but I would have benefitted from having learned them even earlier, like in childhood. And I didn’t see any of this mentioned in any reviews of his books that I found.
April 7, 2021
A pretty good sequel to Ragged Dick. Our hero has saved a hundred dollars working his street job as a boot-black, but Mr. Rockwell (the father of the boy he saved from drowning) has given him a big boost upward by employing him as a messenger boy in his firm for $10 per week. Dick and his pal Henry Fosdick move to better quarters and hire a private tutor to teach them French and mathematics. Great opportunities come Dick’s way, but it’s his preparation and hard work that have made him ready to move ahead when the chances come. And underneath it all, Dick is still the honest, good natured, wisecracking young man that endears him to practically everybody. A great morality tale!
June 26, 2018
A look at olden times that is enjoyable partially because it is so dated. I like the optimism that one can succeed in life through hard work. If only I had read these when I was a boy . . .
November 6, 2019
This book continues the story of Ragged Dick. He and his young friend Henry Fosdick realise they can afford to move to a better place, this time to a boarding house. Fosdick has been given a job in a retail store.
Because Dick risked his life to rescue a lad, now he has been given a job as messenger in a wholesale firm. Dick, now called by his proper name Richard Hunter, is being paid $10 a week, much more than if he had been a regular messenger boy. The clerk, however, takes a great dislike to him. He is always being accusatory and making sly comments which Dick takes in his offhand manner not getting wound up, but often in his replies adroitly turning the sting back onto the clerk. This does not improve the clerk’s opinion of him!
When Dick, is invited to his employer’s home (the parents of the rescued child), and then is gifted a gold watch and chain along with an envelope with a check for $1000, he is amazed! The clerk and others of Dick’s former acquaintances become very jealous when they see the watch. Dick, though, wisely seeks counsel for investing.
He and Fosdick realise it is time to have better education, Fosdick having taught him all he knew. There is a man at the boarding house who they learn is a teacher in a private school. They ask if he would take them on as evening students. And so they embark on more learning, including learning French!
Everything goes well, except for the increased hateful remarks from the clerk at his job. But then comes the day when Dick is accused and taken in by a policeman to the station house. What are his prospects now?
I listened to an audio recording by Librivox. The reader of the first part was the same one who read Ragged Dick, by this time, you get used to the way she does voices. The rest of the story is read by a man. He seems to be able to give a more realistic sound to these happenings with rough boys and the working world in 1800’s New York.
Because Dick risked his life to rescue a lad, now he has been given a job as messenger in a wholesale firm. Dick, now called by his proper name Richard Hunter, is being paid $10 a week, much more than if he had been a regular messenger boy. The clerk, however, takes a great dislike to him. He is always being accusatory and making sly comments which Dick takes in his offhand manner not getting wound up, but often in his replies adroitly turning the sting back onto the clerk. This does not improve the clerk’s opinion of him!
When Dick, is invited to his employer’s home (the parents of the rescued child), and then is gifted a gold watch and chain along with an envelope with a check for $1000, he is amazed! The clerk and others of Dick’s former acquaintances become very jealous when they see the watch. Dick, though, wisely seeks counsel for investing.
He and Fosdick realise it is time to have better education, Fosdick having taught him all he knew. There is a man at the boarding house who they learn is a teacher in a private school. They ask if he would take them on as evening students. And so they embark on more learning, including learning French!
Everything goes well, except for the increased hateful remarks from the clerk at his job. But then comes the day when Dick is accused and taken in by a policeman to the station house. What are his prospects now?
I listened to an audio recording by Librivox. The reader of the first part was the same one who read Ragged Dick, by this time, you get used to the way she does voices. The rest of the story is read by a man. He seems to be able to give a more realistic sound to these happenings with rough boys and the working world in 1800’s New York.
July 26, 2025
I really liked the overall progression from the first book to this sequel edition. I’m gonna start with positives first: Ragged Dick (Richard Hunter) has insane luck and I can see these books are meant to be light hearted in that regard. Like do i really think these things would happen to an everyday person? Not really. I appreciate the motif of becoming respectable and the steps needed to make that happen. Education and manners stay as priorities and now he also works in a decent firm.
I really enjoyed the events of Richard surprising people he met when he was a boot black but now as a respectable gentlemen.
I know these books are meant to be an easy read and they really fulfill the urge to read but not think too hard about reading.
I really enjoyed the events of Richard surprising people he met when he was a boot black but now as a respectable gentlemen.
I know these books are meant to be an easy read and they really fulfill the urge to read but not think too hard about reading.
January 6, 2023
3.5
I didn't enjoy this as much as Ragged Dick or Mark, the Match Boy-too much description of stuffy parties and business deals and what passes for boarding house wittiness, but I'm glad I read it and I'm really excited to reread M,tM now.
I didn't enjoy this as much as Ragged Dick or Mark, the Match Boy-too much description of stuffy parties and business deals and what passes for boarding house wittiness, but I'm glad I read it and I'm really excited to reread M,tM now.
Read
July 31, 2024In this tale Ragged Dick, now Richard Hunter, continues 'cultivating himself,' again meets with a set of lucky circumstances (with some unlucky ones thrown in there, but nothing too terribly shocking or unresolvable) and, in the end, meets with his Fame and Fortune.
October 31, 2025
I found this sequel to Ragged Dick offered without cost online via Project Gutenberg.
I’ve read Ragged Dick (first published in 1868) three times now, but this was my first time reading the sequel.
I enjoyed it.
I’ve read Ragged Dick (first published in 1868) three times now, but this was my first time reading the sequel.
I enjoyed it.
August 14, 2024
Great story
It's good to see or read a story about some poor boy who started with nothing but worked his way up to becoming a respectable and productive member of society. This is should be reading for all small boys who know need to some guidance in life.
It's good to see or read a story about some poor boy who started with nothing but worked his way up to becoming a respectable and productive member of society. This is should be reading for all small boys who know need to some guidance in life.
November 19, 2013
Not as good as Ragged Dick, or Mark the Match-boy. Richard Hunter continues to rise up the ranks, and now has to deal with the machinations of a snobbish family that puts on airs. It's anti-climactic, and not really needed unless you were dying to see what happened to him after Ragged Dick.
February 26, 2012
Dick Hunter's quest for fame and fortune ends as it begins: in a machine-gun burst of bullshit.
I don't think I'll be reading the third part of this series.
I don't think I'll be reading the third part of this series.
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never-read
April 7, 2019Read the first book in the Ragged Dick series, Ragged Dick. 1 Star; therefore will not be continuing with the series.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews