"[Alger] was an utterly American artist . . . and the truth of his books is the truth of the power of the wish. . . . Alger was perhaps American capitalism's greatest and most effective propagandist."
-Richard Wright
Introduction by David K. Shipler
Written to inspire schoolboys to strive for "honesty, industry, frugality, and a worthy ambition," the novels of Horatio Alger (1832--99) are infused with great humanity, broad humor, and a surprisingly sophisticated view of Gilded Age propriety.
Central to Alger's philosophy is the notion that heroes like Ragged Dick, a poor boot-black, manage to get ahead by dint of hard work, resourcefulness, luck, pluck, and fair play.
Alger's upwardly mobile heroes have become paragons of middle-class comfort and moral standing, and their journeys from rags to respectability have long been viewed as the very embodiment of the American Dream.
In this Modern Library Paperback Classic, the text of Ragged Dick is set from the first American book edition of 1868. Includes a Modern Library Reading Group Guide.

In the last few years we have seen a wave of activism wash across our nation and inspire unprecedented protest and civic engagement. People came together in record-breaking numbers, outspoken and persistent. With the winds of resistance at their backs, people linked arms and set out to defend our freedoms and each other. Photojournalist Tish Lampert captures the spirit of the heroes and ordinary citizens on their activist journey to defend their American values during the most conflicted era in our recent history. The book charts the chronology of social-change movements that have dominated the headlines over the past several years: the fight for women s rights and gender equality, immigration rights, civil liberties, gun violence, and the environment. Lampert takes us to the front lines of activism, where she has documented each protest and their respective leaders, as well as the legions of ordinary Americans standing together to protect the values of our great nation.