"Struggling Upward, or Luke Larkin's Luck" by Horatio Jr. Alger. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

From the 1860's through the 1890s, Horatio Alger wrote hundreds of novels to teach young boys the merits of honesty, hard work, and cheerfulness in the face of adversity. As Carl Bode points out in his introduction, Horatio Alger filled a void in American literature and met scant competition both in the nature and the number of his works. Like his heroes, Alger rose to the top by chance, coincidence, and hard work. The hero of Ragged Dick is a veritable "diamond in the rough"—as innately virtuous as he is streetwise and cocky. Immediately popular with young readers, the novel also appealed to parents, who repsonded to its colorful espousal of the Protestant ethic. Struggling Upward, published nearly thirty years later, followed the same time-tested formulas, and despite critical indifference it, too, had mass appeal. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

From the 1860's through the 1890s, Horatio Alger wrote hundreds of novels to teach young boys the merits of honesty, hard work, and cheerfulness in the face of adversity. The hero of Ragged Dick is a veritable "diamond in the rough"-as innately virtuous as he is streetwise and cocky. Immediately popular with young readers, the novel also appealed to parents, who repsonded to its colorful espousal of the Protestant ethic. Struggling Upward, published nearly thirty years later, followed the same time-tested formulas, and despite critical indifference it, too, had mass appeal. As Carl Bode points out in his introduction, Horatio Alger filled a void in American literature and met scant competition both in the nature and the number of his works. Like his heroes, Alger rose to the top by chance, coincidence, and hard work.

In this classic rags-to-riches tale, discover the exhilarating story of one boy’s metamorphosis from a street urchin in New York City to a handsome, self-respecting gentlemen. Part coming of age tale and part adventure novel, Ragged Dick is the story of a fast-talking, plucky street boy who gambles, smokes, and has no formal education. But Dick is also hardworking, striving not for wealth and status, but for a steady job, a decent place to sleep, and respectability. Set amidst the drama and perils of growing up as an outcast in the gritty underbelly of NYC, this novel illustrates the courage, tenacity, and resilience of one young boy who, in the face of adversity, aims to pull himself up by his bootstraps and persevere. With an Introduction by Michael Meyer and a New Afterword by Bryan Waterman

"I ain?t knocked round the city streets all my life for nothin?," proclaims Ragged Dick, the fast-talking boy hero of Horatio Alger?s classic rags-to-riches tale. Dick is a plucky street boy who smokes, gambles, and speaks ungrammatically?but he is also honest and hardworking, striving not for wealth and status, but for a steady job, a decent place to sleep, and respectability. A quintessential boy?s novel of adventure, romance, and coming of age, Ragged Dick brings to life the drama and perils of living among other young outcasts in the crowded streets of lower Manhattan. It is at the same time an exhilarating tale of one boy?s metamorphosis from a dirty street urchin to a handsome, self-respecting gentleman