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Alger: A Biography Without a Hero
Paperback
Historical FiguresLiterary FiguresLiterary Criticism
ISBN13: 9781025266671
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 270
Weight: 0.84
Height: 0.57 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Alger; A Biography Without a Hero is a fascinating and provocative study of Horatio Alger Jr., the author who defined the American rags-to-riches success story. In this work, Herbert R. Mayes attempts to peel back the layers of myth surrounding the creator of the Tattered Tom and Ragged Dick series. By examining the life of a man whose name became a household word for upward mobility, Mayes presents a narrative that contrasts the moralistic, triumphant tone of Alger's novels with the complexities and contradictions of his real life.
The work provides a detailed look at the social and literary landscape of the 19th century, exploring how Alger's vision of success resonated with a changing America. It moves beyond simple hagiography to provide a critical perspective on the author's motivations and the cultural impact of his vast body of work. For students of American literature and those interested in the origins of the American Dream, Alger; A Biography Without a Hero remains a significant and engaging exploration of a literary phenomenon and the man behind the legend.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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