Tattered Tom
by Horatio Alger Jr.
The John C. Winston Co., 1899, Philadelphia
CONDITION:
This book is in poor condition. Hardcover. This is an antiquarian book that has had a long and illustrious journey through time and its age is definitely showing. Please take a look at the pictures to ascertain the condition and state of this book. The boards are heavily worn along edges and corners with significant signs of shelf wear. Bumped corners. Faded lettering. Hinges cracked. Binding detached, crashing showing. The frontispiece is loose. Endpapers are heavily annotated. Dusty edges. The text block is overall legible but in poor shape.
ATTRIBUTES:
Illustrated edition. Hardcover. No dust jacket. Bound in cloth over boards.
DESCRIPTION:
Tattered Tom is a classic nineteenth-century juvenile novel that follows the adventures of a homeless, sharp-witted young protagonist surviving on the streets of New York City. Unlike many of the author's other works centered on impoverished boys, this narrative introduces a unique twist by featuring a spirited female lead who ultimately discovers her true identity as the heir to a fortune. Through themes of resilience, social mobility, and moral integrity, the story reflects the broader cultural anxieties and reform-minded ideals of its era.
The author, Horatio Alger Junior, was a prolific American writer renowned for his moralistic tales that championed the American Dream and the journey from humble beginnings to respectable middle-class security. After transitioning away from a career as a Unitarian minister, Alger spent time living and working near newsboys' lodging houses in New York City. This firsthand experience deeply influenced his writing, inspiring numerous juvenile fiction pieces that highlighted the plight of urban children and advocated for social sympathy and hard work.
Historically, Alger's works hold a significant place in American literary history as cultural artifacts that helped shape nineteenth-century concepts of youth, philanthropy, and success. For book collectors, nineteenth-century American juvenile literature and prolific works by authors like Alger represent a fascinating niche of historical publishing. Collectors are often drawn to these titles for their nostalgic window into Victorian-era moral instruction and their distinct place in the evolution of popular American fiction.
FLASHBACK TO 1899 WHEN THIS BOOK WAS PUBLISHED:
When this book was published in 1899, the British Empire was fiercely entrenched in the outbreak of the Second Boer War, while the United States ratified the Treaty of Paris following the Spanish-American War, cementing its rising global power. In the cultural and intellectual spheres, Sigmund Freud published his groundbreaking work *The Interpretation of Dreams*, and the beloved purveyor of rags-to-riches morality tales, Horatio Alger Jr., passed away just months before the century turned. Meanwhile, aspirin was first patented by Bayer, and Heinrich Hoffmann introduced the world to liquid neon, capturing a pivotal moment on the precipice of modernity.
Location: ABS-1-2-025