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Horatio Alger wrote the famous "rags-to-riches" stories about young boys (now and then, a girl trying to survive by hard work, honesty, etc. I read Ragged Dick, probably his most famous work, several years ago, and I enjoyed it. Sure, it's old-fashioned and sometimes corny. Isn't that the point? 
However, I haven't been able to get into any of his others since then -- I'm overwhelmed by the choices. There are so many to choose from, and the titles are often similar. So whenever I'm in the mood for a Horatio Alger story, I can't remember which ones I had been reading. Let's see, whas I reading Fame and Fortune? Slow and Sure? Or Luck and Pluck? Or maybe it was Strive and Succeed? Maybe it was Paul the Peddler. Or Phil the Fiddler? Aargh! I give up, I'll read some H. P. Lovecraft instead. (Bookmarks are of no use because I was reading them on a Palm that is ... no longer with us ... (Aww))
Do you think some of the facts we now about Alger can color the way we read his stories? It is now known that before he wrote the books, he left the ministry because of sexual abuse allegations involving his relationship with two teenaged boys. (He was accused of "abominable and revolting crime of unnatural familiarity with boys" and resigned from the ministry.) Modern day readers often see homoerotic elements in the stories. (Boys rooming together with adult supervision, etc.) But that doesn't mean Alger was putting them there on purpose, even if his subconscious may have been at play.
However, I haven't been able to get into any of his others since then -- I'm overwhelmed by the choices. There are so many to choose from, and the titles are often similar. So whenever I'm in the mood for a Horatio Alger story, I can't remember which ones I had been reading. Let's see, whas I reading Fame and Fortune? Slow and Sure? Or Luck and Pluck? Or maybe it was Strive and Succeed? Maybe it was Paul the Peddler. Or Phil the Fiddler? Aargh! I give up, I'll read some H. P. Lovecraft instead. (Bookmarks are of no use because I was reading them on a Palm that is ... no longer with us ... (Aww))
Do you think some of the facts we now about Alger can color the way we read his stories? It is now known that before he wrote the books, he left the ministry because of sexual abuse allegations involving his relationship with two teenaged boys. (He was accused of "abominable and revolting crime of unnatural familiarity with boys" and resigned from the ministry.) Modern day readers often see homoerotic elements in the stories. (Boys rooming together with adult supervision, etc.) But that doesn't mean Alger was putting them there on purpose, even if his subconscious may have been at play.