Ragged Dick: Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks

This is a realistic book about a young boy doing "good" and in turn he has many lucky breaks. It is supposed to be a child's book, but I don't know how many children would voluntarily read this. I read it for my Children's Literature class and I loved it! It deals with a less severe form of didactism, which is a nice change. It is a fast read also.

This book is a book about timeless virtues and friendship. It is book about rising to find one's place in society. With newer books today attempting to push political special interests, this is a personal message. The story shows how one can rise with a simple positive character and persistence. These stories should be brought to the forefront in today's education. A simple warm and inspirational story for young and old alike. I wish I had the power and will to bring these to all middle schools and other young people.

Great writing and an excellent read. Truly a delight. I highly recommend it.

I can honestly say that at first I thought this book would be boring and I would have to force myself to read it. I was wrong!! This book was so interesting, funny and heart felt, it made me laugh and teary-eyed all at the same time. I have recommended this book to people that don't even have to read it as a class assignment. At night before I went to bed I would read it and on my lunch break I would go into my car and read it, I couldn't put it down until I read the whole story. If I had to sum it up in one word it would be EXCELLENT!!!!

This may be a good book but the foreword is written by a fellow named Trachtenberg who not only claims Mr. Alger was a pedophile [unsubstantiated] but then he challenges the idea of upward mobility. Apparently Mr. Trachenberg achieved his own success through being born with a silver spoon, nepotism, or his ethnic associates. There is only Alger book available at a moderate cost. It is "Struggling Upward," which is one of the best and most famous.