A Boy's Fortune

Horatio Alger (1832 - 1899) was one of the most influential American authors of the 19th century, who wrote Boy's Fortune, A; or, The Strange Adventures of Ben Baker. A prolific author, he wrote more than a hundred books on the same theme: that honesty, cheerfulness, virtue, thrift, and hard work would be rewarded with success. While his plots and dialogue sometimes lacked creativity, he can be credited with helping to create an uniquely American philosophy of Strive and Succeed. Titles such as Sink or Swim, Shifting for Himself, and Boy's Fortune, A; or, The Strange Adventures of Ben Baker convinced generations that they could triumph over their circumstances and become an Alger Hero.