List of works by Horatio Alger Jr.
Horatio Alger Jr. published about 100 poems and odes, most written by 1875. In 1853–54, he published short stories with Gleason's Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion and The Flag of Our Nation. Other Gleason publications printed about 100 stories before he began writing for The Student and Schoolmate.[1]
Alger had many publishers over the decades. His first was A. K. Loring of Boston, and when Loring declared bankruptcy in 1881, Porter & Coates became his second and Henry T. Coates and Company his third. Other publishers include G. W. Carleton, J. S. Oglivie, John Anderson who published the biographies, A. L. Burt, Frank Munsey, Penn Publishing, and Street & Smith. M. A. Donahue and the New York Book Company published inexpensive paperback reprints by the thousands. It is believed there were at least 60 publishers releasing Alger.[2]
| Title | Date | Genre | Publication | Synopsis/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Voices of the Past" | 1849 | Poem. | Published in the Boston monthly magazine Pictorial National Library. | |
| Fair Harvard | 1852 | Poem. | ||
| "A Welcome to May" | 1853 | Poem. | ||
| Bertha's Christmas Vision: An Autumn Sheaf | 1856 | Poems and short stories. | Published by Brown, Bazin and Company of Boston. | Alger's first book. |
| Nothing to Do: A Tilt at Our Best Society | 1857 | Poem. | Published anonymously by James French & Company. | Satire about the idle upper classes. |
| Nothing To Eat | 1857 | |||
| He Has Gone, and I Have Sent Him! | 1862 | Poem. | Published in Harper's Weekly Nov. 1862 | Civil War poem. |
| Marie Bertrand | 1864 | Adult Novel. | Serialized by Street & Smith in the New York Weekly. | A kidnapped young woman is reunited with her mother, a French countess. |
| Frank's Campaign; or, What Boys Can Do on the Farm for the Camp | 1864 | Juvenile Novel. | Published by A. K. Loring. | First volume of the Campaign Series. Frank Frost manages the family farm when his father goes to war. Alger's first boys' book. Online at Gutenberg |
| Paul Prescott's Charge: A Story for Boys | 1865 | Juvenile Novel. | Published by Loring. | Second volume of the Campaign Series. A youth pays off his deceased father's debts. Online at Gutenberg |
| Charlie Codman's Cruise: A Story for Boys | 1866 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Third and final volume of the Campaign Series. A youth is shanghaied but restored to his home after adventures at sea. Online at Gutenberg |
| Helen Ford | 1866 | Adult novel. | Published by Loring. | The tribulations of a young woman in NYC before she falls in love with a promising artist. |
| Timothy Crump's Ward; or, The New Years Loan, And What Became of It | 1866 | Adult novel. | Published anonymously by Loring. | Later reworked as Sam's Ward for the juvenile market. |
| John Maynard: A Ballad of Lake Erie | 1868 | Poem. | Published in Student and Schoolmate in January 1868 and then in various publications. | A helmsman perishes at the wheel while the ship burns. Based on an actual incident. |
| Ragged Dick; or, Street Life in New York with the Bootblacks | 1868 | Juvenile novel. | First serialized in twelve installments in Student and Schoolmate in 1867. Published by Loring in book format in 1868. | First volume of the Ragged Dick Series. A New York City bootblack rises to middle class respectability through hard work, honesty, and determination. Alger's all-time bestseller. Online at Gutenberg |
| Fame and Fortune; or, The Progress of Richard Hunter | 1868 | Juvenile novel. | First serialized in twelve installments in Student and Schoolmate. Novelization published by Loring. | Second volume of the Ragged Dick Series. Continues the story of Ragged Dick and his experiences after leaving bootblacking for an office job. Online at Gutenberg. |
| Luck and Pluck; or, John Oakley's Inheritance | 1869 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | First volume in the Luck and Pluck Series. |
| Mark the Match Boy; or, Richard Hunter's Ward | 1869 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Third volume in the Ragged Dick Series. |
| Rough and Ready; or, Life Among the New York Newsboys | 1869 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Fourth volume in the Ragged Dick Series. |
| Ralph Raymond's Heir; or, The Merchant's Crime | 1869 | Short story. | Published under the pseudonym "Arthur Hamilton" for Gleason's Literary Companion. | |
| Ben The Luggage Boy; or, Among the Wharves | 1870 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Fifth volume in the Ragged Dick Series. Boy runs away from home and struggles as a luggage carrier in New York. Online at Gutenberg. |
| Rufus and Rose; or, The Fortunes of Rough and Ready | 1870 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Sixth and final volume in the Ragged Dick Series. Sequel to Rough and Ready. Rufus and Rose try to avoid their evil stepfather. Online at Gutenberg |
| Sink or Swim; or, Harry Raymond's Resolve | 1870 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Second volume in the Luck and Pluck Series. |
| Paul the Peddler; or the Fortunes of a Young Street Merchant | 1871 | Juvenile novel. | Serialized in Student and Schoolmate. Novelization published by Loring. | Second volume in the Tattered Tom Series. Young entrepreneur goes from selling candy to owning a necktie stand. Online at Gutenberg |
| Strong and Steady; or, Paddle Your Own Canoe | 1871 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Third volume in the Luck and Pluck Series. Online at Gutenberg |
| Tattered Tom; or, The Story of a Street Arab | 1871 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | First volume in the Tattered Tom Series. Jane Lindsay is a child streetsweeper. Online at Gutenberg |
| "Friar Anselmo" | 1872 | Poem. | A sinning cleric finds redemption in ministering to the sick. | |
| Phil the Fiddler; or, The Story of a Young Street Musician | 1872 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Third volume in the Tattered Tom Series. Phil is an Italian boy enslaved by a padrone. |
| Slow and Sure; The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-Merchant | 1872 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Fourth volume in the Tattered Tom Series. Sequel to Paul the Peddler. Paul moves from his street stall to a retail store. Online at Gutenberg |
| Strive and Succeed; or, The Progress of Walter Conrad | 1872 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Fourth volume in the Luck and Pluck Series. Online at University of Florida |
| Bound to Rise; or, Harry Walton's Motto | 1873 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Sixth volume in the Luck and Pluck Series. |
| Try and Trust; or, The Story of a Bound Boy | 1873 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Fifth volume in the Luck and Pluck Series. |
| Brave and Bold; or, The Fortunes of Robert Rushton | 1874 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | First in the Brave and Bold Series. A youth searches for his sea captain father. |
| Julius; or, The Street Boy Out West | 1874 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Fifth volume in the Tattered Tom Series. A boy is resettled in the west through the agency of the Children's Aid Society. |
| Risen from the Ranks; or, Harry Walton's Success | 1874 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Seventh volume in the Luck and Pluck Series. |
| Grand'ther Baldwin's Thanksgiving | 1875 | Poems. | ||
| Herbert Carter's Legacy; or, The Inventor's Son | 1875 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Eighth and last volume in the Luck and Pluck Series. A boy and his mother thwart a Squire foreclosing on their cottage. |
| Jack's Ward; or, The Boy Guardian | 1875 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Second volume in the Brave and Bold Series. Reworking of Timothy Crump's Ward. |
| Seeking His Fortune, And Other Dialogues | 1875 | |||
| "On His Own" | 1893 | |||
| St. Nicholas | 1875 | |||
| The Young Outlaw; or, Adrift In The Streets | 1875 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Sixth volume in the Tattered Tom Series. Sam Barlow resists reform. |
| Sam's Chance; and How He Improved It | 1876 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Seventh volume in the Tattered Tom Series. Sequel to The Young Outlaw. Sam improves and finds an office job. |
| Shifting for Himself; or, Gilbert Greyson's Fortunes | 1876 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Third volume in the Brave and Bold Series. A rich youth loses his fortune. |
| Life of Edwin Forrest | 1877 | Biography | ||
| The New Schoolma'am; or, A Summer in North Sparta | 1877 | Adult novella. | Published anonymously. | A privileged young woman changes her name to teach school in New Hampshire. |
| Wait and Hope; or, Ben Bradford's Motto | 1877 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Fourth and last volume in the Brave and Bold Series. A mill boy is laid off but remains optimistic about his future. |
| The Western Boy; or, The Road to Success | 1878 | |||
| The Young Adventurer; or, Tom's Trip Across the Plains | 1878 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | First volume of the Pacific series. Western setting. A boy head west to find gold and help pay the mortgage. |
| The Telegraph Boy | 1879 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Eighth and last volume in the Tattered Tom Series. A penniless boy finds a job as a telegram messenger boy. Last of the fourteen social reform novels begun with Ragged Dick. Online at University of Florida |
| The Young Miner; or, Tom Nelson in California | 1879 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Western theme. Second volume of the Pacific series. |
| Tony the Hero | 1880 | |||
| The Young Explorer; or, Among the Sierras | 1880 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Western theme. Third volume in the Pacific series |
| From Canal Boy to President; or, The Boyhood and Manhood of James A. Garfield | 1881 | Biography | Published by John R. Anderson | |
| Ben's Nugget; or, A Boy's Search for Fortune | 1882 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Porter & Coates after Loring declares bankruptcy. | Western theme. Fourth and final volume in the Pacific series. |
| From Farm Boy to Senator: Being the History of the Boyhood and Manhood of Daniel Webster | 1882 | Biography | Published by J. S. Ogilvie and Company. | Originally published in serialization by Street & Smith, 1860s. |
| Abraham Lincoln: the Backwoods Boy; or, How A Young Rail-Splitter Became President | 1883 | Biography | Published by John R. Anderson. | |
| The Train Boy | 1883 | |||
| The Young Circus Rider; or, The Mystery of Robert Rudd | 1883 | |||
| Dan, the Detective | 1884 | |||
| Do and Dare; or A Brave Boy's Fight for Fortune | 1884 | |||
| Hector's Inheritance; or, The Boys of Smith Institute | 1885 | |||
| Helping Himself; or, Grant Thornton's Ambition | 1886 | Online at UFL | ||
| Frank Fowler, the Cash Boy | 1887 | |||
| Number 91; or, The Adventures of a New York Telegraph Boy | 1887 | |||
| The Store Boy; or, The Fortunes of Ben Barclay | 1887 | |||
| Joe's Luck; or, A Boy's Adventures in California | 1887 | Published by A. L. Burt | ||
| Bob Burton; or, The Young Ranchman of the Missouri | 1888 | Published by Porter & Coates | ||
| The Errand Boy; or, How Phil Brent Won Success | 1888 | |||
| Tom Temple's Career | 1888 | |||
| Tom Thatcher's Fortune | 1888 | |||
| Tom Tracy | 1888 | |||
| The Young Acrobat of the Great North American Circus | 1888 | Juvenile novel. | Circus theme suggested by P. T. Barnum. First serialized in The Golden Argosy. | |
| Luke Walton; or, The Chicago Newsboy | 1889 | |||
| Struggling Upward; or, Luke Larkin's Luck | 1890 | Juvenile novel. | Published by Loring. | Small town boy helps solve bank robbery. Online at Gutenberg |
| The Erie Train Boy | 1890 | |||
| Five Hundred Dollars; or, Jacob Marlowe's Secret | 1890 | |||
| Mark Stanton | 1890 | |||
| Ned Newton; or, The Fortunes of a New York Bootblack | 1890 | Juvenile novel. | First serialized in The Golden Argosy. | |
| A New York Boy | 1890 | |||
| The Odds Against Him; or, Carl Crawford's Experience | 1890 | |||
| Dean Dunham; or, The Waterford Mystery | 1891 | |||
| Digging for Gold. A Story of California | 1892 | |||
| Grit; or, The Young Boatman of Pine Point | 1892 | Published by A. L. Burt Company | ||
| Cast Upon the Breakers | 1893 | |||
| In a New World; or, Among the Gold-Fields of Australia | 1893 | |||
| Facing the World; or, The Haps and Mishaps of Harry Vane | 1893 | Juvenile novel | Serialized in The Golden Argosy | |
| Only an Irish Boy; Or, Andy Burke's Fortunes and Misfortunes | 1894 | |||
| Victor Vane, The Young Secretary | 1894 | |||
| The Disagreeable Woman; A Social Mystery | 1895 | Adult novel | G. W. Carleton | Alger's last adult novel. Only one copy is known and held in the Library of Congress. |
| Adrift in the City; or, Oliver Conrad's Plucky Fight | 1895 | Juvenile novel | First serialized in New York Weekly as "Oliver the Outcast" in 1887. | |
| Frank Hunter's Peril | 1896 | |||
| The Young Salesman | 1896 | |||
| Frank and Fearless; or, The Fortunes of Jasper Kent | 1897 | |||
| Walter Sherwood's Probation | 1897 | |||
| A Boy's Fortune; or, The Strange Adventures of Ben Baker | 1898 | |||
| The Young Bank Messenger | 1898 | Online at Gutenberg. | ||
| Jed the Poorhouse Boy | 1899 | Juvenile novel. | A poorhouse boy is discovered to be an English baronet. | |
| Mark Mason's Victory; or, The Trials and Triumphs of a Telegraph Boy | 1899 | |||
| Rupert's Ambition | 1899 | |||
| Silas Snobden's Office Boy | 1899 | J.S. Ogilvie & Company | Originally serialized by Argosy under the pseudonym Arthur Lee Putnam. | |
| A Debt of Honor. The Story of Gerald Lane's Success in the Far West | 1900 | |||
| Falling in With Fortune; or, The Experiences of a Young Secretary | 1900 | |||
| Out for Business; or, Robert Frost's Strange Career | 1900 | |||
| Ben Bruce. Scenes in the Life of a Bowery Newsboy | 1901 | |||
| Lester's Luck | 1901 | |||
| Nelson the Newsboy; or, Afloat in New York | 1901 | |||
| Tom Brace: Who He Was and How He Fared | 1901 | |||
| Young Captain Jack; or, The Son of a Soldier | 1901 | Juvenile novel | Originally serialized in Golden Hours. Promoted as Alger's last work. Completed by Edward Stratemeyer as Arthur M. Winfield. | |
| Andy Grant's Pluck | 1902 | |||
| A Rolling Stone; or, The Adventures of a Wanderer | 1902 | |||
| Striving for Fortune; or, Walter Griffith's Trials and Successes | 1902 | |||
| Tom Turner's Legacy | 1902 | |||
| The World Before Him | 1902 | |||
| Bernard Brooks' Adventures. The Story of a Brave Boy's Trials | 1903 | |||
| Chester Rand; or, A New Path to Fortune | 1903 | |||
| Forging Ahead | 1903 | Published by Philadelphia: Penn Publishing Company | Originally serialized in 1881 and again in 1898 in Golden Days for Boys and Girls as Andy Gordon, The Fortunes of a Young Janitor | |
| Adrift in New York; or, Tom and Florence Braving the World | 1904 | |||
| Finding a Fortune | 1904 | |||
| Jerry the Backwoods Boy; or, The Parkhurst Treasure | 1904 | |||
| Lost at Sea; or, Robert Roscoe's Strange Cruise | 1904 | |||
| From Farm to Fortune; or Nat Nason's Strange Experience | 1905 | |||
| Making His Mark | 1905 | |||
| Mark Manning's Mission. The Story of a Shoe Factory Boy | 1905 | |||
| The Young Book Agent; or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success | 1905 | |||
| Joe the Hotel Boy, or Winning Out by Pluck | 1906 | |||
| Randy of the River; or, The Adventures of a Young Deckhand | 1906 | |||
| The Young Musician; or, Fighting His Way | 1906 | |||
| In Search of Treasure. The Story of Guy's Eventful Voyage | 1907 | Published by A. L. Burt Company | ||
| Ben Logan's Triumph; or, The Boys of Boxwood Academy | 1908 | |||
| Wait and Win. The Story of Jack Drummond's Pluck | 1908 | |||
| Tony The Tramp. Right is Might | 1909 | NEW YORK, THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY | ||
| Robert Coverdale's Struggle; or, On the Wave of Success | 1910 |
References
- Hoyt, Edwin P. (1974). Horatio's Boys. Chilton Book Company. ISBN 0-8019-5966-7.